Pandaw · All Pandaw ships · Pandaw K class, ten-cabin Kerala backwaters ship, 20 guests

Kochi Pandaw: ship guide

Pandaw’s first Kerala backwaters ship, new in November 2025, sailing weekly from Kochi.

Best for: Couples and small groups who want Kerala’s backwaters on a brand-new, 20-guest ship with excursions, drinks and gratuities included. Sails from Kochi in 2026 and 2027.

See every Kochi Pandaw sailing Deck plans Pandaw policies

20guests at double occupancy

2decks

2025entered service

10staterooms

About Kochi Pandaw

Kochi Pandaw is a ten-stateroom river ship that Pandaw launched in November 2025, purpose-built for the backwaters of Kerala on India’s Malabar coast and the line’s fourth ship in India. She keeps the classic Pandaw look of brass and teak, wrap-around promenade decks and an open upper deck, scaled to the narrow lagoons and canals between Kochi, Kumarakom and Alleppey where only shallow, slim vessels can go.

Four staterooms on the upper deck and six on the main deck measure about 170 square feet each, with a panoramic French window, individually controlled air conditioning, a Nespresso machine, a complimentary minibar, imported linens and multi-configuration plugs. Public rooms are an open-air lounge and bar, an al fresco bistro dining room led by a local master chef, a guest relations deck and a library. With 20 guests, it is one of the most intimate ways to see Kerala.

Through 2026 and 2027 Kochi Pandaw sails The Kerala Backwaters, a seven-night round trip from Panangad Jetty in Kochi that runs roughly weekly from October through March. Days take in Fort Kochi, Vaikom temple, Kumarakom and its 1885 lighthouse, Kainakary, Alleppey, the Mannarashala snake temple and a pottery village, with Kathakali, Mohiniattam and Kalari Payattu performances along the way. Pandaw’s India drinks package is included.

Brand new in November 2025: Pandaw’s first ship designed for the Kerala backwaters
Ten staterooms for 20 guests, four on the upper deck and six on the main deck, each about 170 square feet
Seven-night Kerala Backwaters round trip from Kochi, weekly from October through March
Fort Kochi, Vaikom Mahadeva Temple, Kumarakom, Alleppey, Thottapally Beach and the Mannarashala Snake Temple
Kathakali, Mohiniattam and Kalari Payattu martial-art performances during the cruise
Shikara boat rides through the canals and hands-on pottery with artisans at Vadayar
India complimentary drinks package included: local beers, spirits, mixers, soft drinks and house wines at lunch and dinner
All excursions, entrance fees, English-speaking guides and crew gratuities included

Staterooms and suites

Main Deck Stateroom

Six staterooms of about 170 square feet on the main deck, finished in teak and brass with a panoramic French window onto the wrap-around promenade, individually controlled air conditioning, premium mattresses with imported linens, a Nespresso machine, a complimentary minibar, glass bottled water, expedition flasks, spa-branded amenities, an electric safe, multi-configuration plugs, a hair dryer, kimonos, slippers and yoga mats; evening canapes, nightly turndown and 24-hour laundry service (laundry is charged) are standard.

Upper Deck Stateroom

Four staterooms with the same 170-square-foot layout and fittings on the upper deck, beside the open-air lounge and bar and with the higher view over Vembanad Lake and the canals; these are the first to sell on each departure.

Kochi 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

Saloon.

FW Ocean View Stateroom (Panoramic French Window)

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.

Dining on Kochi Pandaw

Dining RoomIncluded

Al fresco bistro-style dining with air-conditioned seating, where a local master chef leads an international team through personalized meal service, theme and gala dinners and daily lean-and-light options.

Upper Deck Lounge and BarIncluded

Open-air lounge and bar for the welcome cocktail, evening performances and the farewell reception.

Hospitality BarIncluded

Local mineral water, jugged coffee, teas and tisanes available at any hour at no charge.

India Complimentary Drinks PackageIncluded

Included free for all guests on Kerala sailings: local beers, spirits, mixers and soft drinks throughout the cruise, plus select house wines at lunch and dinner, subject to availability; the cabin minibar is also complimentary.

