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Mekong Pandaw: ship guide

Pandaw’s Mekong pioneer: 48 guests, a 750 square meter teak sundeck, spa and gym.

Best for: Active travelers who want the roomiest Pandaw ship on the Mekong, with a gym, spa, bikes and the longer ten-night route to Kratie and Tonle Sap Lake. Sails from Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Siem Reap in 2026 and 2027.

See every Mekong Pandaw sailing Deck plans Pandaw policies

831gross tons

48guests at double occupancy

2002entered service, refurbished 2012

197 ftlong

24staterooms

About Mekong Pandaw

Mekong Pandaw was built in Rangoon in 2002 and sailed under her own power to Saigon to open Pandaw’s Mekong program, the first of its ships on the river. Designed specifically for the Mekong, she is the only P class ship without a flying bridge and, Pandaw says, the most spacious in its fleet, with wider promenades, a larger dining hall and a 750 square meter teak sundeck with a full-size billiard table. A 2012 refit removed the lower deck cabins to add a professional spa, a gym, a library lounge and an office.

Her 24 staterooms, 18 on the upper deck and six on the main deck, are the standard Pandaw 170 square feet in teak and brass, each with a French window onto the promenade. Dining is semi-buffet at breakfast and lunch and seated theme dinners from a local master chef, with a saloon bar, sundeck bar and 24-hour hospitality bar. Mountain bikes are carried for independent exploring in port.

In 2026 and 2027 Mekong Pandaw is the workhorse of the Vietnam and Cambodia Mekong: she sails the seven-night Classic Mekong between Saigon and Siem Reap from October through March, and she is the only ship on the ten-night Deeper and Further on the Mekong River, which adds Kratie, the Irrawaddy dolphin grounds at Kampi, Koh Trong and an overnight on Tonle Sap Lake during the high-water season. She suits active travelers who want more deck space, a gym and a spa on a small ship.

Pandaw’s first Mekong ship, built in 2002 and designed specifically for this river
The most spacious ship in the Pandaw fleet, with a 750 square meter teak sundeck and full-size billiard table
Professional spa, gym and library lounge added in the 2012 refit
24 teak-and-brass staterooms of about 170 square feet, 18 of them on the upper deck
Quality mountain bikes on board for independent exploration
Larger dining hall, saloon bar with nightly entertainment, sundeck bar and 24-hour hospitality bar
Only ship on the ten-night Deeper and Further on the Mekong River itinerary to Kratie and Tonle Sap Lake
Classic Mekong sailings between Saigon and Siem Reap from October to March in 2026 and 2027

Staterooms and suites

Main Deck Stateroom

Six cabins of about 170 square feet finished in teak and brass, with a panoramic French window to the main deck promenade; twin or double beds, individually controlled air conditioning, Nespresso machine, stocked minibar, glass bottled water, mini safe and yoga mat.

Upper Deck Stateroom

Eighteen cabins of the same 170 square foot design on the upper deck, nearest the saloon bar and the big teak sundeck; most guests on this ship book here.

Mekong Pandaw deck plans

Deck by deck, straight from our booking engine: the plan, the stateroom categories on that deck and the public rooms. Pick a deck.

Upper Deck

Observation Saloon, Staterooms.

Observation SaloonSpacious, air-conditioned saloon bar with nightly entertainment.

Main Deck

Dining Room, Galley/Store, Staterooms.

Dining RoomLocal master chef heading an experienced international culinary team.

Lower Deck

Spa, Office Library, Gift Shop, Gym, Cinema, Engine Room.

Khmer MassagePandaw Khmer Massage.
LibraryLibrary with contemporary and classic literature.
GymGym.

Plans are the cruise line’s current drawings as supplied to our booking engine. Layouts change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the exact stateroom when you book.

On board Mekong Pandaw

Dining on Mekong Pandaw

Dining HallIncluded

The largest dining room in the Pandaw fleet, serving semi-buffet breakfast and lunch and seated theme dinners from a local master chef, with daily lean and light options.

Saloon BarIncluded

Air-conditioned upper deck saloon with nightly entertainment, a daily happy hour and an extensive premium wine list.

Sundeck BarIncluded

Open-air bar on the 750 square meter teak sundeck with complimentary ice cream from sunrise to sunset.

