Is Pandaw worth it?
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 10 November 2026
No verdict of ours: the facts Pandaw publishes on its own website, read 10 November 2026, topic by topic, each with a link to the page it came from.
Is Pandaw worth it?
It depends on what you want. Pandaw, which says it has been family-owned for more than 30 years, sails ships of fewer than 30 cabins on the rivers of Asia and includes daily excursions, full board and free bikes; it offers no single supplement on a wide selection of departures. Local mineral water, coffee and tea are free and all other drinks are charged, except on its India expeditions, which include local soft drinks, mixers, spirits and beers.
What is Pandaw?
Pandaw is a river cruise company in Asia founded in 1995 by Scottish historian Paul Strachan, which says it has been family-owned and independently operated for more than 30 years, without external investors. Source
Which ships does Pandaw sail?
Pandaw says it has 16 owned ships operating on the rivers of Asia and, elsewhere, that it currently operates 12 Pandaw ships built by its team in Southeast Asia; named ships include the ten-cabin Kochi Pandaw (launched November 2025) and Kerala Pandaw (due December 2026) for the Kerala backwaters, Kindat Pandaw on the Brahmaputra and Bassac, Tonle and Indochina Pandaw. Source
Which rivers does Pandaw sail?
Pandaw sells sailings on the Mekong (its most popular route from Saigon to Siem Reap, plus Laos via Vientiane and Luang Prabang), the Brahmaputra (The Brahmaputra, 7 nights, Guwahati to Silghat and back to Guwahati), West Bengal (9 nights), the Ganges (14 nights), the Kerala Backwaters and Myanmar’s Irrawaddy Delta, where it sails two ships; it also goes through Halong Bay and the Red River in Vietnam. Source
How large are the cabins?
Pandaw's main and upper deck staterooms measure 168 square feet (15.6 sqm); each suite offers over 40 square metres, a private deck and wide French windows on both sides. Every ship has fewer than 30 cabins. Source
What does the fare include?
Pandaw's sailings include daily excursions, full board, cultural performances, movie nights and free bikes, with complimentary WiFi on the sundeck; local mineral water, jugged coffee, teas and tisanes are complimentary and all other drinks are charged, except on its India expeditions, which now include local soft drinks, mixers, spirits and beers. Source
Are shore excursions included?
Pandaw includes excursions in the sailing, with small groups, expert local guides and options for different levels of mobility; guides speak English, while foreign-language guides must be pre-booked and may cost extra. Source
What do solo travellers pay?
Pandaw offers cabins with no single supplement on a wide selection of expeditions and departure dates; its offers list sailings as 'Singles welcome! No Single Supplement' with a 10% Discovery Discount. Source
How much is the deposit?
Pandaw asks a non-refundable deposit of 20% of the total booking value on confirmation; the final balance is due 61 days before departure or the booking is cancelled and the deposit forfeited. Source
What happens if you cancel?
Pandaw keeps the non-refundable 20% deposit if you cancel before the balance is due and charges 100% from 60 days and less before departure, including no show, late arrival or early return; a material change such as a change of date may incur a $150 USD per person administration fee. Source
What happens if the water is too high or too low?
Pandaw says its published itineraries are indicational only and subject to sudden change and that passengers are expected to be flexible and patient; its terms reserve the right to change the vessel without notice. Source
What if your mobility is limited?
Pandaw does not allow wheelchairs; access to the ship at some river stations can be difficult, with steep and sometimes slippery river banks, so elderly passengers should consult their doctor. Excursions offer options for different levels of mobility. Source
Can children come?
Pandaw says its cruises are not suitable for children under 8, as the ships have railings but no netting; on family sailings in the spring and Christmas school breaks on the Classic Mekong, the Hooghly or the Brahmaputra, one or two children aged 8 to 18 travel free in a second cabin. Source
When is Pandaw not the fit?
The limit below is published by Pandaw on its own website.
- Pandaw: not the fit if you use a wheelchair: wheelchairs are not allowed and access to the ship at some river stations can be difficult, with steep and sometimes slippery river banks. Source
Pandaw at a glance
Its card, as on every Uncompromised Travel river cruise page: what it sells, why to choose it, what to ask for and the limits it publishes.
Pandaw
- Best for
- Small-ship Mekong and India river expeditions
- What it sells
- Runs small-ship river expeditions in Asia on its own ships, which it says number 16, on the Mekong, the Ganges, Hooghly and Brahmaputra, the Kerala backwaters and Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta.
- Why choose them
- Founded in 1995 by Scottish historian Paul Strachan, it sails ships with fewer than 30 cabins each.
- Ask for
- Ask for a departure with no single supplement, which it offers on a wide selection of expeditions and dates.
- Not the fit if
- you use a wheelchair: wheelchairs are not allowed and some river stations have steep and sometimes slippery banks.
- Enquiry
- pandaw.com/contact-us
Is Pandaw worth it?: the questions people ask
What does the fare include with Pandaw?
Pandaw's sailings include daily excursions, full board, cultural performances, movie nights and free bikes, with complimentary WiFi on the sundeck; local mineral water, jugged coffee, teas and tisanes are complimentary and all other drinks are charged, except on its India expeditions, which now include local soft drinks, mixers, spirits and beers.
Are excursions included with Pandaw?
Pandaw includes excursions in the sailing, with small groups, expert local guides and options for different levels of mobility; guides speak English, while foreign-language guides must be pre-booked and may cost extra.
What is the cancellation policy with Pandaw?
Pandaw keeps the non-refundable 20% deposit if you cancel before the balance is due and charges 100% from 60 days and less before departure, including no show, late arrival or early return; a material change such as a change of date may incur a $150 USD per person administration fee.
How much is the deposit with Pandaw?
Pandaw asks a non-refundable deposit of 20% of the total booking value on confirmation; the final balance is due 61 days before departure or the booking is cancelled and the deposit forfeited.
Is there a single supplement with Pandaw?
Pandaw offers cabins with no single supplement on a wide selection of expeditions and departure dates; its offers list sailings as 'Singles welcome! No Single Supplement' with a 10% Discovery Discount.
What happens if the water is too low with Pandaw?
Pandaw says its published itineraries are indicational only and subject to sudden change and that passengers are expected to be flexible and patient; its terms reserve the right to change the vessel without notice.
How do I compare prices like for like?
Ask for a written quote for the same dates, the same river and the same cabin type, with every inclusion listed: excursions, drinks, gratuities, wifi, flights, transfers and hotel nights. The price lines above give what each line publishes and on what basis.
Can I book directly?
Yes. Each card links the line's own website; ask for a written quote that lists what the fare includes.
Where can I check these facts myself?
Every line on this page links the page of the line's own website it was read from, read 10 November 2026.
Is any company on this page paying to be here?
No. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel; none paid to be on it.
Read next
Built to answer the question in the main heading. What is shown: what the line published on its own website, read on 10 November 2026, with links to the pages read. Google and Trustpilot figures are shown where the listing carries the line's own name, from the Uncompromised Travel river cruise lines table. No score and no verdict. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel. How this site earns · How we work.