Itinerary
- Day 1
Chiang Rai
You'll get transferred to your hotel when you arrive, then have the rest of the day free to settle in. Later in the evening after a quick briefing from your guide, they'll take you out for a welcome dinner to start things off.
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome Dinner)
Included Activities
- Welcome Dinner
- Day 2
Huay Xay to Pakbeng
Head out early to the border town of Huay Xay where the Luang Say Cruise boat leaves at 09:00. You'll cruise down the Mekong River and stop to see how people live in rural areas, plus visit minority ethnic groups along the way. A buffet lunch is served on board, then you'll arrive in Pakbeng before sunset and check in. Dinner is available on the terrace overlooking the river.
- Meals
- Lunch (Buffet lunch on board)
Included Activities
- Luang Say Cruise from Huay Xay to Pakbeng
- Visit minority ethnic groups along the Mekong
- Buffet lunch on board
Optional Activities
- Dinner on the terrace overlooking the Mekong River
Landmarks/POIs Mekong River - Day 3
Pakbeng to Luang Prabang
Start with breakfast at your hotel. If you want, walk over to the Pakbeng market to see local goods being sold. The boat departs at 08:30 for the second leg of your cruise, with a stop at a Hmong village. You'll have a buffet lunch on board, then visit Pak-Ou Caves and the Pak-Ou village where the Nam Ou River meets. Before arriving in Luang Prabang before sunset, you'll stop to watch how people make traditional rice alcohol.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Full breakfast at hotel), Lunch (Buffet lunch on board)
Included Activities
- Full breakfast at hotel
- Second leg of Mekong cruise
- Stop at Hmong village
- Buffet lunch on board
- Visit Pak-Ou Caves (Cave of a thousand Buddha's)
- Visit Pak-Ou village
- Observe traditional rice alcohol manufacturing
Optional Activities
- Walk to Pakbeng market
Landmarks/POIs Pak-Ou Caves Nam Ou River - Day 4
Luang Prabang
After breakfast, you'll check out the Royal Palace Museum to see interesting artifacts. Then take a walking tour through Luang Prabang with your guide, going down quiet back lanes and visiting historic temples like Wat Xiengthong. You'll stop at Wat Chomkhong to see decorative carvings, look at French Colonial buildings and traditional Lao houses, visit the small Wat Phapai, and see work at the Fine Arts School. Your last stop is Wat Xiengthong with its distinctive sweeping roofs.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Royal Palace Museum
- Walking tour of Luang Prabang
- Visit Wat Xiengthong
- Stop at Wat Chomkhong
- Stop at Wat Phapai
- Visit Fine Arts School
Landmarks/POIs Royal Palace Museum Wat Xiengthong Wat Chomkhong Wat Phapai Fine Arts School - Day 5
Kuang Si Waterfall
Travel about an hour and twenty minutes outside town with a private guide and driver through scenery with rice terraces and pineapple fields. You'll visit Ban Longlao, a local H'mong village with its own culture and customs. Then trek for two to two and a half hours through primary forest and jungle to reach Kuang Si Waterfall. You'll have time to relax, swim, and climb to the top if you want. You'll get back to Luang Prabang in time to watch the sunset over the Mekong.
Included Activities
- Visit Ban Longlao H'mong village
- Trek to Kuang Si Waterfall
Optional Activities
- Lunch at the falls
- Swimming at Kuang Si Waterfall
- Climbing to the top of the waterfall
Landmarks/POIs Kuang Si Waterfall Ban Longlao - Day 6
Luang Prabang to Xiengkhuang
Leave early around 8 am to reach the Plain of Jars in Xiengkhuang, driving a twisty mountain route. Stop at Houi Hei for good views of the surrounding mountains, then visit Ban Kiu Kam Pone (a Khmu village) and Phou Khoun for lunch. Keep going into Xiengkhuang province, reaching your highest point of the day just after Phou Khoun at 1500m above sea level. You'll stop at Ban Son Boom (a Hmong village) and visit a hidden Buddha Cave that was used as an army hospital during the Vietnam War. There's an optional visit to an old Russian tank before you get to your hotel by early evening.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Ban Kiu Kam Pone Khmu village
- Visit hidden Buddha Cave (former Vietnam War army hospital)
Optional Activities
- Visit old Russian tank
Landmarks/POIs Houi Hei Ban Kiu Kam Pone Phou Khoun Ban Son Boom Hidden Buddha Cave - Day 7
Plain of Jars
Start at the Mines Action Group (MAG) office to learn about land mine and unexploded ordnance clearing work in the area. From there, head to the Plain of Jars, an Iron Age (500 BC to AD 500) site and one of the most important prehistoric sites in Southeast Asia. Begin at Jar Site 2, then trek for about an hour along the ridge to Jar Site 3 with around 150 jars and great views all around. In the afternoon you'll visit Jar Site 1, the largest site with over 300 jars, before heading back to your hotel by late afternoon.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Mines Action Group (MAG) office
- Visit Plain of Jars Jar Site 2
- Trek to Jar Site 3
- Visit Jar Site 1
Landmarks/POIs Plain of Jars Jar Site 1 Jar Site 2 Jar Site 3 - Day 8
Xiengkhuang to Vang Vieng
Head out early to see the Central Market. If the weather cooperates, drive out to the ancient town of Muang Khoun, the former provincial capital, where you can look at ruins of old pagodas in the Lanna style and Wat Phiawat with its big sitting Buddha. Travel by road to Vang Vieng, stopping for a late lunch in Phou Khoun. You'll stop at Ban Hin Ngon, a Hmong village. There's an optional stop at Koe Kuang forest market with edible snakes, rats, and assorted reptiles. Your last stop is a photo opportunity at Phatang Mountain viewpoint with limestone karst scenery before arriving in Vang Vieng by early evening.