24-hour Hospitality BarIncluded

Self-service coffee, tea and water around the clock.

Onboard BakeryIncluded

Fresh breads and rolls baked daily.

Drinks PolicyIncluded

Local mineral water, jugged coffee, teas and tisanes, a welcome cocktail, a refreshing drink after each excursion and the stocked cabin minibar are included on the Mekong; other bar drinks, beer, spirits and wine are charged to your account.

Entertainment and activities

750 square meter teak sundeck with a full-size billiard table and wide promenade decks
Professional spa with a resident therapist (treatments charged on the Mekong) and a gym
Mountain bikes for independent rides in port and guided cycling where offered
Daily briefings and history talks by the purser and local expert guides
Cultural performances by local troupes and themed movie nights
Included excursions by motor coach, deluxe sampan and ox-cart at Kampong Tralach
Library lounge, art gallery and fair-trade shop
Head chef food presentations and behind-the-scenes ship tours

Families and who it suits

Pandaw says its ships are not suitable for children under 8 because the open rails have no safety netting; older children share a cabin with an adult, and Pandaw designates certain school-holiday departures as family friendly with child offers.

Best for: Active travelers who want the roomiest Pandaw ship on the Mekong, with a gym, spa, bikes and the longer ten-night route to Kratie and Tonle Sap Lake.

Sails from: Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Siem Reap · Regions: Mekong, Tonle Sap

Mekong Pandaw questions we answer every day

How big is Mekong Pandaw?

Mekong Pandaw is 60 meters (about 197 feet) long with an 11.2 meter beam and a draft of 1.87 meters, listed by Pandaw at 831 gross tons. She carries 48 guests in 24 staterooms and is the most spacious ship in the Pandaw fleet, with wider promenades, a larger dining hall and a 750 square meter teak sundeck. She has no flying bridge, unlike the other P class ships.

Where does Mekong Pandaw sail in 2026 and 2027?

She sails the seven-night Classic Mekong between Saigon and Siem Reap with frequent departures from late October 2026 through March 2027 and again from October to December 2027. She is also the only ship on the ten-night Deeper and Further on the Mekong River, which runs in the high-water season with departures in October and December 2026 and September, October and December 2027, adding Kratie, Kampi, Koh Trong and Tonle Sap Lake.

What was changed in the 2012 refit?

Pandaw removed the lower deck cabins and used the space for a professional spa, a gym, a library lounge and an office, which is why she now carries 48 guests in 24 cabins rather than the 56 of her Vietnamese-built sisters. All remaining staterooms are on the main and upper decks with French windows onto the promenades.

What are the cabins like on Mekong Pandaw?

All 24 staterooms are about 170 square feet in teak and brass with a French window opening onto the deck, twin or double beds, individually controlled air conditioning, a Nespresso machine, a stocked minibar, glass bottled water, expedition flasks, a mini safe, kimonos and a yoga mat. Eighteen are on the upper deck and six on the main deck. There are no suites on this ship.

What is included in the fare on Mekong Pandaw?

Main meals, guided excursions and entrance fees, English-speaking guides, crew gratuities, Siem Reap transfers, local mineral water, jugged coffee, teas and tisanes, a welcome cocktail and the cabin minibar. Bar drinks, wine, spa treatments, laundry, visas, port dues and tips to local guides and drivers are extra. SmartCruiser adds bonus onboard credit on sailings where Pandaw allows it, not available when you book direct.

Is Mekong Pandaw a good choice for first-time river cruisers?

Yes if you want a small, outdoor-focused ship rather than a large river vessel with a pool and lounges. With a gym, spa, bikes, the biggest sundeck in the fleet and an air-conditioned saloon, she is the most fully equipped Pandaw on the Mekong, and her frequent Classic Mekong departures make dates easy to match with Angkor and Saigon stays.

Facts checked against Pandaw: RV Mekong Pandaw, Pandaw: Classic Mekong cruise dates, Pandaw: Deeper and Further on the Mekong River, Pandaw: Frequently asked questions on October 14, 2026. Ship details change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the current layout when you book.

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Prices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. Onboard credit shown on a sailing is per stateroom and applies to the lowest category offered unless stated otherwise.