Pandaw Cruises cancels all future sailings in Myanmar

Vietnam-based Pandaw Cruises has cancelled all future cruises in Myanmar due to what the company claims is the ongoing unrest in the latter country.

In a statement posted on the Pandaw website, company founder Paul Strachan said he believes “the current deplorable situation will only deteriorate further” and that there is no certainty when it would be safe to once again travel in the country.

Mr Strachan added that it would be “unfair to have to keep rebooking passengers over and over” and that it would be better for Pandaw to instead offer to cancel all bookings, provide alternatives and refunds, and then relaunch its itineraries in Myanmar after advisories against travel are lifted.

Mr Strachan said that the company’s seven vessels are safely in the custody of trusted local communities in Bagan in the country’s Mandalay region.