VIENTIANE, 20 May 2022: Just days after Laos reopened borders for fully vaccinated travellers after a two-year pause, Pandaw Cruises confirmed it will place three luxury cruise boats on the Mekong River starting January 2023.
Anticipating pent up demand for cruises on the Mekong River through Laos and Thailand, Pandaw Cruises adds a third boat for bookings as berths on Laos Pandaw and Champa Pandaw quickly fill up.
Laos opened its borders on 9 May, allowing fully vaccinated travellers to visit the country without quarantine, testing and the need to purchase Covid-19 specific insurance cover.
“We are pleased to announce that from January 2023, we will activate a third ship, the Sabaidee Pandaw, on our 10-night Mekong River expedition from Vientiane to Chiang Saen,” said the Pandaw Cruises statement.
The RV Sabaidee is the 17th boat in the Pandaw Flotilla which was constructed to navigate the unpredictable ebb and flow in water levels and the rapids on the Mekong River through northern Laos to China’s Yunnan province.
The double-decked vessel has 14 classic Pandaw staterooms; eight on the main deck, six on the upper deck, and an open plan saloon with flexible indoor or outdoor dining.
“Anticipating a post-Covid slowdown, we had been deliberately cautious and had only offered the Laos Pandaw and Champa Pandaw ships on this very adventurous route. However, the two ships are more or less fully booked, so we will prepare the Sabaidee for a relaunch,” the sales team explained.
Pandaw Cruises describes the 10-night Laos Mekong itinerary as “probably the most exciting river expedition anywhere with its fast waters cutting through rocky gorges, towering mountains and rich forests.” But the cruises are also a window of opportunity to explore and interact with the ethnic minority villages and visit the World Heritage town of Luang Prabang in northern Laos.
For details of the Lao Mekong itinerary check out https://www.pandaw.com/expeditions/laos-mekong
