The Laos Mekong
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Overview
Highlights
- Enjoy your day at lush jungle scenery and tiny riverside villages
- Explore the unique Pak Ou Caves
- Visit butterfly garden and elephant camp
- Cherish the day at jungle pools and dramatic Khaung Si waterfall
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Destinations
Attractions
Activities
Trip includes
- Cruise Price Includes: Entrance fees
- Guide services (English language)
- Gratuities to crew
- Main meals
- Locally made soft drinks
- Local beer and local spirits
- Jugged coffee and selection of teas and tisanes
- Mineral water
- Transfers Chiang Rai / Chiang Mai to ship v.v. and ship to Vientiane / Udon Thani v.v.
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Itinerary
Transfer from airports or hotel in Vientiane or from Udon Thani (1.5hrs) in Thailand just across the river. Embarkation 11.30am, followed by lunch and afternoon explorations of the delightful French city including visits to Sisaket Temple, the President’s Hall, Wat Prakeo Temple and the Phatouxay monument. Set sail late afternoon, enjoy a welcome dinner on board and overnight near Vientiane.
Today we cruise upstream on the Mekong, passing lush jungle scenery and tiny riverside villages. Morning presentation on the Lao language. Afternoon cooking demonstration on the upper deck. Arrive in Ban Xanakham where we more overnight.
Afternoon visit to the French administrative town of Pak Lai with many colonial buildings and a bustling local market. This town boasts the largest elephant festival in South East Asia, usually in February. We return to the ship at Ban Muang where we overnight.
Afternoon visit and walking tour of Ban Park Bor (Kmu Tribal) Village, a typical village, set on the banks of the Mekong amidst lush jungle.
In the morning we pass the newly constructed lock that forms part of the Xanyaburi Hydro Electric Power Plant. Continue upstream to the village of Ban Mouang Khai.
Morning sightseeing by mini coach to visit the jungle pools and dramatic Khaung Si waterfall. We also visit a butterfly garden and elephant camp. Arrive in the heart of the temple city of Luang Prabang. After lunch, explore by tuktuk this well-preserved and unique wor...
Early morning walking tour to see the alms offering by the local people to hundreds of monks who walk around the city every morning. Passengers are invited to join in with offerings we provide for the alms giving. Morning walking tour visiting the National Museum and ...
Morning sightseeing by local boat exploring the unique Pak Ou Caves, a Buddhist sanctuary with spectacular limestone cliff faces. Sail upstream on the beautiful Mekong towards Ban Bo. After lunch, enjoy a cooking demonstration on the upper deck.
Morning walking tour of the market town of Pak Beng. After lunch, if time permits, we explore Ban Pak Sip, a traditional riverside village full of charm and life.
Scenic cruising to the border between Laos and Thailand at Huay Say. Here we cross into Thailand where our waiting transport takes you to re-join the ship at the bustling and pretty Thai port town of Chiang Khong. Enjoy farewell cocktails and dinner on board the Laos Pandaw tonight.
Disembark by 8.30am in Chiang Sean and explore the Golden Triangle including a visit to the opium museum. Continue to airports or city hotels in Chiang Rai (3 hours) and Chiang Mai (6 hours).
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Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Pandaw.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
Pandaw Reviews & Ratings
Elisa
Dec 2016
Amazing trip of a lifetime
On the Pandaw Mekong downstream from Cambodia to Saigon. Amazing trip of a lifetime. Ship is shiny wood and polished brass, cabins with total comfort. Spacious shi...
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Tour Operator
The Pandaw experience is all about exploring remote and often hard-to-navigate rivers and coasts in specially-designed luxury small ships.
Each ship, hand-crafted in brass and teak, is an object of beauty in itself. A Pandaw adventure is very different from that offered on an ocean-going cruise. The ships are small scale, and the atmosphere is informal, and very friendly.
Our Ships
We have sixteen beautifully crafted Pandaw ships in operation that we built ourselves – plus our first coastal ship the Andaman Explorer. Each ship, hand-finished in brass and teak by traditional craftsmen, is itself an object of great beauty.
The secret of our success is that, whilst luxury and comfort are ever-present, on our ships it is the colonial-era character and friendly atmosphere that predominate. All our Pandaws have ultra-shallow drafts and can travel to remote areas, which are unreachable by other passenger-carrying vessels, let alone overland.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- Cruise Price Excludes: International flights
- Port dues (if levied)
- Laundry
- All visa costs
- Fuel surcharges (see terms and conditions)
- Imported beverages such as wines, premium spirits and liqueurs
- Fancy soft drinks like Perrier, espressos and cappuccinos at bar and
- Tips to tour guides, local guides, bus drivers, boat operators and cyclo drivers
Transportation & Flights
Transportation & flights
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 2015we 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. 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 Daily nightly turndown service 24hr laundry service Complimentary evening canapés
Built in 2015 in Laos Berths: 20 pax Length: 44.50 m Beam: 8.90 m Draft: 1.20 m
Cruise Cancellation and Refund
Cancellations for all or any part of the trip will not be effective until received in writing in the offices of Pandaw. Should you have to cancel, the following terms will apply:
From time of booking until 61 day prior to departure non-refundable deposit
From 60 days and less till departure, no show, late arrival or early return 100% cancellation fee
Note: We strongly recommend for your protection that you purchase a trip cancellation insurance.
Burma, China & Thailand
Cancellation of a Pandaw Pre or Post Reservations is cancellation is subject to 10% of total amount or a $50 per person administrative fee (whichever is higher) from the time of booking through 93 days prior to your scheduled Pandaw trip.
From 92-63: the penalty fee is 30% of the total Trip Cost
From 62-33: the penalty fee is 50% of the total Trip Cost
From 32 days to "no show" the penalty fee is 100% of the total Trip Cost
Because these cancellation policies are strictly enforced, we strongly recommend for your protection that you purchase trip cancellation insurance.
Transfers & Joining
Day 1: Vientiane
Transfers included from airport or hotel in Vientiane or Udon Thani. We suggest an early morning arrival. Any late arrivals will also be transferred to the ship but you might miss lunch and/or the afternoon excursion. If staying at a city hotel in Vientiane you will be picked up between 10.30am and 11.00am.
Please Note: There is a surcharge for private transfers if you are not able to meet us at above scheduled pick up times.
Vientiane Jetty - Land River Transport Enterprise, Thadeua Road km4, Sisattanark District.
Day 11: Golden Triangle
Disembark by 8.30am in Chiang Sean.
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