Pandaw Maritime Revolution – A New Chapter in Its Extraordinary Story.

After having made great renovations in cruising on the majestic rivers of Asia for 21 years, Pandaw is ready to write a new page of Pandaw Maritime Revolution in its marvelous story with its investment in the voyages on the sea for the very first time.

The MY Andaman Explorer will set sail on its very first journey exploring the Mergui Archipelago, which is a fantastic but little-known area of the Andaman Sea, in this autumn.

The MY Andaman Explorer

The cruise departing from Ranong to Yangon and the Mergui Archipelago will be operated from October 2016 to March 2017. It is a journey exploring the west coastal region of Myanmar and the Mergui Archipelago, where not many tourists have set foot on and the natural sceneries are still in their pristine state.

The wonderfully designed cruise ship of 10 cabins with its explorative voyages not only demonstrates a dream that Pandaw has wanted to realize a long time ago, but also adumbrates a new promising maritime chapter in the inspiring story of the growth and development of Pandaw. The Founding father of the company, Paul Stranchan, enthusiastically shared his outlook:

“What makes me so excited is that the MY Andaman Explorer marks the very first step of Pandaw’s adventure onto the sea. Ever since the company was founded in the 1990s, we have been planning to realize this dream”

“My wife Roser and I once sailed to the Mergui Archipelago to explore it and we were totally charmed. The archipelago is incredibly beautiful with intact and sublime sceneries and rich in cultural and historical values.”

So, why did the product take such a long time to be launched?

The answer that you would receive from anyone in the cruise business is that it takes more effort than it looks in the search for the cruise ship which bets suit the route. No matter how much time it takes, you have to be very careful in choosing among hundreds of potential ships. According to Paul, he fell in love with this 61-meter former coastguard ship of Norway right when he first saw it.

The Original Design of MY Andaman Explorer

As what Paul tells us: “we spent many years finding the ship which can satisfy all our requirements, and we searched in every corner of the world, even went to Greece and Croatia and the countries specialized in building coastal cruise ships.”

“After such a long search, we eventually found the right ship. Built in the 60s of the 20th century, she had a very firm hull and a powerful engine. After serving in Norway as a coastguard ship, she had been modified to become a lavish cruising yacht by an Italian millionaire in Cararra Marble with the main decoration by marble. When we found her, she was serving as a pleasure cruise ship for well-off people in the Middle East.”

The Majestic Interior of the Ship

“She had all what we needed. She was a very beautiful classic ship with the majestic charm of the 60s and had the size that we sought. She had been well-preserved and kept in incredibly good condition, and her appearance was totally in line with the style of Pandaw Cruises. After purchasing the ship, we have invested a lot in refurbishing every single part, especially the moving parts. We have spent approximately one million US Dollar just on revamping the engine chamber.”

Although Paul Strachan warned that during the very first sail it is hard for things to go smoothly as what has been planned, all the cabins of the Andaman Explorer for the first 12 voyages have been fully booked in such a short time. This is what things are supposed to be. This is the adventurous and daring spirit of Pandaw.

Each Cabin is Decorated with Fantastic Embellishment

Those who have booked on these cruises are guaranteed with amazing experiences of a lifetime. Comprised of more than 800 islands formed by limestone and granite, the little-known Mergui Archipelago is a beautiful, mysterious and bizarre destination that would satisfy the curiosity of every tourist, especially Westerners. The archipelago has just been opened as a tourist destination recently, so its silvery beaches, mangrove fens and rocky cliffs, which are the habitats of many rare animals and plants, are still kept in pristine state.

The Pristine Beauty of The Mergui Archipelago

The Mergui Archipelago, home to the Moken people, also called ‘sea gypsies’, was once a part of an infamous smuggling route during the years when Myanmar adopted border-closed policies. Until present, it still veils a mist of mystery and isolation from the modern world, making them an appealing destination for the cruises of Pandaw. Similarly, the Mergui coast one of the last Asian coastlines which have not been affected much by tourism and still maintains marvelous beaches and unexplored inlets.

The Life of The Moken Much Depends on the Sea

This place is also an appealing destination for those who are interested in the history of the British Burma. This region and Moulmein City were one of the first parts of Myanmar that the British captured and possess many attractive antique colonial churches, cemeteries and remnants of a far-off toe-hold of the Raj.

MY Andaman Explorer can just operate on the Andaman Sea in a short season because of the monsoon. However, for the remaining months of the year, she will not be staying idle. Pandaw has planned for her to cruise in Indonesia during that time, which presents our belief that staying idle should never be a choice.