Beauty of Laos

Itinerary in details

• DAY 01: LUANG PRABANG ON ARRIVAL

  Arrive at Luang Prabang airport then transfer to the hotel, free time

  Overnight at Luang Prabang

• DAY 02: LUANG PRABANG CITY TOUR (B,L)

  Welcome to Luang Prabang. Your guide will meet you at the airport upon arrival and bring you to your hotel.

  Then enjoy a half -day spin around Luang Prabang and you will understand why it deserves the World Heritage title! Visit Wat Visoun, the site of impressive Thad Makmo stupa. The rounded dome is stylistically more Sinhalese than Lao. Continue to visit Wat Mai. Built in 1796, the five-tiered roof of the wooden Sim (chapel) epitomizes the graceful Luang Prabang architectural style. Visit Wat Xieng Thong further emphasizes the uniqueness of Luang Prabang, its several roofs sweeping low to the ground. See also the impressive “tree of life” mosaic here. The gilt panel on the exterior of the chapel depicts semi-erotic episodes from the Ramayana.

  Climb up Phou Sii hill stands right in the center of this small city. Climb its 350 steps to enjoy commanding views for many miles in each direction. Wat Phu Sii sits a top the mountain, along side the skeletons of Indochina war anti-aircraft guns!

  Shopping night market, where hundred of Hmong vendors display their handmade handicraft. Diner on your own but our guide recommence the nice restaurants in town for you.

  Overnight in Luang Prabang.

• DAY 03: LUANG PRABANG - VIENTIANE ( B,L)

  After breakfast drive with your guide by car to the Kuang Si waterfall. The falls cascade over many calcified tiers and down several hundred feet into a series of cool, turquoise pools.
  The water here has a clear blue-green tint due to the high mineral content. You can climb the stairs and look down from various high viewpoints on the way to the top!

  Enjoy a picnic lunch and later in the afternoon, then return to the hotel to relax or explore on your own. Luang Prabang is a wonderful walking town, and you can find dinner on your own at any number of fine international standard restaurants.

  Visit Black Hmonng Village, where they produce varieties of handmade handicraft. Arrive in the town and transfer you to airport for Vientiane.

  Arrive in Vientiane, meet you guide at the airport and transfer you to your hotel to relax.

• DAY 04: VIENTIANE CITY TOUR

  After breakfast at hotel, visit the revolutionary museum. Then enjoy a city tour to Wat Sisaket with its thousands of miniature Buddha statues. Visit also Wat Simuang and Wat Prakeo, which was the original home of the famous Emerald Buddha, who today lives in Bangkok.

  There are many excellent restaurants in Vientiane, and you will easily find something to suit your taste.
  Then, visit the huge golden That Luang monument, where all Lao citizen respect as holy pagoda. Visit Vientiane’s own Victory Monument, which looks like the Arc de Triumphe. This was built at the end
  of the Indochina wars with money rumoured to be American, and earmarked for the airport’s new runway.
  Thus the departing Americans dubbed this monument the vertical runway! Have a look at the lovely arches inside the monument.

  Overnight in Vientiane

• DAY 05: VIENTIANE - PASKE
  

  Early morning leave your hotel for Wattay Airport. Arrive in Pakse Airport, meet your guide and drive to Tad Fane. Start to trek around Tad Fane and Bolaven plateau, enjoying a day-trek in this lovely area.

  In the morning, make an easy 4 hour hike up to the Dan Sin Say Plateau. This hike goes trough a local village, coffee plantations, over a hanging bridge and on to the plains. Huge boulders, epiphytes and wild orchids abound. Large pine trees grow here, giving it a wholly different character of landscape.

  Return to Tadfane Resort for lunch. After lunch, it’s time to relax. For the still active ones it’s possible to make a more strenuous walk to the top of one of the waterfalls.

  Overnight at Tadfane Resort.

• DAY 06: PAKSE - DONKHONG (B,L)

  After breakfast, continue on to the 4000 Islands area (Si Phan Don) by van. On the way, visit an Elephant Camp to see how handlers (“mahouts”) train these giant friendly animals! Elephant ride.

  Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant close to Done Khong. Then continue to 4000 Islands by bus and boat. Arrive in Donkhong and check in at your hotel for a relax.

  Overnight in Khong Island.

• DAY 07: DONKHONG

  After Breakfast, begin a boat trip to Khone island, & visit Li Phi Falls were the major obstacles which thwarted the French in their efforts to open the Mekong River to navigation. Here also live some 50-100 Irrawaddi (freshwater) dolphins. If lucky, you’ll have the chance to see them!

  Lunch is in a local restaurant. See the small gauge railway and Colonial Bridge built by the French to circumscribe the falls. 

  Overnight in Khone island.

• DAY 08: DONKHONG - VIENTIANE (B,L)

  After breakfast, return to Nakasang Village by boat. Enjoy visit the largest waterfalls in Asia: Khone Prapeng! Drive North to the famous Khmer Temple complex of Vat Phou. This represents the easternmost border of the Khmer empire, although the influence of the Khmers was felt deep into central Vietnam.  Drive to Vientiane

  Overnight at Vientiane

• DAY 09: VIENTIANE - DEPARTURE

  After breakfast, relax before you transfer to the airport, or enjoy our optional program.

  End of services!