Upon arrival in Luang Prabang you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of your day is at leisure. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Upon your arrival in Vientiane, your guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel for the check-in. In the afternoon, the guided city tour will bring you to visit That Luang Stupa, Pratuxai, Ho Prakeo, and Wat Si Saket.

Accommodation: Lao Poet Hotel (4 stars) or similar

After breakfast, you will be taken to Muong Kham, where you will enjoy the natural hot springs, get close to the local lifestyle at Thajok, a minority village on the way., and visit Tham Piou Cave. In the afternoon, you will be taken back to Phonsavanh.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Vansana Plain of Jars (3 stars) or similar

DAY 5

After breakfast, you will be taken to the busy Morning Phousi Market for watching the famous daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession. After seeing the spectacle, you will be transferred to the local pier on the Mekong River to embark on a traditional boat ride to Pak Ou Caves, where thousands of Buddha images can be seen. En route, you will stop over to visit Ban Xang Hai where you can try some sticky rice wine. Finishing the visits, you will return to your boat and continue to Ban Phanom, Wat Visoun and Wat Aham.

On arrival in Luang Prabang, you will be picked up by your local guide and taken to your hotel. After a break, your guide will take you to Mount Phousi, where you will climb atop to enjoy the panoramic view of Luang Prabang and the Mekong River. If the weather is pleasant, you could also admire the fascinating sunset. Afterward, you could ramble through the night market before returning to your hotel.

Accommodation: Victoria Xieng Thong Palace (4 stars) or similar

TEMPLE HOPPING AND NIGHT MARKET IN VIENTIANE

Welcome to Laos! Upon your arrival at Wattay International Airport, travel to the capital, Vientiane where you can check into your accommodation. After you have taken a short break, grab a fully filled water bottle and put on some comfortable walking shoes as you will be going temple-hopping, before feasting on delicious and authentic Laos cuisine at the night market later in the day!

First up on your trip, you will head to the stunning Pha That Luang located a walking distance from the center of Vientiane. You will first notice its majestic and gold exterior as you approach. With its architecture closely linked to Laotian culture and identity, it is no wonder that it has been termed as Laos’ national symbol and regarded as a sacred religious site. Spend some time admiring the tall fortress-like walls, the two temples, the 45m high main stupa and the pinnacle which is covered in real gold. It is no doubt the first on the itinerary of many visitors in Laos – and for good reason! If you are staying near central Vientiane, come back to view the temple at sunset, you’ll find yourself blown away by how this building lights up into a glorious warm gold. 

Afterwards, you will then travel to the next temple, Haw Phra Kaew (Hor Pha Keo). This is another notable temple in Laos, having been built in 1565 to house the precious Emerald Buddha. Though the Emerald Buddha is no longer housed here, it is still worth the trip down to Haw Phra Kaew museum where you can find out more about its history and appreciate traditional Laos art, sculptures and artefacts on display.  From the terrace of Haw Phra Kaew, you can even enjoy a panoramic view of the President’s Palace and its surrounding garden. Moreover, the temple is also a stone’s throw away from Vientiane Night Market, where you can head to after the temple. This is the place where you can feast on Laos cuisine and shop without burning a hole in your wallet! You will then spend the night in Vientiane before a new  day of experiences tomorrow.

Today you will be leaving the city for the rural experience! Travel to Vang Vieng, about 160km North from Vientiane. Upon reaching Vang Vieng, take a quick breather as you settle into your accommodation and put on some sunscreen because you’ll be heading out into the sunshine. What better way to spend your first day in this beautiful Laos riverside town by going to the river itself! No we are not talking about a swim down Nam Song river, but river tubing!

To do so, head to the tubing center located east of the main road in town and right across the street from Hally’s Coffee. From there your rental will include the tubing itself and transportation up the Song river to the starting point where you can slowly drift down. Relax and admire the surrounding Karst hill landscape around or grab a quick drink at one of the 4 bars along the Nam Song river banks. Afterwards, head back to the office to return the tubing. Be sure to keep your electronics in waterproof bags if you are bringing them along with you on your ride.

Begin your 8-day journey through Laos in Luang Prabang, a quaint city designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Upon arrival, you will be met and privately transferred to your luxury hotel to settle in. When you are ready, set out to explore the city. Its French colonial heritage is evident from the well-preserved architecture down to cuisine. Luang Prabang is also a highly spiritual city with a high density of temples. Stroll along the lanes and visit Wat Mai and Wat Xieng Thong, must-see notable temples where you can converse with monks and receive a blessing. End the day with a stop at a non-profit publishing project that aims to improve literacy and quality of life of children in rural villages where books are rare.

Rise early this morning to watch a procession of monks pass through the streets collecting food offerings from locals, which is then brought back to the monastery and shared. Participate in this merit-gaining ritual. After breakfast, spend the morning at a local elephant conservation camp which focuses on education and elephant welfare. You’ll have the opportunity to get up and close with the pachyderms in an ethical and sensitive way and trek alongside them through the forest. In the afternoon, take a hike up to Kuang Si Falls, a striking tiered waterfall known for its bright and clear cerulean waters where you can enjoy a swim if you wish. Along the way, visit the Buffalo Dairy Farm, an innovative social enterprise which not only helps local farmers but also produces delectable treats you’ll get to taste. Save the Bears foundation and the Butterfly park are also worthy stops.

Fly on to Pakse in Champasak Province, a lush green region of rivers and rice fields bordered by Thailand and Cambodia. Upon arrival, you are immediately off to the Bolaven Plateau, known for its traditional coffee plantations and beautiful waterfalls. Its high elevation, ranging between 1000 to 1350 meters above sea level, made it the perfect place for French colonizers to experiment with agriculture and grow cash crops such as coffee and rubber trees. Today, you will visit one of the famous coffee plantations for a tour and taste a fresh cup of brewed coffee as well as visit a number of scenic waterfalls. Ethnic minority villages where the locals welcome visitors and show off their traditions can also be found in the area. In the afternoon, drive onward to Champasak where you’ll check into the charming La Folie Lodge on Don Daeng island.

Today you’ll embark upon a river cruise to Don Khone, navigating through an archipelago of more than 4,000 small islands. It’s here in the brackish waters of the Mekong that the famous Irrawaddy dolphins can be spotted, with some luck, frolicking amid the mangroves. The islands here are home to countless small villages, and you’ll have the chance to visit them and bicycle through the area, stopping for a relaxed lunch by the water. Spend the night at the Auberge Sala Don Khone, a resort comprising floating cabins offering wide Mekong views.