Indepth Laos

16 days - 15 Nights (Laos-North to South)

Day 1 : ARRIVE BANGKOK – CHAING RAI
Arrival at Bangkok and continue flight to Chaing Rai. Accommodation at your hotel.

Day 2 : HOUEISAY – PAKBENG
Early morning, we tranfer to Chaing Khong Border. Meet after crossing the Mekong border to Houeisay, a small town that has a large number of different minorities linking with Thailand as an entry and exit point for tourists. Transfer by Lao guide to the pier for taking Pak Ou Cruise downstream on the Mekong river to Luang Prabang via Pakbeng, a small village for a good stop-over on the journey between Houeisay and Luang Prabang or vice versa. On the way, stops are made to observe rural life along the Mekong, and to explore minorities. It is such a real relaxation with beautiful views of Mekong valleys and villages on the banks of the Mekong. Enjoy our buffet lunch on board. Arrive in Pakbeng before sunset and check-in for overnight at LuangSay Lodge. We have a dinner on the terrace, overlooking the Mekong River.

Day 3 : PAKBENG – LUANG PRABANG
Following breakfast, optional walk to visit local market where Hmong and other minorities are frequently seen for their selling and buying goods including vegetables and food. Continue for a second leg to Luang Prabang, the ancient first capital of Lane Xang kingdom, the center of religious life in Laos and today the World Heritage City. On the way stop to visit Pak Ou cave in the side of a lime stone cliff and opposite of the mouth of the Mekong and Nam 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. Buffet lunch is also served on board, arrive Luang Prabang in late afternoon, and transfer to our hotel for check-in.

Day 4 : LUANG PRABANG
Breakfast at hotel, we take a sightseeing tour of the sacred city of temples, of which nearly fifty still remain in the town and surrounding areas. 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…; 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; drive outskirts of town to visit Ban Xangkhong, the well-known village for its wood papers and also Lao silk weavings with natural dyes. In the afternoon, we continue to visit Wat Xiengthong, the 16th century temple, which more than any temples in Luang Prabang, epitomizes all the elegance and grace of Luang Prabang architecture, Hmong market in town, where some of Hmong ladies still show their skilled embroidery works, climb 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 and watch sunset over the hill at Wat Phabat Tai on the bank of the Mekong river.

Day 5 : LUANG PRABANG – LUANG NAMTHA
Breakfast, we drive about 4 hours from Luang Prabang up north through beautiful scenic views to Oudomxay and continue about 4 hours drive to Luang Namtha, a land of rugged mountains, pristine forests, and rich river plains with over 20 ethnic groups, make it the most ethnically diverse province in Laos. En route, we stop at various villages to see rural life. Arrive in Luang Namtha in late afternoon and check in at the Boat Landing guest house.

Day 6 : LUANG NAMTHA - MUANGSING
Following breakfast, we head north by car about 2-3hrs to Muangsing, a small town near Laos-China border where there are more hill tribes to be seen. There are lots of interesting villages of various ethnic groups such as Hmong, Aka…that we may visit. Check in at a good guest house and enjoy our lunch at local restaurant. Afternoon, we continue to drive to near China border area and visit villages of Ikor or Aka ethnic group as well as a village of Yao hill tribe where you will learn more traditional way of rural life with their fascinating culture of these people.

Day 7 : MUANGSING - LUANG NAMTHA
Breakfast, we drive to visit more villages of minorities along the road to Xiengkok, they are Tai Leu, Aka... In the afternoon, we drive back to Luang Namtha for overnight.

Day 8 : LUANG NAMTHA - OUDOMXAY - NONG KHIEW
Breakfast at hotel, we take and excursion by road (about 4hrs) to Oudomxay and also about 5-6 hours to NongKhiao, the boat landing village on Nam Ou rive. We stop at Ban Na Ngan, the best known village of silk weaving of Tai Leu people. Chek-in at Phaiboon guesthouse.

