Clients can now book Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh, or Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, on the RV Mekong Pandaw. SHORTER Mekong itineraries, of only three or four nights in duration, have been introduced by Pandaw River Expeditions, priced from US$704 with “very last minute 20% discount” for...
Clients can now book Ho Chi
Minh City to Phnom Penh, or
Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, on
the RV Mekong Pandaw.
SHORTER Mekong itineraries, of only three
or four nights in duration, have been introduced
by Pandaw River Expeditions, priced from
US$704 with “very last minute 20% discount”
for departures next month.
Available from Dec 2012 through Mar 2013,
the program provides an extra option for
Australians travelling in Vietnam and Cambodia.
The trips to or from Siem Reap involve a fivehour
coach transfer to or from Kampong
Cham, while the excursion up the Tonle River
to Kampong Chhnang is by either coach or ship
depending on water levels.
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) to Phnom Penh
sailings explore the main Mekong channel,
with visits to a tribal village, catfish farm and
floating markets, and a trishaw ride.
Siem Reap packages include tours of temples,
villages and the Twin Holy Mountains.
Meanwhile, the Tonle Pandaw will return to
Burma next year to start a weekly rotation
cruise out of Mandalay.
Sailing upriver to the Third Defile and then
down to Pagan, the route takes in all major
sights in addition to lesser-known stops such
as the pot-making villages.
“This cruise alleviates the need for any hotels
at Mandalay and Pagan, which solves a huge
problem for the traveler, and the need to go in
and out via Yangon,” which has become gridlocked
with traffic in recent times, Pandaw said.
The cruise will connect with direct
international flights to Mandalay.
In 2013, Air Asia, Bangkok Air, Thai and Silk
Air are scheduled to have direct flights to
Mandalay from Bangkok and Singapore.
With ten vessels exploring four countries,
Pandaw is the largest “luxury” river cruise
company in Asia.
Fares include English-speaking guides, crew
gratuities, meals, locally made alcoholic beverages
soft drinks, tea, coffee and mineral water.
For information, see pandaw.com.
