RV Kha Byoo Pandaw

RV Kha Byoo Pandaw ship was built in Yangon (Rangoon) and launched in 2016. This is a shallow-draft design riverboat able to cruise on itineraries leaving from Mandalay to the most northern navigable point of Irrawaddy River - Bhamo, near the China border. The itinerary visits Katha, where George Orwell wrote Burmese Days.

The ship has 2 walk-around passenger decks, of which the upper deck has 3 cabins (sized 16 m2 / 170 ft2) and 1 premium cabin, while the main deck has 5 cabins. All staterooms offer as standard amenities twin beds (some converting to double, all with premium mattresses, quality linens, duvet, two kinds of pillows), French windows, air-conditioning, spacious wardrobe, electronic safe box (in the closet), writing desk (vanity with chair and make-up mirror), under-bed storage (for suitcases), en-suite bathroom (WC, shower, washbasin, hairdryer, towels, slippers, bathrobes/kimonos, Spa-branded amenities), unlimited bottled water, Yoga mats (for in-cabin use), nightly turndown service. Onboard 24-hour laundry is also available. On all shore excursions are provided shoe cleaning and cold towel services (after), bottled water (Pandaw-branded aluminium bottles as giveaways), first aid-trained assistant guide.

Like on similar Pandaw ships, Kha Byoo Pandaw passengers are able to spend leisure time on the aft part of the covered upper deck. Meals are served bistro-style indoor and outdoor on the upper deck. Breakfast is buffet style but preceded by light bites, tea and coffee for early risers. Lunch is served either buffet style or sit-down, while dinners are 4-course affairs. Pandaw's food ingredients are locally sourced and always fresh.

Domestic beers, spirits, soft drinks, coffee and tea are complimentary and served on the upper deck at the bar/library lounge. An open-bridge policy is in place. Wi-Fi is slow because of the remote regions travelled. However, some riverside ports in the cruise itinerary feature Internet shops.

Note: You can see the CruiseMapper's list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the "itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub. All companies and their fleets are listed there.