HIGHLIGHTS

• Connect with the spiritual side of Laos.
• Discover the serenity of Luang Prabang with a sunset trek to Wat Phousi and visit the Kuang Si Waterfalls.
• Explore Vientiane, through the local sights and delicacies.
• Get a taste of the verdant Bolaven Plateau at its renowned Coffee Plantations.
• Visit Wat Phu Ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Cruise along the tranquil archipelago of Siphandon.

Day by Day itineraries

Day 1: Luang Prabang Arrival.

Welcome to Laos! Upon arrival at Luang Prabang International Airport, you will be picked up by Laos Travel's representative and transferred to your hotel for checking in. Enjoy a welcome drink and choose to relax or explore nearby sights on your leisure time.



Meals: N/A.

Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang.

Day 2: Luang Prabang Pakou Caves.

Following breakfast at the hotel, visit the former King's Palace, now the National Museum. The many items nicely displayed include rare furniture, traditional costumes, arts, jewelry, ornaments as well as working tools and utensils of the early part of the 20th century. Then visit Wat Xieng Thong, the most photographed temple in Luang Prabang. Board a private boat for the Mekong River cruise to the famous Pak Ou Caves. Locally called Tam Ting, the caves are filled with thousands of gold-lacquered Buddha statues, coming in a wide range of sizes. During the boat ride, take note of the fishermen and villagers going about their daily life on the river. For many, the Mekong plays an integral role in daily life and represents one of the only means of transportation and commerce.

Stop at Ban Xang Hai, a village specializing in making rice wine. Later in the afternoon, adjourn to the Phousi Holy Hill to enjoy the marvelous panoramic views of the town at sunset.



Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang.

Day 3: Luang Prabang Kuang Si Waterfalls Fly to Vientiane.

Wake up before dawn to witness the long lines of orange-robed monks leaving their pagodas to receive offerings of food from the residents of Luang Prabang. It's a fantastic experience and for many a highlight of their visit to this iconic city.

Then you will visit the local morning market where you will see such diverse offerings such as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weaving. Next stop is at Wat Mai, a temple renowned for its golden bas-relief.

Continue with a drive to the beautiful Kuang Si Falls where there is the opportunity to take a refreshing swim. Enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings and explore the surrounding dense jungle on foot. For the adventurous, it is possible to walk to the top of the falls via a steep track where beautiful views await.

After a picnic lunch in the tranquil park, return to the town & enjoy some free time.

Later of this day, transfer to the airport for your flight to Vientiane, South East Asia's smallest capital city. Nestled along the banks of the Mekong River & near the Thai border, this former French Indochina trading post exudes a laid-back ambiance and old-world charm.



Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch.

Accommodation: Hotel in Vientiane.

Day 4: Vientiane City Tour.

Today you will discover the essential landmarks and iconic sights that the small and charismatic city of Vientiane has to offer. With French colonial architecture & magnificent Buddhist temples, Vientiane boasts a rich mixture of cultures to savor.

Start at Wat Sisaket, believed to be Vientiane's oldest surviving temple, left intact after the Siamese invasion of 1828. The interior walls of the cloister are covered in niches containing over 2,000 silver and ceramic Buddha images. Next is a visit to Wat Phra Keo, built originally to house the famed Emerald Buddha and now a religious museum that displays a collection of art representing Lao and Khmer artefacts. Continue to Wat Si Muang - the most popular one in town, before visiting Patuxai Monument, Laos' version of the Arc de Triomphe and its most prominent monument.

The city tour also takes you to the golden spired Pha That Luang, constructed in the 16th century and regarded as the holiest site in Laos, and the Buddha Park, built in 1958 by Luang Pu, a yogi-priest shaman.

Vientiane has many great restaurants with Lao, Thai, French, Italian, Mexican and Chinese cuisines available, ask the guide for personal recommendations to enjoy your dinner.



Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Vientiane.

Day 5: Vientiane Fly to Pakse Bolaven Plateau.

Continue your journey south as you take a flight to Pakse after breakfast. On arrival, meet another tour guide and driver of Laos Travel then begin your discoveries with a scenic drive through mountains and winding roads all the way up to the region of Bolaven Plateau. An expanse of highland formed from an ancient volcano, Bolaven Plateau is resplendent with lush jungles, rivers, scenic farmlands and diverse ethnic communities. Explore this naturally beautiful and cool climate elevated region. Start with a visit to the Tad Fane Waterfalls, 120 meters high and located in the Dong Hua Sao Nature Reserve. Continue to the Tad Champi and Tad Yeung waterfalls, which drop an impressive 42 meters and are surrounded by lush vegetation. Then head to a tea and coffee plantation and learn why the Bolaven Plateau is an ideal area for these plantations. Enjoy an exceptional fresh organic cup of coffee prepared with a unique technique at the Jhai Coffee House in Paksong and meet some ethnic minorities.

Transfer back to Pakse, the most important town in southern Laos. If time permits, take a short orientation tour of Pakse, explore its colonial and Chinese-style buildings and a local market. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.



Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Pakse.

Day 6: Pakse Wat Phou Don Khong.

After breakfast, check out the hotel and journey along Mekong River to Don Khong in the south of Champasak. Stop at Wat Phou, otherwise known as Vat Phou, to visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dating back more than 1,000 years, Wat Phou is a spectacular pre-Angkorian temple that sits amidst the rice fields and waterways of southern Laos. Explore this mythical temple ruins and tumbledown structures.

Enjoy lunch en-route, and continue to Khong Island, the biggest island in Southern Laos and the start of the 4,000 Islands. Called "Siphandon" in Laotian language, this area is where the Mekong stretches over 14km wide and houses thousands of islands between its cascades and rapids. Here the Mekong is at its widest and dotted with thousands of small islands.

Later in the afternoon, you will arrive in the peaceful island of Don Khone, home to small villages and plantations, where you'll spend the night. The remainder of the day, it's recommended to explore the area either by bicycle or tuk-tuk.



Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Don Khong.

Day 7: Explore 4,000 Islands Pakse.

Embark on a traditional long-tail boat and cruise amongst the Siphandon riverine archipelago. Explore this peaceful rural island where locals live out a simple life. Once a minor 19th century French Indochina settlement, Don Khong reveals a handful of colonial-era buildings including an old French railway station. Visit awesome Liphi Waterfalls, nicknamed the "Corridor of the Devil", a natural border between Laos and Cambodia and habitat of the rare Irrawaddy dolphins (sadly, the last known river dolphin in the transboundary pool in the Mekong between Laos and Cambodia was found dead on 15 February 2022).

Continue to the 10km-long Khone Pha Pheng Falls, Southeast Asia's largest waterfalls and one of Laos' most magnificent natural attractions. Hear the thunderous roar and gaze at the awesome power created by millions of litres of water crashing over rocks.

After relaxing on the boat ride, enjoy a local-style lunch served in a nearby restaurant.

Return to the mainland by boat and then travel back to the hotel in Pakse by car, arriving in time for sunset.



Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Accommodation: Hotel in Pakse.

Day 8: Pakse Departure.

A transfer will take you to Pakse Airport for your onward travels. It's time to say goodbye, but just think of all the wonderful stories you will take home!



Meals: Breakfast.