59 We usually have [land] tours associated with a cruise but, if you want to do this in five-star hotels, it is very expensive. That is why we came up with a 10-day itinerary which gives passengers the chance to see Kolkata whilst tied up alongside for two nights in the city.” The company faces different challenges when operating in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Whilst pre- and post-cruise options in the former two countries are “fantastic”, there are signs of crowding on the Mekong River. “There are too many operators with massive European-style ships which are too big for the rivers,” explains Strachan. “The highlight of Pandaw’s cruises is that guests experience life in local communities. Sightseeing is becoming stressful, so we’ve had to redo our itineraries and find new destinations because there are so many more people now than when we brought the first ships to the Mekong.” Bigger ships are unable to operate in Laos, so there is no overcrowding, but Chinese developers are building two dams upriver, which will lead to reduced water and possible operational revisions, says Strachan. Sustainability is written into the DNA of Pandaw as all of the ships are constructed and renovated locally. The company also works with the communities it visits and sources much of its food and beverages from local markets. “This helps local economies and it tastes better too!” says Strachan. All 300 crew members were recruited locally, which links the company to the villages. “We now have multigenerational crew on our ships; grandchildren are coming up now which is fantastic,” says Strachan. “There are more than 2,000 people out there who trained with us and are now working in hotels, cruise ships and so on.” To prepare for the future, Pandaw is constructing a new ship in Kerala, which will begin sailing on the backwaters in October 2025. It is also converting 28 cabins on Tonle Pandaw into 14 suites to sail on the Mekong in Vietnam and Cambodia. “We believe there is interest, especially in the USA, for an upmarket ship,” says Strachan. He is also considering taking his Asian river cruising concept to southern Europe. “We are looking at the Veneto and the river Po in Italy where only small ships can travel – this would include Venice and the lagoon. We’re looking at a very particular design because of the locks and bridge heights.” As Pandaw celebrates 30 years in the business and a successful post-Covid revival, its future is looking bright, says Strachan. “Things have come back; the ships are looking really good and everything is going very well.” Paul Strachan and his wife Roser (third from left) join crew members onboard one of Pandaw Cruises’ river vessels, which feature open-air restaurants and take guests to destinations in Asia, where they can meet with locals
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