Private DiningSpecialty

A pre-bookable private dinner on deck, priced as an add-on.

Entertainment and activities

Open upper deck and wrap-around promenades for the lagoons, canals and coconut groves of the backwaters
Kathakali dance performance at Kumarakom and a Mohiniattam performance at Kavalam
Kalari Payattu martial-art demonstration at Thottapally Beach
Shikara boat rides through the narrow canals at Nattakam and Vadayar
All excursions included: Kerala Folklore Museum, Fort Kochi, Vaikom temple, the 1885 Munroe Lighthouse, St. Mary’s Jacobite Syrian Church and the Mannarashala Snake Temple
Hands-on pottery with local artisans in the rural pottery hub at Vadayar
Library of classic and contemporary titles on board
No spa on board; Pandaw offers massage only on its Lower Mekong ships

Families and who it suits

Pandaw does not accept children under 8 because the open decks have no safety netting and the rail gaps are wide; children 8 to 17 are welcome with their own berth. There is no kids program.

Best for: Couples and small groups who want Kerala’s backwaters on a brand-new, 20-guest ship with excursions, drinks and gratuities included.

Sails from: Kochi · Regions: Kerala backwaters (India)

Kochi Pandaw questions we answer every day

How big is Kochi Pandaw?

Kochi Pandaw is a two-deck river ship with ten staterooms for 20 guests, four on the upper deck and six on the main deck. Pandaw launched her in November 2025, designed specifically for the narrow inland waterways of Kerala, and has not published her length, beam or tonnage. She is the line’s fourth ship in India after its Ganges and Brahmaputra vessels.

Where does Kochi Pandaw sail in 2026 and 2027?

The Kerala Backwaters, a seven-night round trip from Panangad Jetty in Kochi, with departures roughly weekly from October through March in both the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 seasons. The route follows Vembanad Lake and the canals to Kumarakom, Kainakary, Kavalam, Alleppey and Vadayar, with Fort Kochi on embarkation day and transfers to the airport or your hotel on the final morning.

What are the cabins like on Kochi Pandaw?

All ten staterooms are about 170 square feet in teak and brass with a panoramic French window, individually controlled air conditioning, a Nespresso machine, a complimentary minibar, premium mattresses with imported linens, a safe, multi-configuration plugs, hair dryer, kimonos, slippers and yoga mats. The four upper-deck staterooms sit beside the open-air lounge and bar; the six main-deck staterooms open onto the promenade.

What is included in the fare on Kochi Pandaw?

All meals, every listed excursion with entrance fees, English-speaking guides, crew gratuities, transfers between the Kochi meeting point and the ship, local mineral water, jugged coffee, teas and tisanes, the cabin minibar and Pandaw’s India complimentary drinks package of local beers, spirits, mixers, soft drinks and house wines with lunch and dinner. Flights, visas, laundry and tips for local guides and drivers are extra.

How is Kochi Pandaw different from a Kerala houseboat?

Traditional kettuvallam houseboats sleep a family for a night or two and tie up early. Kochi Pandaw is a proper small ship with ten air-conditioned staterooms, a restaurant, an open-air bar, a crew and guides, sailing a structured seven-night itinerary with daily excursions, cultural performances and village visits that are all included. It reaches the same canals but with hotel-standard comfort.

What is the best time to cruise the Kerala backwaters?

Pandaw schedules Kochi Pandaw from October through March, after the southwest monsoon and before the April heat, when the backwaters are full, the skies are mostly clear and daytime temperatures are warm rather than oppressive. Pandaw flags savings of up to 10 percent and no single supplement on selected dates, so the shoulder months are worth checking first.

Facts checked against Pandaw: RV Kochi Pandaw, Pandaw: The Kerala Backwaters expedition, Pandaw: Kerala Backwaters cruise dates, Pandaw: India river cruises on October 14, 2026. Ship details change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the current layout when you book.

Live from the cruise line

Every Kochi Pandaw sailing, priced all-in

Every Kochi Pandaw departure the cruise line is selling, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. SmartCruiser picks at the top are sailings where booking with us gets you something extra. Stack the filters, then sort by lowest price, best value per night or sail date.

Every Kochi Pandaw sailing

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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.