Pandaw River Cruises said it will iuntroduce a new ship on the Mekong River in South East Asia, the Yunnan Pandaw. Sister ship to the Laos Pandaw, the Yunnan Pandaw will have 12 main deck and 2 upper deck staterooms, a stunning observation deck and dining room. “Launching in September this year she will operate the same 14-night itinerary as the Laos Pandaw – all the way from Vientiane in Laos to Jinghong in China.

The company has also announced the launch of a new 10-night partner programme in Ecuador, including a 7-night river expedition on the Napo River, which is a tributary of the Amazon River aboard MV Anakonda.

“Our programme includes a stay in Quito, with a walking tour of the UNESCO protected old city and a visit across the equator to Otavalo, famous for its local craft market,” the company said in a statement.

“A trip to Ecuador is not complete without a visit to the Galapagos Islands. We offer a choice of options to extend: either aboard the expedition cruise ship M/V Galapagos Legend or if you prefer to stay on terra firma, based in a hotel on Santa Cruz Island with daily included excursions,” it continued.

Just before Christmas, Pandaw acquired a 22 berth ocean going yacht that it will introduce on coastal voyages in Burmese and Indonesian waters as a replacement for a chartered vessel.

Pandaw is operated from Singapore and domiciled in London, where it is registered as the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company, Ltd.