Spirit Of Laos 8 Days/7 Nights
| Spirit
Of Laos 8 days/7 nights Tour Code: SOL3 Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Pakse and the south |
This countrywide tour enables
you to experience the three main
centres of Laos, Luang Prabang, Vientiane and the beautiful southern
region of Laos. Some interesting excursions are thrown in, making this
an unforgettable journey.
Day
1. Arrival – Luang Prabang
On arrival at the airport, you will be met and transferred to your
hotel. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Day 2. Luang Prabang
– full
day city tour
After breakfast we visit the Royal Palace Museum which hosts a range of
interesting artifacts and a guided audio tour. We then begin our temple
tour taking in some the cities most beautiful, including the
magnificent Wat Xiengthong, with its roofs sweeping low to the ground,
representing the classical Luang Prabang style, as well as Wat Mai and
Wat Visoun, known as ‘The Water Melon Stupa’ due to
its
shape.
In the afternoon we visit the excellent Arts and Ethnology Centre which gives us a further insight into the ethnic mix and culture of Laos. We then visit the weaving and textile villages of Ban Xangkhong and Ban Xienglek. Our final stop of the day is a climb Mt Phousi, which offers a spectacular sunset and a panoramic view over Luang Prabang and the Mekong River. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Day 3. Luang Prabang - Big
Brother
Mouse – Ban Khia Luang – Pak Ou Cave (B,L)
The day starts with a visit to the Big Brother Mouse shop to select
some books for the village visit. We then head north by car along route
13, before taking a unpaved road to Ban Khia Luang village. We then
have ample time to visit the school, play with the kids and watch them
enjoy their new books. We also take some time to explore the rest of
the village, where you can see weaving and visit the local temple. We
stop for lunch at the village, which can either be a western picnic
lunch, or traditional Lao food such as sticky rice, laap and fresh
vegetables cooked by the villagers.
After lunch we say good bye to the village and drive to Ban Khoklin, which takes us through some beautiful scenery of mountains and paddy fields. At Ban Khoklin we then board a private boat down the Nam Ou river for 30 minutes to Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. and continue down the Mekong River to the picturesque village of Ban Chan, a pottery village. We then arrive back in Luang Prabang, arriving back there by late afternoon. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Day 4. Luang Prabang
–
Vientiane – half day city tour
This morning you will be transferred to the airport in time for your
flight to Vientiane, upon arrival in the capital you will be met and
transferred to your hotel. Your half day city tour, begin with 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. . Enroute to Lao’s national precious
heritage, the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, you will
have the opportunity to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay
Monument, which is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de
Triumph.
The final visit of the day will be the excellent COPE exhibition centre, highlighting a much overlooked aspect of Laos and a major problem many of the local people face on a day to day basis in the form of unexploded ordnance as a result of heavy bombing campaigns during the Vietnam War era.
Day 5. Vientiane
– Pakse
–Khong Island (B)
You will be transferred to the airport early this morning for the
flight to Pakse. Upon arrival you will be met and transferred directly
onto a private traditional boat for a 2-hour cruise to Champassak.
Disembark at this ancient town, of the Champa Kingdom; continue by car
to Wat Phou, another World Heritage Site in Laos, which became
recognized by UNESCO in 2002.
Wat Phou is the site of ruins which were once part of a temple built some time before Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. It contains some of the most Ancient Khmer architectures which date back to between the 7-11th centuries. In the afternoon you will drive to Don Khong, an area of 4000 islands which is the widest point of the Mekong River during the rainy season, although during the dry months the river recedes, leaving behind thousands of islands and islets.
This area of the river is also famous for being the home to the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins. En route, we visit the atmospheric ruins of the Khmer temple of Oup Mong at Ban Houei Tomo, located in the forest. Arrive at Khong Island via ferry early evening. Overnight on Khong Island.
Day 6. Khong Island
–
Surrounding (B)
Following breakfast, we enjoy a visit to the surrounding countryside,
and embark on a long tail boat tour to Don Khone, where we disembark
and have the option of exploring the island by bicycle, which takes you
to visit the remains of the French period and Liphi Waterfall or "the
Corridor of the Devil".
We return to the mainland at the fishing village of Ban Nakasang and drive further south to visit Khone Phapheng. Khone Phapheng is considered the largest waterfall by volume in South East Asia; this is a really impressive site near the Lao-Cambodian border, set within an area which is teeming with wildlife, making this area one of the most breathtaking destinations in Laos. Then we drive back to Khong Isand.
Day 7. Khong Island -
Tadlo –
Pakse (B)
Upon leaving Khong Island, we journey towards Today you will be taken
by road east into the Bolaven Plateau. The Bolaven Plateau is known for
its cooler temperature being located high above the Mekong Valley. Our
first stop is to visit Houey Ten, a Katu village specializing in
knifemaking. We then stop tea plantation, followed by a stop at Tad Fan
Waterfall, a picturesque twin chute waterfall.
We then make a stop at a coffee plantation, en route to Tha Teng Market, a colourful ethnic minority food market. Next we explore another interesting minority village, Ban Bong Neua, an Alak village, that boasts a sacrificial alter. We arrive at the beautiful Tadlo Waterfall afternoon. There is also time to relax and cool off in the pools below the waterfall.
In the afternoon, we head back to Pakse, stopping at Ban Houi Hun, an Alak weaving village, where they keep coffins under their houses, and at another picturesque waterfall, Paxuam, before arriving back in Pakse by late afternoon.
Day8. Pakse –
Departure (B)
After breakfast; there will be free time for your own exploration of
Pakse Town before catching a flight to Siem Reap-Cambodia or exiting
Laos overland from the Chongmek International checkpoint to Ubon
Ratchathani Thailand.
Note: during rainy season the itinerary is subject to change due to the weather conditions, an alternative programme is available.
Prices: from just $US1,050 per person based on a 2 persons private tour
To make an enquiry about this tour with Viengchampa , e-mail the form below directly to them...Back to Top