Day 9 : NONG KHIEW - PAK OU - LUANG PRABANG
Early breakfast, we take a boat trip downstream on Nam Ou river to Luang Prabang, on the way, photo-stops can be made and also for relaxing to see more ethnic villages. We stop to visit Pak Ou cave in the side of a lime stone cliffs and opposite of the mouth of the Mekong and Nam Ou rivers. The sanctuaries at Pak Ou consist of two large caves, both repositories for thousands of Buddha images, which range from meme centimeter to two meters in height. Lunch is free at local restaurant at a riverside restaurant at Ban Pak Ou, a nice village opposite of Nam Ou and Mekong rivers. We continue by boat to luang Prabang and transfer to check in at hotel.

Day 10 : LUANG PRABANG – KUANGSI WATERFALL
A morning breakfast, 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, where most of your food come from and also visit Ban Na Oune, a small village of Hmong hill-tribe group. Just before arriving at Kuangsi waterfall, there is another village of Khmu minority group, Ban Tha Pane that we may visit.

Our picnic lunch is free on own 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 free for independent exploration on this ancient town.

Day 11 : LUANG PRABANG – VANGVIENG
Breakfast, we drive about 5-6 hours from Luang Prabang to Vangvieng, the best stopping point between the long journey of Laung Prabang and Vientiane. En-route we stop for photos of beautiful view and also at villages upon requested.

Arrive in Vangvieng and check in at Thavonesouk Bungalow.

Day 12 : VANGVIENG - VIENTIANE
After breakfast, we visit Tham Chang, one of beautifull caves in Vangvieng, we continue to drive about 3 hours to 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. In the afternoon, 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.

Day 13 : VIENTIANE - PAKSE - BOLOVEN
An early breakfast, we depart hotel to Wattay airport for departure 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. Arrive in Pakse, transfer to our hotel to leave our bags and to freshen up before continuing the trip. We continue to drive about a few hours to Boloven Plateau, the fertile farmland for a strong agricultural base, supporting coffee, tea and cardamom plantations. It is also the home to number of ethnic minorities. En-route, we stop to visit Ban Houei Houne, a village of ethnic minority of Katou. We will learn more about traditional way of rural life with their fascinating culture of people there. There are lots of nice views of villages with tea and coffee plantations along the road side. Lunch is free on own at Tadlo restaurant in the forest overlooking a nice view of Saset stream.After lunch, we continue to visit more villages of ethnic Alak, Ngea, these minorities are very similar to the Katou. Getting back to Pakse in late afternoon and take a nice rest of the day.

Day 14 : VIENTIANE – PAKSE – WAT PHOU – KHONG ISLAND
Breakfast at hotel, we take a short drive to the boat landing, and take an morning boat ride about 1 ½ hours downstream on the Mekong river, through beautiful scenery with mountains range and also local villages along the Mekong valleys to Champasack, the nearest town to the fantastic archaeological sight of Wat Phou. Arrive in Champasack, 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 isfree on own served at local restaurant in Champasack. Continue by car about 2hrs drive to get to Khong Island, the 4.000 Islands, where the Mekong reaches up to 14km wide during the rainy season. Don Khong is the largest of the Mekong Islands at 16 km long and 8 km wide and its capital is Muang Khong, a small former French settlement. We take a small ferry boat to cross to Khong Island and check-in at hotel.

Day 15 : KONG ISLAND
Early breakfast, we take another boat ride for 1 hour from Khong Island downstream to Done Khone, another large island covered in coconut palms, flame trees, stands of bamboo, kapok trees and hard woods. En-route, it is very picturesque of beautiful small green islands and also people doing fishing with fish nets and traps. We pass the former port with its steel rail jetty remained on the right bank before getting to Done Khone. We stroll to explore the peaceful island and to visit old railway with old locomotive and boiler car, which the French ever built in Laos. After lunch at local restaurant, we take a boat ride to the main land for continuing to drive to 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. We get back to our hotel in late afternoon.

Day 16 : KHONG ISLAND - PAKSE - UBON (Thailand)
Breakfast at hotel, it will be an optional walk to visit local morning 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. It will take a bout 3 hours drive, We arrive back to Pakse.

In the afternoon and proceed to drive across the Mekong Bridge to Vang Tao - Chongmek, the entry and exit point between Thailand and Laos. After having checked through immigration and customs, we continue to drive to Ubon airport for departure to next destination.