Laos Highlights & Cruise In 4000 Islands

Upon arrival at the airport in LuangPrabang, you are greeted and transferred to the hotel. After a short rest, we visit the impressive stupa of WatVisoun and the shrine of WatAham, Wat Mai; we then climb up to the top of Phousi Mount for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a beautiful sunset view of the city and the Mekong River. From there, we explore Street Night Market, where you can find the lovely collection and handmade textile by local and hill tribe people surrounding Luangprabang.

Meals: No meal
Accommodation: Hotel in LuangPrabang

After breakfast, we enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temple of WatSene and the magnificent WatXiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represent the classical architecture of LuangPrabang temple. We then board a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a beautiful view of the tranquil countryside as well as an interesting visit to the mysterious of Pak Ou Caves, crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes.

Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the distillation of local rice wine. On return, we take a short drive to Ban XangKhong and Ban Xienglek, well known for its handmade of Jute Sar paper.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in LuangPrabang

This morning you may want to wake up early and participate in the daily early morning ritual of saffron-clad monks with their black Alms-giving bowls being given offerings from the local people, including the ubiquitous sticky rice. Have breakfast, you will visit the morning Phosi Market where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings. Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, and today you will visit the Ban Ouay, Hmong Hill tribe, Ban Ou, Lowland Lao and Ban Thapene of Khmu village. Continue driving to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall where you can splash around in the pools or walk along the forest paths, return to LuangPrabang by late afternoon and continue to Ban Phanom, a well-known weaving village, return to the city by late evening for observing the sunset at WatSiphouthabath.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in LuangPrabang

The National Museum at the former Royal Palace, which displays a lovely collection of the artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the Days of the early kings right through the last sovereign, and the Central Market are not to be missed. Today, we visit these sights before catching a flight back to Vientiane. After checking into hotel, we are met to continue exploring Vientiane capital city, we start to visit the major sights of the capital; including the oldest WatSisaket with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of WatPrakeo previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image.

On the way to the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, we stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph.

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Vientiane

In the early morning 06h30, we board a flight to Pakse.Upon arrival you are met and transferred to Vat Phou Cruise departure from Pakse for Champassak at 10:00am. Then we are board and heading south aboard a local long tail riverboat, zigzagging through mild rapids and sand banks, arriving at Champassak, followed by a guided tour of the mysterious pre-Angkorian 10th century temple of WatPhou, the boat’s namesake. As dusk falls board the Vat Phou for a relaxing cruise down-river, enjoying the tropical sunset on the deck, dinner is served on board, while the boat docks for the night alongside a remote Laotian village.

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Overnight on Vat Phou cruise

Breakfast on board as we set sail for the village of HueiThamo, only a few minutes’ walk away from the Atacular hidden forest temple of OumMoung. Afterwards rejoin the boat for a cruise southwards and lunch on the deck, while we continue our leisurely sail further south to the wild paradise of the “4,000 islands”, arrived in the afternoon closed to Khong Island (the birthplace of the President of the Peoples republic of Laos) at Ban Dua Tae, and visit this traditional Laotian Village where the traditional way of life has not changed in centuries. Back on board for quiet dinner, under the stars, serenaded by the songs by the songs of the buffalo toads.

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Overnight on Vat Phou cruise.

Breakfast on the deck, while cruising to the small village of Ban Veuthong where we will board a small long-tail boat to Khone Island. After visit, take a long tail boat back to the main land amid the by-gone splendid of another age; colorful French colonial houses and an old customs post, alongside a stone quay. Take a minivan to amazingly scenic splendor of the KhongPhaPeng waterfall, “the Niagara of the East“, close to the Cambodian border. Back to “civilization, for the two hours ride to Pakse, arriving in the afternoon, about 3:30 pm and transfer to hotel.

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Pakse

Have breakfast at the hotel then enjoy a free morning before driving to the airport to catch your departure flight home.

Meal: Breakfast

*** END OF SERVICES ***