RV Laos Pandaw

Seeing the quality of this ship it is hard to believe it was built in a hurry. There are no proper ship yards above the Khone Falls and we could not persuade our Vietnamese builders to assemble a ship trucked in in bits on the river bank. We tried our Rangoon builder and he also chickened out. By January 2015 we were taking bookings and selling out for November but still had no ship. Paul Strachan in a panic flew to Vientiane and took a taxi down to the river bank and boarded the first cargo ship we saw, a 40 meter barge used to carry heavy loads of cement and rice up to China. She had two 400hp truck engines and was just the thing for tackling the terrifying fast flow of the Upper Mekong .The captain was the owner and agreed terms with Paul. The owner agreed to stay on as skipper and is still there. He immediately took her up to the Golden Triangle, a week’s sail away. The Golden Triangle is where Burma, Laos and Thailand meet and was the perfect place to convert the ship. The build team came over from Mandalay, a two-day bus journey across the Shan mountains. They made a camp on the Burma river bank opposite where she lay on the Laos. We hired a house on the Thai side to act as an office and could source material and supplies from Thailand. Amazingly we had the ten cabin ship finished on time for the maiden voyage on the 1st November 2015. Actually it was the first time we have actually had the ship finished on time! Normally there are still sparks flying as the first passengers come on board. The ship has quality mountain bikes for your independent exploration.
Click Here to watch our video. (courtesy of Wendy Evens)
ACCOMMODATION
10 main deck staterooms
Staterooms are 14 square meters (150 sqf), finished in teak and brass
Panoramic sliding door
Kimonos and slippers
Spa-branded amenities
Unlimited mineral water
Electric mini safe
Imported quality linens with duvet and two kind of pillows
Premium mattresses
Convertible bed configuration
Welcome flower arrangement and welcome gift
Mirror
Multi-configuration plugs
Generous closet space and under-bed storage
Hair dryer
Nightly turndown service
24hr laundry service
Complimentary evening canapés
WINING & DINING
Local master chef heading an experienced international culinary team
Personalized meal services
Daily lean & light menu options
Complimentary local mineral water, jugged coffee, teas & tisanes
Extensive wine list with premium wines
Series of cultural performances, educational talks, cooking classes, and ship tour
Welcome drink on arrival
Welcome cocktail
Farewell reception
Theme dinners
Open air lounge and bar
Bistro style al fresco dining
24hrs hospitality bar
Onboard bakery with daily freshly baked breads and rolls
ON EXCURSIONS
Admissions
Shoe cleaning after excursions
Bottled drinking water
Cold towel service after excursions
Refreshing drink following excursions
SAFETY & SECURITY
All onboard crew is trained and certified as per international marine standards
Fire alarm system in all cabins, public areas and back areas
Firefighting system in all ship areas
Expert marine superintendant
24 hrs watch on duty