On this Laos itinerary 5 days you can go over the most famous destinations of Laos, where rich cultural traditions are combined with stunning natural environs.
Your journey starts in Vientiane, the present capital with many pagodas, continue to the more rural area to admire Vang Vieng which is famous for its water sports and party atmosphere, but the region is also home to some of Laos’ most beautiful landscapes. – and discover colorful culture, history and daily life of the minorities. End your trip with unforgettable moments in Luang Prabang, the ancient capital and one of the last Shangri-la’s in the world.
On arrival at the airport, you will be met and transferred to check in the hotel. The rest of the day is your own time at leisure.
Overnight in Vientiane
Vientiane is a charming and fascinating capital, with an interesting mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and American influences. Today, we start visiting the major sights of the capital; including Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple with thousands of miniature Buddha statues, and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. Enroute to Lao’s national icon, the precious and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, you will have the opportunity to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph.
In the afternoon, we leave the capital early for our journey northbound to Vang Vieng; we will see some breathtaking scenery enroute as we pass through spectacular countryside towards the mountainous region. Along the way, we will make a short stop at the colorful H’Mong Market at KM52. We reach our final destination Vang Vieng, which is nestled on a bend of the Nam Song River. Its stunning scenery with limestone outcrops remains unspoiled, despite recent developments with the advent of tourism. After checking into your hotel you are at your own leisure.
Overnight in Vang Vieng
In the morning, we will first stroll around the town to visit the local market to catch a glimpse of everyday life in a typical Lao rural area.
After breakfast, we transfer to visit the cave of Tham Jang, which was used in the early 19th century in defense against the Chinese invaders. We transfer to visit Ban Phathau, a very pleasant village where we can explore the different local lifestyles.
We then start our expedition on the new road to Luang Prabang that is perhaps the best-preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. The roads are well paved along the way for a smooth journey; we pass some stunning landscape scenery with a mixture of steep terraced fields and hill villages, we take a few photo stops at some small hill tribe village enroute. Each hill tribe village in Laos has a different feel, some are more prosperous than others but all have plenty of life. We also have chance to admire the panoramic view over the surrounding area at the peak of more than 2000m. Before reaching Luang Prabang, we will make a short stop to visit the local school at Ban Huay Sala.
Overnight in Luang Prabang
Today, you will first visit Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts. We then embark on the a leisure cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside, before reaching the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the local rice wine.
On arrival back in the city, we will visit magnificent Wat Xieng Thong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. Afterwards, we will visit the Traditional Art and Ethnology Center to learn about Laos’ many ethnic cultures. From there, we will transfer to visit Wat Prabath to admire the sunset; this is the really peaceful place to catch the last beauty of the day. The tour ends after a visit to the famous Night Market, where you can find a lovely collection of handmade textiles made by local and hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang
Overnight in Luang Prabang
An early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (ubiquitous sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession. From there, we will take a short visit to the morning local market near the Royal Palace. At the market, you can find anything from rice, to fresh vegetables, to steamed fish, frogs, and anything else that might be the day’s catch, just set up on the ground, this is what the locals do every day. This is really the chance for you to get a real flavor of the local culture.
After breakfast at the hotel, we ascend the 329 steps to the top of Phousi Hill for a panoramic view of the city and the Mekong River. We then visit Wat Visoun, dating back to 1513 during the reign of King Wisunarat (Visoun), this is Luang Prabang’s oldest temple and was once home to the Prabang Buddhas. We then transfer directly to the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the pools or walk along the forest trails. Before returning to Luang Prabang, we stop to visit the Kuang Si Falls Butterfly Park (closed on Tuesday, and from 03rd May to 19th June every year), one of the must-visit spots, where you can have an optional 15 minute tour to learn about butterflies and local flora.
Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, we will take a short visit to the Ock Pop Tock Living Craft Center, where you will have a short tour so you get information about Silk, about weaver, about the Women that work in the Centre. We then transfer out to the airport to take the departure flight
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