Mekong Magic

On arrival in Vientiane Capital, you will be met and transferred to our centrally located hotel. Vientiane is a fascinating capital, with a fusion of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, Soviet and American influences. This charming and easygoing city exudes a timeless atmosphere, providing you with a smooth introduction to Laos. After a short rest, we start visiting some of the major sights of the capital including the oldest Wat Sisaket with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. On the way to the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, we stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxai Monument, which is well known as Vientiane's own Arc de Triumph.
Overnight in Vientiane.

Today, we transfer to the airport for a short flight to Luang Prabang, which is perhaps the best-preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. The tranquility and charm of this town with its splendid natural scenery and cultural sights make it one of the most delightful places to visit in Laos. After checking into your hotel, we visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham and Wat Mai. We then ascent to the top of Mount Phousi to explore the sacred, gilded stupa as well as capture a beautiful view of the city and the watch the glowing reflection of the setting sun on the Mekong River. From there, we explore the Night Market, where you can browse a lovely selection of handmade textile made by the local people and hill tribes surrounding Luang Prabang.
Overnight in Luang Prabang.

An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (ubiquitous sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession. After we'll visit the former Royal Palace, now a National Museum (close Tuesday) where you will find ornate, gilded and brocaded reception rooms, as well as Buddha and Spectacular artifacts including the Prabang, a large holy image, which was given in the 14th century by the Khmers to King Fa Ngum. The Central Market is also not to be missed. We visit these sights, today before we drive to Ban Hmong hill tribe at Ban Nam Ouay, a lowland Lao at Ban Ou, a village that boasts its cotton production and Ban Thapene. We then spend the remainder of the day at the beautiful Kuangsi Waterfalls, where the water tumbles 60 meters over multi tiered limestone formations into a cool and clear pool, this makes a refreshing escape for when the heat becomes unbearable.
Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Heading out of the town, we take a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a beautiful view of the tranquil countryside as well as an interesting visit to the mysterious of Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the local rice wine. We then continue our boat trip to the atmospheric riverside town of Pakbeng. The Mekong was once the only major transport route in the country, Pakbeng, being the halfway point on the Mekong River between Luang Prabang and HoueiSay, developed as an overnight stop for many traders travelling along the river. This scenic and authentic river cruise has been described as a once in a lifetime experience.
Over night in Pakbeng.

After breakfast, we will visit the local market where many hill tribe people converge from the outlying valleys and hillsides to sell their goods and buy provision. Upon leaving Pakbeng, we re-embark on our boat for the second leg of our journey toward HoueiSay, which is close to the famous Golden Triangle. The cruise is long, but the unequalled, tranquil river scenery will make this an interesting day.
Overnight in HoueiSay.

The surrounding areas of HoueiSay are home to 34 ethnic minority groups, the second most ethnically diverse province in Laos. After an enjoyable visit to the Lu hill tribe people at Ban Namkeung, we take a short drive to the border gate for Chiang Khong, Thailand. The tour ends at the Lao-Thai border.