DAY 1: VIENTIANE – ARRIVAL
Upon
arrival at the airport, Meet and Greet by our Representative. And transfer to
your hotel. Rest of the day is free for your own exploration. Overnight in
Vientiane (Meals: Dinner)
DAY 2: VIENTIANE – BUDDHA PARK
In the
morning, we will first visit Wat Si Muang, which is very famous for its
supernatural power. We then transfer out to see Buddha Park, an enchanting
collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures on the Mekong Riverside meadow,
close to the Friendship Bridge. There are approximately 200 religious images
dating back over 500 years, which were created by a mysterious monk spreading
his philosophy on life and revealing his ideas about the universe. In the
afternoon, we see the major sights of the capital; including the oldest Wat
Sisaket, the temple with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former
royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image.
On the way to Lao’s national icon, the famous and sacred structure of That
Luang Stupa, we stop enroute to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay
Monument, which is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph. A spectacular
view over the Mekong River at sunset is a perfect way to finish the day.
Overnight in Vientiane (Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
DAY 3: VIENTIANE – VANG VIENG
We leave
the capital early for our journey northbound; we will see some breath-taking
scenery en-route as we pass through spectacular countryside towards the
mountainous region. Along the way, we visit the busy and colourful market of
KM52 where various hill tribes come to trade goods and buy provisions. We may
also make a short photo stop at Hin Heup Bridge, and the fish market in Ban Tha
Heua. We reach our 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. In the afternoon, we
start our board through paddy field areas heading to Tham Phoukham caves, where
your breath will be taken away seeing the most beautiful and famous limestone
cavern, surrounded by natural forests. Along the way, you have chance to
explore the local cultures by greeting the local villagers and learning about
their daily lifestyle. There is a small natural pool in front of the caves
where you can take a swim to refresh yourself from the hot climate or you could
explore the nearby area. Overnight in Vang Vieng (Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
DAY 4: VANG VIENG – XIENG KHUANG
Today, we
start exploring the town by visiting the most famous in Vang Vieng, the cave of
Tham Jang, which was used in the early 19th century in defense against the
Chinese invaders. We also cross the river to Ban Phathau, a very pleasant
village where we can explore the different local lifestyles. After lunch, we
start our journey northbound to the impressive Xieng Khuang, which is very
famous for its Plain of Jars, which we will visit the day after. Along the way,
it is our chance to admire the wonderful panoramic view over the mountainous
area at the peak of Phouphiengpha. It is no doubt the most impressive
experience of your tour. From there, we will drive a bit further to the
T-Junction in Phoukhoun, and take the left turn onto Xieng Khuang province.
After that, the road is getting a bit harder which includes some zigzagging
mountain paths; and we will make some stop along the way to visit the local
hill tribe villages, or to stretch your legs. We will make a short stop at Tham
Pra, which served as the hospital during the Indochina Wars before arriving in
Phonsavanh. Overnight in Phonsavanh. (Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
DAY 5: XIENG KHUANG – LUANG PRABANG
Early
morning, we visit the Central Market of Phonsavanh to watch the different hill
tribe people barter and exchange merchandises. We then drive over the plains to
visit the Plain of Jars site 1 which locates just 3km from the town. We then
start driving to Luang Prabang, enjoying the splendid natural scenery of the
mountains, the forest and landscape. 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 en route. Each hill tribe village in Laos has a
different feel, some are more prosperous than others but all have plenty of
life. We will make a shot stop at Ban Phoudam village, where we can see the two
hill tribe minorities of H’Mong and Khamu living in harmony, before driving to
the photo stop at Ban Kiew Nya for the panoramic view prior to reaching Luang
Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang. (Meals:
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
DAY 6: LUANG PRABANG – PAK OU CAVES
After
breakfast, you will first visit Royal Palace Museum, which was built in 1904
during the French colonial era for King Sisavang Vong and his family. We then
embark on 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 the magnificent Wat Xiengthong a superb piece of Lao temple
architecture, which presents a sweeping two-tiered roof and ornate mosaics
including a beautiful ‘tree of life ‘glass montage on the rear temple wall. 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 hilltribe people surrounding Luang Prabang.
Overnight in Luang Prabang. (Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
DAY 7: LUANG PRABANG – KUANG SI
WATERFALLS – DEPARTURE
Wake up as
the sun rises, we will prepare to join the most sacred tradition of Laos, the
daily morning alms giving, which dates to the 14th century. More than 200
Buddhist monks depart from various temples to gather their daily meal from the
faithful residents sitting quietly on the streets.From there, we will visit the
temporary morning market near the former Royal Palace. Just set on the ground,
the local people come here to barter their day’s catch from rice, to vegetable,
to fish, or chicken. This is the best chance to experience the flavour of local
life.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. If time permits, we
will visit UXO Visitor Center (closed on Saturday, and Sunday), where you can
find the documentation about the secret war in Laos.This then takes us to the
beautiful Kuang Si waterfalls which is the biggest in the Luang Prabang area with
three tiers leading to a 50-metre drop into spectacular azure pools before
flowing downstream. The pools also make great swimming holes and are very
popular with both tourists and locals. You have the rest of the afternoon to
refresh with the cool clear water, or hiking to the top of the waterfalls.There
is also the chance to walk to the nearby village of Ban Thapene, and explore
the hidden waterfalls, which is rarely visited by other tourists. If you wish,
we will also take a short visit to the Bear Rescue Center, which houses a
couple of dozen animals rescued from the hands of poachers and traffickers. We
then transfer out to the airport to take the departure flight. (Meals:
Breakfast/Lunch)
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