A brand-new ship, the RV Hanoi Pandaw, will join Pandaw Cruises’ Angkor Pandaw on its popular ten-day river expedition through North Vietnam’s Red River and Halong Bay region.

The newcomer, currently under construction at a shipyard in Haiphong, will have 16 staterooms and will be a sister ship to the Angkor Pandaw which has operated the route for more than a decade.

“North Vietnam is one of the last frontiers for river exploration in Asia,” Pandaw Founder Paul Strachan said. “Much of this region remains untouched by mainstream tourism, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to offer travellers a more intimate and immersive journey through its rivers and rural communities.

“The RV Hanoi Pandaw will allow us to deepen that experience, bringing our guests even closer to the cultural and natural richness of this extraordinary region.”

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Designed in Pandaw’s signature colonial style, the new vessel will feature elegant brass and teak finishes, conjuring the look and feel of a bygone era.

Once complete, the ship will allow more travellers to experience this off-the-beaten-path route through northern Vietnam, taking them from the limestone karsts of Halong Bay through a network of canals and rivers across the Red River delta, into the heart of Hanoi, and on to the hill country around Viet Tri.

Along the way, guests visit rural villages, artisan workshops and farms, as well as major cultural landmarks in Hanoi.

The inaugural sailing of the RV Hanoi Pandaw is scheduled for 1 November 2026, with departure dates and rates now available online.