Pandaw River Expeditions acquired a motor
yacht to deploy along the coastal shores of Southeast Asia in an effort to
introduce its river cruise passengers to a different view of the region’s waters.
Built in Norway in 1963, the 200-foot-long
Andaman Explorer’s hull was built to withstand icy waters and Atlantic storms.
The vessel was retired from coast guard duties in 1998, after which it was
acquired by an Italian family, who renamed it the Marina, and outfitted the
vessel with 11 suites and a Jacuzzi. More recently, it was under the ownership
of a shipping family based in Dubai.
Currently, the vessel, which Pandaw refers to
by its original name, Andaman Explorer, is is on its way from Dubai to Yangon,
Myanmar, where it will be redecorated and refurnished in the Pandaw style,
according to the company. A more extensive overhaul will follow in 2017.
Each suite consists of a sitting room,
bedroom and marble bathroom. There is a lounge area, indoor dining room and two
teak decks at the aft of the vessel, the lower one for outdoor dining and the
upper one with a Jacuzzi. There is also a forward observation deck below the
bridge. The ship is outfitted with two smaller motorboats suitable for
excursions.
Pandaw is hosting a very informal
reconnaissance cruise on the new yacht between Yangon and Ranong, Thailand in
February, which Pandaw warned would be “a haphazard, unplanned voyage, so this
is not for people who want to know what is happening next! If you are up for it
let us know and we will get back in touch with firm dates and costs.”
After that, Pandaw will kick off its first
official departures on the Andaman Explorer in June, with sailings continuing
through September. The itineraries will begin in Bali and continue on to
destinations along the Indonesian coast, including Lombok, Sumbawa, Komodo
Islands and Flores.
From October 2016 to April 2017, the company
will offer cruises along the coast of Thailand and Myanmar, including along the
Mergui Archipelago and old colonial seaports like Moulmein.