Teak decks, brass rails and a tuk-tuk waiting on the riverbank.
Pandaw builds its own riverboats by hand in teak and brass, in the style of the old Irrawaddy Flotilla Company it revived in 1995, and sails them where big ships cannot go: the Mekong through Vietnam and Cambodia, the Upper Mekong in Laos, the Red River and Halong Bay in northern Vietnam, the Ganges and Brahmaputra in India, the Kerala backwaters, and the Irrawaddy and Chindwin in Myanmar whenever it is sailing. With 10 to 60 guests, local drinks included and excursions on foot, by bicycle and by tuk-tuk, it suits curious travelers who would rather see a village market than a city skyline. SmartCruiser lists all 161 Pandaw sailings with taxes and fees included and puts the SmartCruiser picks first; most Pandaw fares show as fares by phone, and we quote them the same way, with taxes and fees included and SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit where the line allows it.
Three ways to sail with Pandaw
Pick a river and the list below filters to it; where a sailing shows fares by phone, call and we quote it with taxes and fees included.
The Mekong, Saigon to Siem Reap
- 7 nights between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap, Angkor Wat at one end and the Delta at the other
- Phnom Penh, Tonle Sap floating villages and silk-weaving islands
- Longer expeditions continue upriver to Kratie and the Laos border
Best for: first Asian river cruises, temple and market lovers, 7 to 10 nights
Red River and Halong Bay
- Hanoi, the Red River delta and the limestone karsts of Halong Bay on one small ship
- Village temples, pottery and craft towns that see almost no tourists
- Usually 10 nights, with Hanoi before and after
Best for: second Asia trips, photographers, anyone who has done the Mekong
Ganges and Brahmaputra
- Kolkata to Farakka on the lower Ganges: Murshidabad, terracotta temples and village India
- The Brahmaputra through Assam with Kaziranga rhinos and tea gardens
- Kerala backwaters by small Pandaw ship in the far south
Best for: experienced travelers, wildlife and culture, 7 nights plus land
Pandaw deals: SmartCruiser picks first
Every Pandaw sailing on every river, with taxes, fees and port expenses included wherever a price is shown. The picks at the top are sailings where booking with SmartCruiser gets you something extra: instant savings, bonus onboard credit, a Special SmartCruiser rate, or a senior, resident or police & fire fare that beats the public price. Below them, every other sailing with full sorting; the fares-by-phone cards are real departures, call and we price them for you.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery Pandaw sailing
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices 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. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Where Pandaw sails
Pick a river and the list above filters to it; the Laos and Kerala expeditions appear under the Mekong and the all-Asia searches.
Lines you may also like
If Pandaw’s small-ship Asia appeals, these lines sail the Mekong and the Amazon in different styles.
When to go
The Mekong sails year-round; India and the Laos expeditions follow the dry season and the water levels.
Pandaw questions we answer every day
What is included in a Pandaw fare?
All meals, local beer, spirits and soft drinks, every excursion and entrance fee, and gratuities to the crew. Wine and imported spirits, flights, visas and the land extensions in Siem Reap, Hanoi or Kolkata are extra; most guests add at least two nights on land at each end.
How big are the ships and the cabins?
Pandaw ships carry 10 to 60 guests, built low so they can sail in a few feet of water. Cabins are about 170 square feet, finished in teak and brass, with a door opening straight onto the promenade deck, en suite shower, air conditioning and no television. The Laos and Kerala ships are the smallest, 10 to 20 guests.
Who does Pandaw suit?
Travelers who have done Europe’s rivers and want something real: villages, markets and monasteries rather than cities. Expect a walking, cycling and tuk-tuk pace, informal dress, and a small, international group. It is not for anyone who needs an elevator or a balcony.
What about the weather and the water levels?
Asia’s rivers rise and fall with the monsoon, and Pandaw built its ships for exactly that. In low water the ship may moor further out and use sampans, and the Upper Mekong and Chindwin expeditions run only in the months the river allows. Days are warm to hot year-round; pack light cotton, a hat and a rain jacket in the green season.
Do I need a passport or visa?
A US passport valid six months beyond your return. Vietnam, Cambodia and India all require e-visas applied for online before travel; Laos issues visas on arrival. We send the current rules and links with your confirmation.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price shown on this page includes cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses, and when a Pandaw sailing shows fares by phone we quote it the same way. Flights, visas, hotel extensions and wine are extra.
Talk to a Pandaw specialist
Tell us the river and the month and we price the Pandaw departure, the land extensions and the alternatives on the same river, with taxes and fees in every number. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.