Laos Cultural Tour

11 days - 10 Nights (Luang Prabang to Pakse)

Day 1 : ARRIVAL - LUANG PRABANG
Arrival at Luang Prabang, the ancient first capital of Lane Xang kingdom, the center of religious life in Laos and today the World Heritage City. Transfer to our hotel for check-n. Rest of the day at leisure. Accommodation at hotel.

Day 2: LUANG PRABANG CITY TOUR
Breakfast at hotel. Morning at leisure. In the afternoon, we take a sightseeing tour of the sacred city of temples, of which nearly fifty temples still remain in the town and surrounding areas. Visit Wat Visoun, the 16th century temple served as a small museum for religious artifacts; Wat Aham, the early 19th century temple, whose two guardian figures at the foot of the steps which represent two characters from the Ramayana - Hanuman, the Monkey God and a fierce Yaksa; Wat Xiengthong, the 16th century temple which, more than any temples in Luang Prabang, epitomizes all the elegance and grace of Luang Prabang architecture; Phousi Hill, the 328 steps leads to the summit of Phousi hill that dominates the sky-line of Luang Prabang overlooking the finest panoramic view in the whole Luang Prabang.

Day 3 : LUANG PRABANG - PAK OU CAVE
Following breakfast, we depart hotel to the boat landing, and take an excursion (a few hours) by boat, upstream on the Mekong to visit Pak Ou cave in the side of a lime stone cliff and opposite of the mouth of the Mekong and Ou rivers. The sanctuaries at Pak Ou consist of two large caves, both repositories for thousands of Buddha images, which range from mere centimeter to two meters in height. En route, Lao typical villages are barely visible behind a screen of foliage. Slender canoes bobbing by the shore, bamboo poles and floats mark the location of nets and fish traps. Our first stop will be at Ban Muangkeo, a well-known village for Lao traditional rice whisky, namely Laoh-Khao to be distilled. We are welcome to taste it and also take away. Lunch is at a riverside restaurant. We arrive back at Luang Prabang in late afternoon, and continue by car to outskirt of town to visit Ban Xangkhong, a well-known village for its wood paper making and also Lao silk weavings with natural dyes.

Day 4 : LUANG PRABANG - KUANGSI WATERFALL
An morning breakfast, before we take a drive (30 km South) to visit Kuangsi Waterfall, which, though not very high, is spectacular and really beautiful with its green surroundings as the preserved National park. We stop en-route, stop to visit a fresh produced market namely Talad Phosy, and also visit Ban Na Oune, a small village of a hill-tribe group "Hmong", probably the best-known minority group in Laos. Just before arriving at Kuangsi waterfall, there is another village of Khmu minority group, namely Ban Tha Pane that we will visit. Our picnic lunch is served at the shady park nearby Kuangsi waterfall. There is plenty of time for relaxing and a swim in cool water, before we head back to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon. The rest of the day is spent by visiting various craft-shops, including silver smiths' and also Hmong market in town, where some skilled embroidery-works of Hmong ladies can be seen.

Day 5 : LUANG PRABANG - VIENTIANE
After breakfast, we depart hotel to visit the National Museum, the former Royal Palace which houses the collection of valuables including the famous Prabang Buddha statue, gifts received from foreign dignitaries…etc, Transfer to Luang Prabang Airport for your flight to Vientiane. Upon arrival at Vientiane, the city of the moon - an ancient city, situated on the bend on the left bank of the Mekong as the largest city and the capital of Laos. Transfer to hotel for check-in. Stroll around the city. Accommodation at hotel.

DAY 6 : VIENTIANE - PAKSE
Breakfast, we take flight to Pakse, the provincial capital of Champasack at the confluence of the Mekong and Sedon rivers and it is the center for trading between Thailand and Vietnam. continue by car for a few hours to Boloven Plateau to visit villages ethnic sub groups such as Katou, Alak, Ngae, where you will learn more about traditional way of rural life with their fascinating culture of people there. Along the way, you will see very nice view of coffee and tea plantations. Accommodation at Sayse Lodge at Tadlo.

DAY 7 : BOLOVEN PLATEAU – DONE KHONE
After breakfast, drive 90Km through beautiful scenery with mountains range and also local villages along to pier for crossing the Mekong river by furry boat to Champasack, the nearest town to the fantastic archaeological sight of Wat Phou. Continue by car about 15mn drive to visit Wat Phou, a site of ancient religious significance in one of the most spectacular regions of Laos. Lunch at local restaurant, drive and across the Mekong by ferry, continue by car about 2hrs drive to get to Ban Phiangdy ten take a traditional longtailed boat to Khone Island island covered in coconut palms, flame trees, stands of bamboo, kapok trees and hard woods. Accommodation at your hotel.

DAY 8 : DONE KHONE SURROUNDING
Breakfast at hotel, explore the peaceful island and see real rural life, visit old railway with old locomotive and boiler car, which the French ever built in Laos.. Take a local Tuk-Tuk transportation or walking for about 5Km to visit Liphi Fall and watching the Irrawady Dolphins, at noon we return to Done Khone, Lunch at local restaurant at Done Khone Island Continue by boat back the main land for getting a drive by car to visit Khonephapheng, the most impressive Mekong waterfall in Laos and it is reputed as the biggest waterfall in Southeast Asia and the widest one in the world. Accommodation at your hotel.

DAY 9 : DONE KHONE – PAKSE
Breakfast at hotel, it will be an optional walk to visit local morning market which is opened only a few hours in early morning. We wave good bye to Khong Island by acrossing the Mekong to the main land and head back to Pakse, the capital of Champasack Province around 3 hours away. The clients stay at the Champasack Palace Hotel (The Former Residence of Chao Boun Ome Na Champasack, the last prince of Champasack and the Prime Minister of the kingdom of Laos between 1960 and 1962). Visit the Waterfalls at Tad Fane for late lunch before mounting elephants for a short trek. Dinner at hotel, then evening out at the waterfront bar. Overnight at Champasack Palace Hotel.

DAY 10 : PAKSE – VIENTIANE
Breakfast at hotel. In the morning, we transfer to airport for your flight to Vientiane. Arrival at Vientiane and transfer to your hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Accommodation at your hotel.

DAY 11 : VIENTIANE – DEPARTURE
Breakfast at hotel. In the morning,, we take a sightseeing tour of Vientiane, to visit religious museums of Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple to have been survived from the Siamese war of 1828 and its cloister contains more than 8000 Buddha statues; Wat Ho Prakeo, the former home-temple of the Emerald Buddha statue or Pra Keo, but today it contains a collection of Buddha statues, antiques and all artifacts found in around Vientiane; That Luang Stupa, the single most important monument in Laos, which was built to cover the original small stupa containing a piece of the chest bone of Buddha; Patouxay (Arch de Triumph), built quite recently in commemoration of those who died during the wars in the past and it is today as the land-mark of Vientiane. Later, we transfer to airport for your onward flight to ...