- Meals
- Lunch (Late lunch in Phou Khoun)
Included Activities
- Visit Central Market
- Visit ancient town of Muang Khoun
- Visit Wat Phiawat
Optional Activities
- Visit Koe Kuang forest market
Landmarks/POIs Central Market Muang Khoun Wat Phiawat Ban Hin Ngon Koe Kuang Phatang Mountain - Day 9
Vang Vieng to Vientiane
Visit Tham Jang cave with views over the Nam Song River and surrounding karst landscape. Head toward Vientiane, stopping at Tha Heua, a small village known for dried fish hanging in front of the houses. Continue to Nam Ngum, a lake created by damming the Nam Ngum River. You'll have lunch overlooking the lake, then stop at Ban Keun to learn about the local salt mine and how people work there. Just outside Vientiane, visit the busy Don Makai Market (an insect market) where adventurous visitors can try local snacks. You'll return to Vientiane by early evening.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch overlooking Nam Ngum lake)
Included Activities
- Visit Tham Jang cave
- Stop at Tha Heua village
- Visit Nam Ngum lake
- Visit Ban Keun salt mine
Optional Activities
- Try snacks at Don Makai Market (insect market)
Landmarks/POIs Tham Jang Cave Nam Song River Tha Heua Nam Ngum Lake Ban Keun Don Makai Market - Day 10
Vientiane
Take a half-day city tour of Vientiane. You'll visit Wat Sisaket, the city's oldest temple with thousands of miniature Buddha statues inside. Head to the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo and the sacred That Luang Stupa. Take photos of the imposing Patuxay Monument, Vientiane's own Arc de Triumph. Your final stop is the COPE exhibition centre, which shows the impact of unexploded ordnance and mines and works as a rehabilitation centre for people with disabilities, training local staff in prosthetics and orthotics.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Half-day city tour
- Visit Wat Sisaket
- Visit Wat Prakeo
- Visit That Luang Stupa
- Photo stop at Patuxay Monument
- Visit COPE exhibition centre
Landmarks/POIs Wat Sisaket Wat Prakeo That Luang Stupa Patuxay Monument COPE Exhibition Centre - Day 11
Tadlo
You'll get transferred to the airport early for your domestic flight to Pakse. When you arrive, you'll be picked up and driven east into the Bolaven Plateau, known for its cooler temperatures high above the Mekong Valley. You'll visit Houey Ten, a Katu village specializing in knifemaking, then stop at a tea plantation. See Tad Fan Waterfall, a twin chute waterfall, and visit a coffee plantation. Stop at Tha Teng Market, a colorful ethnic minority food market, and explore Ban Bong Neua, an Alak village with a sacrificial altar. You'll arrive at the beautiful Tadlo Waterfall in the afternoon with the rest of the day free.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Domestic flight from Vientiane to Pakse
- Visit Houey Ten Katu village
- Visit tea plantation
- Visit Tad Fan Waterfall
- Visit coffee plantation
- Visit Tha Teng Market
- Visit Ban Bong Neua Alak village
Landmarks/POIs Bolaven Plateau Houey Ten Tad Fan Waterfall Tha Teng Market Ban Bong Neua Tadlo Waterfall - Day 12
Tadlo to Don Khong
After breakfast, head out of the plateau with your first stop at the attractive Paxuam Waterfall. Transfer to Champassak and visit Wat Phou, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2002. This site has ancient Khmer architecture ruins dating back between the 7th-11th centuries, older than Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. In the late afternoon, drive to Don Khong, an area of the 4000 islands which is the widest point of the Mekong River during the rainy season. You'll arrive at Khong Island by ferry in early evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Paxuam Waterfall
- Visit Wat Phou UNESCO World Heritage site
Landmarks/POIs Paxuam Waterfall Wat Phou Don Khong 4000 Islands - Day 13
Don Daeng
After breakfast, go on a long tail boat tour to Don Khone from the surrounding countryside. Get off the boat and optionally explore the island by bicycle, visiting remains from the French period and Liphi Waterfall, also called the Corridor of the Devil. Return to the mainland fishing village of Ban Nakasang and drive further south to visit Khone Phapheng, considered the largest waterfall by volume in Southeast Asia near the Lao-Cambodian border, an impressive and wildlife-rich site. Drive back north and take the boat across the Mekong to Don Daeng island with the rest of the day free to relax or explore this peaceful island.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Long tail boat tour to Don Khone
- Visit Liphi Waterfall (Corridor of the Devil)
- Visit Khone Phapheng waterfall
Optional Activities
- Explore Don Khone island by bicycle
Landmarks/POIs Don Khone Liphi Waterfall Ban Nakasang Khone Phapheng Waterfall Don Daeng - Day 14
Don Daeng
You have the day free to relax by the pool or explore the island at your own pace. Rent bicycles to discover this peaceful island and its little villages. Later this evening, you'll enjoy your Farewell Dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Farewell Dinner)
Included Activities
- Farewell Dinner
Optional Activities
- Relax by the pool
- Hire bicycles to explore the island
- Explore the island's enchanting villages
Landmarks/POIs Don Daeng - Day 15
Don Daeng to Pakse
After breakfast, you'll get transferred back to Pakse and then to the airport for your departing flight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
