Pandaw's 17th river cruise ship will begin sailing from Laos to China from November 2018
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Pandaw’s newest river cruise ship has successfully completed her river trials ahead of her inaugural voyage from Laos to China this November.
Sabaidee Pandaw, which is the 17th in the line’s fleet and the third Laos-based vessel, was built by a team from Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. During her river trials, the vessel sailed upstream against a “strong monsoon current” and achieved a speed of 8 knots.
“We are confident she has the power to get us up river to China,” said Pandaw in a press release. “To give you an idea of her power, this small ship has engines three times larger than our far bigger ships downstream on the Lower Mekong. We are very happy with the build quality and standard of fit out.”
Built to meet demand on Pandaw’s popular Laos to China route across Yunnan, Sabaidee Pandaw has two decks and is designed to easily sail through the shallow waters and the rapids in the Laos gorges. The ship can accommodate 28 passengers in 14 staterooms – eight on the main deck and six on the upper deck – and also has an open-plan saloon with flexible indoor or outdoor dining, a 24-hour bar, an onboard bakery, a library and a guest services desk.