BRIEF ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival - Vientiane
Day 2: Luang Prabang - Big Brother Mouse – Ban Khia Luang – Pak Ou Caves
Day 3: Luang Prabang - Khuang Si Waterfall and Ban Chan
Day 4: Luang Prabang – Vientiane – half day city tour (Flight)
Day 5: Vientiane – Pakse – Tad Lo
Day 6: Tad Lo – Wat Phou – 4000 Islands
Day 7: 4000 Islands and surrounding
Day 8: 4000 Islands – Pakse – Departure
Day 1: Arrival – Vientiane (D)
Up on arrival at Wattay airport, Vientiane, we will be welcomed by local tour guide and driver, then we transfer to hotel.
In the afternoon, we start visiting the major sights of the capital such as 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, we will have the opportunity to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is known as Vientiane's own Arc de Triumph and romantic sunset on Mekong River.
Tonight we enjoy our welcome dinner at a fine local restaurant in town. Overnight in Vientiane.
Day 2: Vientiane - Luang Prabang (B)
Breakfast at hotel, we then transfer back to the airport to take our short flight to Luang Prabang.
Welcome up on arrival in Luang Prabang by local tour guide and driver, we transfer to hotel.
In the afternoon, we will visit the impressive stupas of Wat Visoun; the shrine of Wat Aham & Wat Mai; climbing up to the top of Mount Phousi, explore the sacred, gilded stupas as well as a beautiful sunset view of the city and the Mekong River.
Tonight, we are free to explore the Night market in the centre city. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Day 3: Luang Prabang - Pakou Cave (B)
Today, we enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temples of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. We then embark on a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside as well as exploring the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by devoted pilgrims. Along the way, we will stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where the local rice wine is produced. On return, we take a short drive to another small village Ban Phanom, which famous for its hand weaving. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Day 4: Luang Prabang – Vientiane (Flight) (B)
Free at leisure in the morning.
11:30, we transfer to the airport to take flight back to Vientiane.
Arriving in Vientiane, we will meet our tour guide and driver again then transfer to hotel. Free at leisure in the rest of the day. Overnight in Vientiane.
Day 5: Vientiane – Pakse – Tad Lo (B)
Today we take our take-away breakfast from reception at 05:00AM, meet tour guide and driver at the lobby of hotel, tranfser to the airport, take flight to Paske at 06:30AM.
Welcome up on arrival in Paske airport, tranfer to the Bolevean Plateau. The Bolevean Plateau is known for its cooler temperature being located high above the Mekong Valley. The area is famous for its many waterfalls, and the most beautiful of these falls, Tad Fan. Tad Fan waterfall is spectacular with twin waterfalls plummeting into a deep gorge surrounded by flourishing vegetation. A trip to the plateau provides a refreshing break from the heat and allows us to observe the cultivation of rich coffee, tea, cardamom, bananas, and other crops that can be seen en route.
In the afternoon we arrive at Tad Lo, home to another scenic waterfall and numerous ethnic minority groups. We visit the villages of Alak, Nge, and Katu before overnight in Tad Lo. Overnight in Tad Lo.
Day 6: Tad Lo – Wat Phou – 4000 Islands (B)
After an early breakfast, we leave Tad Lo. On the way we make a short detour to visit Pha Suam waterfall and to explore the ethnic minority villages of Lao Teung. We continue to travel by road via Pakse town crossing the Mekong by ferry to visit the fascinating pre-Angkorian ruins of Wat Phu, one of Southeast Asia's most dramatically situated temples. Following lunch, we continue our journey by long tail boat to the 4000 Islands, where we have the rest of the day to relax. Overnight in 4000 Islands area.
Day 7: 4000 Islands and surrounding (B)
After an early morning breakfast, we head south by road and boat to Done Khone. Here we begin by re-tracing the French colonial-past at Ban Khone, where some old colonial houses still stand and glimpse the first Lao railway with its own locomotive. We continue our exploration of the area of the 4000 islands by boat and visit the beautiful Liphi waterfall, also known as the Samphamith, which forms a natural border between Lao and Cambodia. We return to Ban Nakasang and drive to the famous waterfall of Khone Phapeng - the largest waterfall in South East Asia, also known as the 'Niagara of the east'. Overnight in 4000 Islands area.
Day 8: 4000 Islands – Pakse - Departure (B)
Today we will take the domestic flights in Laos to Vientiane or Luang Prabang airport then transit to an International flight to home or next destination. Trip ends
