Laos Highlights

Introduction

The trip takes you to Vientiane, Laos’ capital city to explore French architecture and beautiful, ornate Buddhist temples. Even though it is the country’s largest city, it has not lost its friendly, laid back character. Travel further South and experience the relaxed, sleepy, charming local life of Siphandone, nestled at the foot of Laos on the Cambodian border, and as the name suggests, consists of lots of tiny islands scattered in the vast Mekong Delta. Hike to Bolaven Plateau characterized by coffee and tea plantations and dramatic waterfalls surrounded by lush vegetation. Your trip ends in Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Situated on the peninsula formed by the Mekong and the Nam Khan River, Luang Prabang is a perfect spot to unwind, eat good food and enjoy the scenery. This relatively small, palm fringed place is packed with fabulous colonial villas, top class restaurants, coffee shops and stunning Buddhist temples.

Day 1: Vientiane Arrival

Welcome to Vientiane, Laos’ capital, an old French colonial trading post. This city is both abundant in French architecture as well as beautiful, ornate Buddhist temples. Even though it is the country’s largest city, it has not lost its friendly and laid back character.

Meet your guide and we drive to your hotel for check in (check in time: 14:00).

Meals: Not Included. Spend the night at your hotel in Vientiane.

Day 3: Vientiane – Fly to Pakse – Wat Phou Ruins – Bolaven Plateau (B,L)

We take a morning flight to Pakse, a city of old French Colonial Buildings.  We visit the Vietnamese quarter, Buddhist and Chinese temples and an old Catholic church, or you can sit and have a freshly brewed Bolaven coffee or Lao tea while watching as people and life go by.

On arrival, meet our guide then we head to visit unique Wat Phou Temple of Khmer of Wat Phou ruin, the majestic pre-Angkorian 10th century temple complex. You have time to look at the museum at the ruins site, walk up to the highest temple and take as many photos as you would like.

After lunch, we drive to Bolaven Plateau, a mountainous region  and home to dozens of hill tribes, waterfalls and coffee and tea plantations. 

We drive to Tad Lo Waterfalls, a beautiful formation of three separate falls.From the bridge you will first see Tad Hang and then Tad Lo in the distance. The most impressive of the three, Tad Suong, is located a further 10km upriver. After exploring the falls and their surroundings, we continue through the Plateau.

Stay overnight at Tadlo Lodge, your  hotel in Bolaven Plateau.

Day 5: Don Khong – 4000 Islands – Pakse (B,L)

Today we explore the backwater life of Siphandone. During the rainy season, the Mekong River reaches a breadth of 14 kms, the river’s widest reach along its 4,350 km journey from the Tibetan Plateau towards the East Sea (Bien Dong).  When the river recedes, it leaves behind thousands of islands and islets.

At Ban Nakasang Pier we take a short boat trip to visit the surrounding islands of Done Det and Done Som for a glimpse into the traditional lifestyle of the fishermen. We continue to Done Khone Island and hike along its ancient railway line built by the French in 1897 to bypass the powerful rapids when transporting goods from Cambodia. We Continue to the Sumphamith Waterfall (Liphi Waterfall). We then continue by car to visit the magnificent Khone Phapheng Waterfall, the largest cascade along the Mekong River. A fault line caused the cascade, which is 6 km wide at this point, and the astonishing force of the water has cut dramatic gorges through the brittle bedrock.

We drive back to Pakse and on the way, we stop at Phou Salao view point for an overview of this quaint city.

Spend the night at your hotel in Pakse.

Day 7: Luang Prabang –Sightseeing (B,L)

Today we take a trip around the ancient city to visit most of the highlights. We begin with the Royal Palace Museum, built in 1904 during the French colonial era for King Sisavang Vong and his family. Continue our trip to Wat Mai, the largest and most richly decorated of the temples in Luang Prabang. Then head to the magnificent Wat Xiengthong - representative of classic Laotian architecture.

In the afternoon we ride to visit the unique Wat Visoun, entirely rebuilt after its destruction in 1887 by the invading Black Flags from Southern China. In the courtyard of Wat Visoun stands the Watermelon Stupa, which is shaped like the fruit it takes its name from. We then head to the excellent Arts and Ethnology Centre which will give you further insight into the ethnic mix and culture of Laos. Later in the day, we adjourn to Phousi Hill to enjoy the marvelous panoramic views of the town at sunset.

Spend the night at your hotel in Luang Prabang.

An early start gives you a 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 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 as the locals do every day. This is a great chance for you to get a real feel for the local culture.

From there, we will transfer out of town to Kuang Si Fall Butterflies Park where we will have an authentic breakfast surrounded by the beauty of nature. During the breakfast, we will chat with the two owners of the Butterflies Park to better understand Lao nature and their efforts to create a beautiful place for visitors to Luang Prabang.

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. This is the perfect time to visit the waterfalls, while other tourists are still in the town.

Next, we transfer to Elephant Camp near the waterfalls, and enjoy a 30 minute elephant ride, exploring the Mekong River.

Return to your hotel where you are free to relax for the rest of the day.

Overnight at your hotel in Luang Prabang.

Children Policy

• The rate for children applicable for one child sharing a twin or double cabin with two adults
• For infant (<04 years old): FOC except domestic ticket cost
• 04 - 11 years old without bed: 50% adult rate
• 04 - 11 years old with extra bed: 75% adult rate
• 04 - 11 years old in twin share: 90% adult rate

Service Details During The Trip

We’ll immerse you in the diverse cultures of Loas by showcasing the unique local flavors. And with the perfect balance of included sightseeing and free time, you can customize your dream vacation with the things you have always wanted to do.

• Private Local Tour Guide: You will have a fully licensed local tour guide from 'welcome' until you are farewelled at the airport. Your guide will guide, help, assist and take care of you in order to make your tour worry-free. Vietnam Exploration Booking Tours offer the best tour guides based on the features of your itinerary and the make up of the group, to maximize your tour while travelling. Having the right guide means you have the best experience.
• Private Drivers and Vehicle: Safety is the first priority for transportation. All vehicles are in good condition and are well maintained with fully licensed and experienced drivers ensuring you are in safe hands. To maximize your comfort and enjoyable experience, cold drinking water and refreshing towels are provided in the car. 
• ​​Local Flavor Meals: You don’t worry about meals; we select both restaurants and menus for you. Vietnam Exploration Booking only chooses clean restaurants with pleasant environments for our guests. The menu is also carefully selected to ensure you can try different food at every meal. We will recommend and arrange local cuisine since it is part of the cultural experience while travelling. We can also recommend where to eat so you can enjoy your favourite food when not eating with the group.
• Well-Selected Hotels: Comfort and good value are our priorities when choosing hotels for our guests. We do our best to ensure good rest by the comfort of the mattress and bedding and offering rooms with a pleasant decorative style, user friendly facilities, good service and a great breakfast!

Did we hit all the items on your travel bucket list for your holiday?
If not, don’t worry. We specialize in tailor-made tours and can customize this program to create your dream trip. Get in touch with your personal Travel Consultant to create your personalized program.