Escorted Tours
Upon arrival at the Luang Prabang Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for check-in. The remainder of the day is free at leisure to stroll around the city to gather your own first impression of this ancient city.
Wake up as the sun rises as we prepare to join the most sacred tradition of Laos, the daily morning alms giving, which dates to the 14th Century. More than 200 Buddhist Monks depart from various Temples to gather their daily meal from the faithful residents sitting quietly on the streets. From there, we will visit the temporary morning market near the former Royal Palace. Laid out on the ground, the local people come here to barter their day's catch from rice, to vegetable, fish or chicken. This is the best chance to experience the flavour of local life. After breakfast, we first visit the Royal Palace Museum, which was built in 1904 during the French colonial era for King Sisavang Vong and his family. We then embark on a leisure cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside, before reaching the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. En route we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the local rice wine. On arrival back in the city we will visit the magnificent Wat Xiengthong, a superb piece of Lao Temple Architecture, which presents a sweeping two tiered roof and ornate mosaics including a beautiful 'Tree of Life' glass montage on the rear Temple wall. Afterwards, we will visit the Traditional Art and Ethnology Centre (closed on Monday) to learn about Laos' many ethnic cultures. From there we transfer to visit Wat Prabath and to admire the sunset. This peaceful place is the best to catch the last beauty of the day. The tour ends after a visit to the famous Night Market, where you can find a lovely collection of handmade textiles made by local and hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Meals: Breakfast
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Today, we will take part in the Cooking Class at the Tamarind Restaurant. We start with a visit to the major food market where you we explain what the foods are and what they are used for before transferring back to Tamarind Garden to cook and eat. What you experience should be: • Varieties of Jeow: the fundamental Lao spicy dipping sauces • Mok Pa, a popular dish of herbed fish steamed in banana leaves • Tamarind’s speciality: lemongrass stuffed with chicken & herbs • Laap/Koy, a minced meat salad, fragrant with herbs • Dessert course: a surprise! • You will also learn the art to perfect sticky rice and its eating etiquette. • After lunch should be finished at around 14:30pm our afternoon takes us to the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfalls, which is the biggest in the Luang Prabang area with three tiers leading to a 50 metre drop into spectacular azure pools before flowing downstream. The pools also make great swimming holes and are very popular with both tourists and locals. There will also be the chance to walk to the nearby village of Ban Thapene and explore the hidden waterfalls, which is rarely visited by other tourists. We will transfer back to your hotel in the late afternoon. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
This morning, we climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded Stupa as well as a panoramic sunset view over the City and the Mekong River. We then travel by road south to Vang Vieng. Our intrepid journey will be strenuous as we drive along one of the most scenic region of Laos. Along the way, we will make a stop to visit a local school if it is the weekdays (if not, there are still plenty of chance to watch them playing on the ground). After about an hours' drive, we have chance to enjoy the panoramic view from the highest peak of the area, which is more than 2000 metres high. From here, we will drive to visit Pha Hom Market, where we can find various offerings of wild animals. We will also stop at Ban Phouhin Lekphay to see the life of Khmu Hill Tribe. We will then make another photo stop at Phatang Mountain viewpoint to admire the beautiful scenery before reaching the town of Vang Vieng. Upon arrival, we still have time to visit the cave of Tham Jang, which was used in the early 19th Century in defence against the Chinese invaders. From the cave, you can admire the panoramic views over the town of Vang Vieng and the nearby area whilst the sun is setting. Meals: Breakfast
This morning, we will first enjoy a stroll around the town to visit the local market and to catch a glimpse of everyday life in a typical Lao rural area. After breakfast, we travel through the paddy field areas heading to Tham Phoukham Caves, where your breath will be taken away seeing the most beautiful and famous limestone cavern, surrounded by natural forests. En route you will have the chance to explore the local cultures by greeting the local villagers and learning about their daily lifestyle. There is a small natural pool in front of the caves where you can take a swim to refresh yourself from the hot climate or you could explore the nearby area. This afternoon, we bid farewell to Vang Vieng and drive to Vientiane. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, this Capital conjures up exotic images with a curious mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French influences. Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast this morning, we visit the Wat Si Muang, which is very famous for its supernatural power. Afterwards we will continue our drive to the Buddha Park, which takes around 45 minutes. Also known as Xieng Khuan, this unusual park is filled with over 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues. We continue our day by visiting the Lao Disabled Women Development Centre, which assists disabled women to cope with their disability and advocate for their rights. We spend some time watching a video and learning about the effort to earn their daily living. There is a small handicrafts shop onsite where you can pick up a souvenir, which supports them. We start our afternoon with a visit to That Luang, the holiest site in Laos. Constructed by King Setthathirat in the 16th Century, the Temple is resplendent as the sun shines upon its towering golden spire. Then, enjoy a panoramic view over the city as you climb the stairs to the top of Patuxai, Vientiane’s own 'Arc de Triomphe'. We continue down Lane Xang Avenue to see the serene Wat Sisaket, the only Temple left intact after the Siamese (Thai) invasion in 1828 before continuing on to the nearby Wat Phra Keo. Used as a religious Museum, Wat Phra Keo displays a collection of both Lao and Khmer works of art. We finish our tour of the Capital along the banks of the Mekong River as the sun begins to set. Stroll along the river, stop to enjoy a cold drink or sample a snack from one of the many local food stalls. Optional Tours: • Optional visit to the Sinouk Coffee Pavilion to discover Lao coffee, stroll around the mini coffee gallery, view the in house coffee roaster and try a cup of delicious and unique coffee or tea. Please discuss with your guide about this. Entrance fee and extra coffee/drinks are payable on the spot. • There is also the chance to visit Ban Hom, where you can visit the farmers working on their fields and learn about the rural local life. This is located just 12kms from the Old Quarter! Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, your will be transferred to the Airport for your departure flight. Meals: Breakfast
Tour Prices are per person twin share in Australian Dollars. Conditions apply and group tours are subject to change and availability. Prices are subject to currency fluctuations. (lv)
