Champa Pandaw Activities

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Entertainment
Chris Gray Faust
Executive Editor, U.S.

Entertainment & Activities

Shore Excursions

Laos has two major cities along the Mekong: Luang Prabang and Vientiane. Itineraries allow for overnights in these major centers, along with time for private exploration, dining at local restaurants or shopping. The rest of the trip concentrates on cultural visits to small villages and nature trips to waterfalls or butterfly gardens. All excursions are included in the fares.

At most stops, the boat docks on a sandbar or along a riverbank, where the staff set up a gangway. In some places, the bank is high and muddy, and while the crew make it easier by digging steps and assisting when necessary, you'll want to be in good enough condition to make the upward walk.

Our Laotian guide, Vieng, spoke excellent English and did a good job of helping us understand the differences between the country's diverse people. On most days, the boat offered an excursion in the morning and another in the afternoon. In between excursions, the river itself provided entertainment, as the boat snaked its way around the large rocks, sandbars and rapids that make the Upper Mekong hazardous to navigate.

A few standout excursions included a visit to Pak Ou Caves, filled with hundreds of Buddha statues; a trip to the dramatic Kuang Si waterfall for a swim; and an early-morning trip to see Luang Prabang's monks collect alms. There, Pandaw made the experience interactive by allotting each passenger his or her own container of sticky rice to give to the passing monks. Village visits that made a stop at local schools were also memorable. We personally will never forget watching a child play with her massive pet beetle, which she kept tied on a string.

When passengers return to the boat, they're greeted with cool towels and refreshing fruit drinks. They also leave their shoes at the gangplank for cleaning.

Daytime and Evening Entertainment

An Upper Mekong river cruise is marked by long stretches of scenic sailing, and most passengers spend quiet mornings and afternoons in conversation, reading or napping.

Around 6 p.m., the boat has a daily happy hour, featuring a cocktail of the day and provided snack. Once per cruise, the boat has a Pandaw tradition: a sunset cocktail party and barbecue on a river sandbank. On our sailing, passengers munched on meat and vegetarian skewers as the guide told Laotian folk tales. Before returning to the boat, the crew brought out Laotian lanterns for every passenger; once the lanterns were heated, everyone released them into the sky.

Another lovely tradition took place when Champa Pandaw pulled into Luang Prabang. The boat staff arranged for a ba ci, a Laotian traditional spirit ceremony where passengers receive blessings, symbolized by string knots tied around the wrists. We ended up wearing them long past the three days and three nights that supposedly bring luck.

At the city port stops, local troupes came on to perform traditional music and dances. Out in the country, documentaries about Laos and the Mekong River were screened after dinner.

Enrichment

Independent only since 1975, Laos is more off the tourist path than neighbors Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. Most passengers arrived to Champa Pandaw with little knowledge of the country -- once known as the "land of a million elephants" -- and its often tragic history.

On several scenic sailing days, the boat provided enrichment through Lao language lessons or a history talk on the U.S.-involved "secret war." Vieng often wandered around, pointing out rice paddies on the surrounding hills or answering our questions about Laos, including the Communist country's strict stance on freedom of speech and assembly. One day, a cooking demonstration took place, and there was also a napkin-folding class. A trip through the controversial Xayaburi Dam sparked a good discussion on Laos politics and the country's mixed relationship with China.

Where Vieng really shined, though, was in the twice-daily walks through villages. He approached grandmothers, teachers, priests, builders, fisherman and farmers with confidence, explaining to us what they were doing and what their life was like. It takes aplomb to make an experience like that not seem like a human zoo visit, and we came away feeling like educated observers, rather than gawking spectators.

Champa Pandaw Bars and Lounges

Champa Pandaw's upper deck is the main gathering spot, with a large open-air area that serves as the main dining and socializing hub and a smaller enclosed lounge where the actual bar is located.

Outfitted with floor-to-ceiling teak and sliding louver teak doors, the bar has an attractive French colonial air to it. Two sets of rattan sofas and chairs, along with some tables, provide adequate seating for evening movies. Oddly, passengers on our cruise rarely used the bar, preferring to sit and socialize on the open air part of the deck, despite chilly or humid temperatures. (The lush mountain views were such that we didn't want to go inside if we could help it.)

The open-air lounge consists of the dining area at the end closest to the bar, followed by a cluster of chairs, a bookcase library and, finally, the main sitting area. There, cushioned teak loungers line the edge and aft of the boat, interspersed with small tables for drinks or reading material. A rattan sofa and two chairs surround a large teak table in the center. Colorful textile pillows break up the neutral tones and wood.

A smaller seating area with four lounge chairs is located at the front of the boat near the wheelhouse. A Buddhist shrine to ensure safe passage is lovingly kept. Passengers were occasionally warned away from the area, so as not to block the captain's view while sailing along treacherous sections of the river.

Smoking is allowed at the back of the boat.

Champa Pandaw Outside Recreation

Champa Pandaw does not have an outside recreation area.

Champa Pandaw Services

The hub of Champa Pandaw's services is the enclosed indoor bar, where you'll usually find the boat's purser or guide. Both are willing and able to provide information on what to do in the larger cities or help arrange a tuk tuk for a private excursion.

On one side of the bar, the boat has a small shop, where you can buy a selection of Laotian handicrafts (at much higher prices than you'd find on land). On the other side is the purser's office.

Wi-Fi on the boat is complimentary but can be spotty in rural areas. It's not uncommon to go a day or two without a signal.

A bookcase with paperbacks passed on from other passengers is located in the middle of the open-air deck. The quality of what's there depends entirely on what Champa Pandaw passengers have been reading.
 
Champa Pandaw has no self-service laundry, but you can send out your clothes on a per-article basis. If you decide to have the staff do your laundry, it's returned to you within a day.

Spa & Fitness

Champa Pandaw does not have a spa or fitness facilities onboard. The boat does carry four mountain bikes, which passengers can use for free. We checked one out one morning to ride through a village and found them sturdy enough for the unpaved and potholed roads in Laos.

For Kids

Pandaw has no minimum age requirement, and children under 18 receive a 50 percent discount on the cabin price year-round. However, the quiet atmosphere, lack of kids activities and shortage of open space for children to run around isn't a draw for younger cruisers. The company notes on its website that "our cruises are not suitable for young or small children as the ships have railings but no netting."

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