Originally a ferry that carried teak wood between Vientiane and the south of Laos, in 1993 the Vat Phou boat was lovingly converted into a luxurious floating hotel, cruising the Mekong river. The Vat Phou boat is a 34 meter long, 7.5 meter wide steel hulled teak barge, equipped with two 260 HP Isuzu diesel engines.
The design retains a character that is unmistakably oriental and enables you to relax in comfort while you cruise the Mekong, you enjoy the ever changing pageantry of river scenery and life as you pass smoothly by.
We have 14 staff on each Mekong cruise departure. This includes 2 full time captains, 2 mechanics, 2 cooks, 3 cleaning staff and 5 bar or wait staff. We also have on board an English, French and Thai speaking guide who can help answer any questions and point out interesting sights along the way.
There are two decks on the Vat Phou boat. The lower deck has 10 cabins, the kitchen/galley and our evening air-conditioned dining room. The upper deck has 2 cabins, the bar and a two large open air shaded decks – one at each end of the boat. The ship is fully equipped with safety equipment meeting international standards.
The front upper deck has rattan armchairs, sofas, coffee tables and lounges. This area is perfect for lying back to read a book, taking photographs of life along the Mekong River or having an afternoon nap.
The rear upper deck has chairs, sofas and coffee tables. We also have the bar area here where our staff can serve you tea, coffee or drinking water, which are all included free during the cruise. You are also able to purchase beer, soft drinks, wine and spirits. Breakfast and lunch are usually served here, watching the sun dance on the waters surface.
THE CABINS
The Vat Phou boat has 12 elegant twin shared cabins, each with a view over the southern Mekong River in Laos. Every cabin is fully air-conditioned and also has a fan for optimum temperature control. The cabins are fitted with dressing tables and a wardrobe so you can unpack easily and relax. The private bathrooms have a hot shower and a western style toilet for your convenience. Our Vat Phou staff clean your cabin daily.
Life jackets are available in a variety of sizes including children’s sizes.
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The stages of your trip:
Pakse , Champasak , Vat Phou , Huei Thamo , Oum Muong , Khong Island, Don Khone , Pha Pheng9 : 30 – 10: 00 : After meeting at the Sinouk Coffee House in central Pakse at 9:30am, we transfer you to our cruise boat via long tail riverboat, for your 2.5 hour journey to Champassak.
12 : 30 : Upon boarding at the Vat Phou boat, we help you to your cabins to unpack, before serving lunch on deck. All meals are included on the Vat Phou Mekong cruise and our galley produces the finest of Laotian, Vietnamese and Thai dishes, lovingly prepared and beautifully presented.
14 : 30 : The highlight of the afternoon is the Vat Phou ruins – the majestic pre-Angkorian 10th century temple complex and our boat’s namesake. You have time to visit the museum at the ruins site, walk up to the highest temple and take as many photos as you would like.
17 : 00 : As dusk falls, we transfer you back to the Vat Phou boat for a chance to enjoy the tropical sunset on the deck. Dinner is served on board, while the boat docks for the night alongside a remote Laotian village.
7 : 00 – 10 : 30 : Breakfast is on board as we set sail for the village of Tomo. This is a small village a few minutes walk away from the mysterious hidden forest temple of Oum Muong. Afterwards we rejoin the boat to continue our cruise southwards.
12 : 30 : Lunch is on the deck, while we leisurely sail closer to the wild paradise known as the 4,000 Islands All meals are included on the Vat Phou Mekong cruise and the galley produces the finest of Laotian, Vietnamese and Thai dishes, lovingly prepared and beautifully presented.
16 : 30 : Late afternoon we disembark from the boat to walk through Ban Deua Tia, a small Laotian Village where the traditional way of life has not changed in centuries, you will also visit the local school and share some time with the students.
Our day’s cruise finishes at the most northern tip of Don Khong, the largest inhabited island in the river archipelago. After dinner, the evening is yours to relax and enjoy.
7 : 00 : While you have breakfast on the deck, the Vat Phou boat cruises down the Mekong to the small village of Ban Veuthong, where you board a small boat to meander among the 4,000 Islands to Khone Island. You will visit the old French railway, the French colonial house and walk across the bridge that links Khone and Det Islands.
12 : 00 : Enjoy a lunch at a local restaurant on Don Khone Island along the banks of the river.
13 : 00 – 16 : 30 : This afternoon you will visit the Khone PhaPheng waterfalls, the “Niagara of the East”. After your visit to Phapheng waterfall you will be transferred back to Pakse by bus where the tour will end.
INCLUSION
- 3 days cruise with stops and visits as mentioned in the program with English speaking guide.
- 2 nights accommodation on board.
- Meal plan as mentioned in the tour program.
- Coffee, tea & drinking water on board and during meals.
- Admission fee at visiting points as mentioned in the program.
- Services of a qualified crew during the cruise.
- Group / individual insurance.
EXCLUSION
- Visa approval and fees for Laos.
- Transfer from hotel / airport to pier in Pakxe or v.v.
- Other drinks and meals not mentioned in package.
- Other personal expenses.
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