Itinerary
- Day 1
Vientiane
You'll get picked up at Vientiane airport and head to your hotel. From there, the afternoon is yours to spend however you like - rest up if the flight tired you out, take a walk around the hotel area to get oriented, or stroll down to the Mekong River to catch the sunset over the water.
Optional Activities
- Orientation walk around hotel area
- Visit to Mekong river bank to view sunset
Landmarks/POIs Mekong River - Day 2
Vientiane
This is a full day exploring Vientiane with a guide. You'll see the National Museum, then check out Wat Sisaket which has thousands of silver and porcelain Buddha images inside. After that, Haw Phra Kaeo shows you the Emerald Buddha. You'll also pop through the morning market, visit the gold-covered Pha That Luang stupa, and climb up the Patuxai monument. Later in the afternoon, head to Buddha Park to walk around and see all the Buddha sculptures there.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Full-day guided exploration of Vientiane
- Visit National Museum
- Visit Wat Sisaket
- Visit Haw Phra Kaeo
- Explore morning market
- Visit Pha That Luang
- Visit Patuxai monument
- Visit Buddha Park
Landmarks/POIs National Museum Wat Sisaket Haw Phra Kaeo Pha That Luang Patuxai Buddha Park - Day 3
Vientiane to Phou Hin Poun
After breakfast, you'll drive south on Road 13 to Wat Prabath Phonsane, which is the Temple of the Buddha's Footprint. Stop for lunch at a local place, then enter Phou Hin Poun National Protected Area where you'll see limestone karsts, thick forests, and rice paddies. The day wraps up with a visit to Ban Tiou village so you can see how people actually live there, then it's back to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Wat Prabath Phonsane
- Explore Phou Hin Poun National Protected Area
- Visit Ban Tiou village
Landmarks/POIs Wat Prabath Phonsane Phou Hin Poun National Protected Area Ban Tiou village - Day 4
Kong Lor Cave
After breakfast, you'll board a wooden sampan for a 3-hour cruise through Kong Lor cave, which is the longest cave around. The boat takes you through an underground section of the Hin Boun River past stalactites and stalagmites. Once you exit the cave, you'll grab some refreshments and walk to nearby villages to watch how locals go about their day. You'll end the day relaxing back in Ban Tiou village.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- 3-hour wooden sampan cruise through Kong Lor cave
- Walk to local villages
- Refreshments stop
Landmarks/POIs Kong Lor cave Hin Boun River - Day 5
Ban Tiou to Savannakhet
After breakfast, check out and visit Mahaxai caves, known for its strange landscape of karst formations. From there, you'll head to Savannakhet where you'll stay the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Mahaxai caves
Landmarks/POIs Mahaxai caves - Day 6
Savannakhet to Pakse
After breakfast at the hotel, you'll transfer to Pakse and check into your accommodations. The rest of your day is free to wander around this quiet town and get a feel for it.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Optional Activities
- Stroll around Pakse town
- Day 7
Bolavens Plateau
Today you'll explore the Bolavens Plateau, a mountainous area with hill tribe communities, waterfalls, and coffee and tea plantations spread across it. You'll see several waterfalls including Tad Lo, Tad Yuang, and Tad Fane, which is actually two falls that drop 120 meters down. On the way back to Pakse, you'll stop at either a tea or coffee plantation to watch how they plant, harvest, and roast the beans. You'll get back to your hotel by late afternoon.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Guided exploration of Bolavens Plateau
- View Tad Lo Waterfalls
- View Tad Yuang Waterfalls
- View Tad Fane Waterfalls
- Visit tea or coffee plantation
Landmarks/POIs Bolavens Plateau Tad Lo Waterfalls Tad Yuang Waterfalls Tad Fane Waterfalls - Day 8
Pakse to Don Khong
After breakfast, you'll check out the main sights around Pakse including Wat Phou, a 10th-century pre-Angkorian temple complex that's quite impressive. You'll also visit Tomo Village and Oum Muong, a hidden forest temple that's just a short walk from the village. After you finish up there, a private car takes you to Don Khong for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Wat Phou
- Visit Tomo Village
- Visit Oum Muong
Landmarks/POIs Wat Phou Tomo Village Oum Muong - Day 9
Si Phan Don and Khone Phapheng
You'll take a cruise through Si Phan Don, which means Four Thousand Islands - it's where the Mekong River is at its widest and thousands of islands show up during the dry season. You'll stop at Liphi waterfalls and the fishing village of Ban Khone. Then you drive to the border area at Weukham to see Khone Phapheng, the biggest waterfall in Southeast Asia.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Cruise through Si Phan Don (Four Thousand Islands)
- Stop at Liphi waterfalls
- Visit Ban Khone fisherman village
- Visit Khone Phapheng waterfall
Landmarks/POIs Si Phan Don (Four Thousand Islands) Liphi waterfalls Ban Khone Khone Phapheng - Day 10
Departure
After breakfast, you'll head to the airport for your flight home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
