Lovely Luscious Laos
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Patuxai Arch, Vientiane ©Easia Travel
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Vientiane, Laos - Pha That Luang Temple ©Easia Travel
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Vientiane, Laos - Pha That Luang Temple ©Easia Travel
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Beautiful Landscape of Vang Vieng, Laos ©Easia Travel
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Luang Prabang Local, Laos - Morning Discovery by Tuk Tuk - Alms Giving ©Easia Travel
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Luang Prabang Local, Laos - Local Market-Morning discovery by Tuk Tuk ©Easia Travel
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Luang Prabang Royal, Laos - Buddhist Temple-Royal Palace ©Easia Travel
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Luang Prabang, Laos - Kuang Si Waterfall ©Easia Travel
Laos is the world you see on traditional Asian silk paintings. As this part of the world has developed, its cities becoming urban frenzies, Laos has retained its traditions and rural way of life. It is a panorama of green, from vibrant paddies to deep, dark jungles. Read more
Vientiane and Vang Vieng
Explore Vientiane, the tiny sleepy capital city which fuses French and Asian influence. Infinitely laid-back, the city lends itself to leisurely days spent wandering along frangipani-fringed boulevards between glittering temples. During a tour, visit several temples including Vat Sisaket.
Continue to Vang Vieng, where stilt houses perch above the River Nam Song in this unbelievably idyllic setting. It is spectacularly tranquil, however, Vang Vieng has branded itself as Laos’ adrenaline adventure destination. Soar through the tree canopy and over waterfalls on a zip line. Also explore the stunning scenery of this picturesque place on foot. A trek starting from a small village takes you along a stunning route through paddies, overlooked by mountains, to caves and spring pools set in mountain terrain.
Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang sits at the sacred confluence of the Mekong and the Khan Rivers. While here, discover the town’s spiritual and natural beauty. Each morning, hundreds of monks drift through a near-silent town in the calls to alms. The memory of saffron robes fluttering in the morning breeze, monks floating along serenely and reverently taking the offered food, will stand out as something truly authentic and special. Furthermore, explore Luang Prabang’s majestic temples and cruise along the Mekong to Pak Ou caves. This remote place is an important pilgrimage site and the caves are abundant with Buddha statues. If Laos hasn’t already sufficiently demonstrated its wondrous beauty, a visit to Kuang Si waterfalls will leave you with no doubt that Laos is a treasure. Relax in one of the natural pools as the teal waters cascade.
Dates
Dates on request
Suggested Itinerary by Air
Day 1
Welcome to Laos!
Arrive in Vientiane. Meet your guide in the airport and transfer to your hotel. Spend the day at leisure relaxing and getting acquainted with the area.
Day 2
Explore Vientiane
Vientiane, capital city of Laos, has been marked by French colonisation yet retains a strong Asian identity. On a city tour, explore the city’s main sites. In the midst of French influence you will find Asian buildings such as Vat Sisaket temple – the most beautiful in Vientiane. Visit also Vat PhraKeo temple, which, located in a lovely garden, shelters the famous emerald Buddha. Pha That Luang is a masterpiece of Lao architecture; the shrine is a symbol of the Nation. See Laos’ answer to the Arch de Triumph and explore the markets.
Day 3
Vang Vieng: Waterfall and Zipline
Depart from Vientiane for Vang Vieng in a private vehicle. En route, stop at a local market to catch a glimpse of the daily life of local people. Reach the beautiful Nam Ngum Reservoir, surrounded by mountains and forested hills, and enjoy a boat cruise with lunch. Continue the journey to Van Vieng. The route affords views of splendid landscapes as you travel along the River Nam Song and Karstic mountain range. After a short rest in Vang Vieng, make the short journey to Kaeng Nyui waterfall. Here, equipped with harnesses and helmets, whizz through beautiful scenery on a zip-line. Flying through the jungle canopy and crossing tree top bridges is an unforgettable way to enjoy the incredible views of the surrounding stunning nature! The zip-lining lasts about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your ability. Once you come back down to earth, you will have time to roam free around the waterfall.
Day 4
Trekking and Caves
Early in the morning, transfer to a H’mong village called Phathao, 14km north of Vang Vieng. From here, trek through lovely green rice fields framed by a backdrop of high mountains and walk along beautiful paths, under the shade of trees, and encounter locals going about their lives. After about 1.5 hours of trekking you will reach the first cave, Tham Loup, then Tham Hoi. Enjoy the beautiful landscape before trekking further into the mountain terrain. After another half hour of trekking, arrive at a spring pool which sits at the mouth of a cave. This is a lovely place for a swim, and you can choose to enter and explore the cave. Travel by road to Luang Prabang (approx 6 hours) passing through local villages.
Day 5
Luang Prabang: Temples, Mekong, Pak Ou Caves
In the early morning from around 5.30 to 6.30, your guide will take you to Vat Nong temple to see the Tak Bath ceremony (procession of monks). During the ceremony, devoted residents of Luang Prabang kneel on the street offering food to the monks as they walk by in a procession of orange robes. Be drawn deep into these culturally significant moments, which occur in a peaceful and respectful ambience. After this humbling experience, your guide will take you to a local market which is a very animated place to be in the morning. Then go to a local restaurant on the bank of the Mekong for a soup designed to fill your tummy to start your day.
Luang Prabang is one of the most beautiful cities in South-East Asia. Discover the city’s oldest temple, Vat Visoun, and the temples of Vat Xieng Thong and Vat Mai. In order to fully appreciate your visit of this picturesque city, a guide will share their knowledge of the city’s history, architecture and culture.
Step aboard a local motorboat to travel to the Pak Ou caves, the most famous Buddhist site around Luang Prabang. This beautiful excursion on the Mekong River, lined with steep karst cliffs and small villages, is the opportunity for you to observe life on its banks. When you reach the caves after the 2-hour boat ride and after you’ve climbed the stairs to the entrance, you will be amazed to find thousands of Buddha statues inside. Return and enjoy the sunset on Mekong River.
Day 6
Luang Prabang: Waterfalls
This morning visit the splendid Royal Palace Museum before driving to the Kuang Si waterfalls. These cascading falls are made up of limestone formations and numerous turquoise-coloured water pools and have become a must-see destination when visiting Northern Laos. The lower level of the falls has been turned into a public park and is where you can take a break and enjoy the cooling freshness and leafy green shade of the area. Further up the path, numerous small natural limestone pools have been formed by the process of water erosion and you will be able to enjoy bathing and relaxing in some of the pools.
Day 7
Depart
Enjoy free time until transferring to the airport for your flight home. If you want to explore more of what Southeast Asia can offer, why not continue your journey in Cambodia or Vietnam?
The weather in Laos doesn’t vary much throughout the year – it’s always hot and humid! The coolest and driest time of year is from November to January. This is also the main festival period, so it’s an interesting time to visit Laos. The wet season is between June and October, when temperatures average over 30°c. It rains frequently during this time, meaning this is a great time of year for river travel but roads may be closed due to flooding. February to May is drier but hot, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius.
Would you like to visit another country in Southeast Asia, or extend your tour?
Visa Requirements:
Laos Visas can be obtained on arrival at the airport, visitors must show a valid passport (with atleast 6 months remaining on the expiry date) and 2 passport photos. For UK citizens the cost will be $35, which is payable in cash only using US dollars of Thai Baht.
