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Day1. Arrival - Luang Prabang (D)
Upon arrival at the
airport, you are met and transferred to the hotel. Luang Prabang
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 a short rest, we visit the
impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham, Wat
Mai; we then climb up to the top of Phousi Mount for an enjoyable
exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a beautiful
sunset view of the city and the Mekong River. From there, we
explore Street Night Market, where you can find the lovely
collection and handmade textile by local and hill tribe people
surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Grand hotel in Luang
Prabang.
Day2. Luang Prabang - Pakou - Luang Prabang (B)
After breakfast, we
enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temple of Wat
Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping
low to the ground, which represent the classical architecture of
Luang Prabang temple. We then board 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, crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha
statues of various shapes and sizes. Along the way, we stop at the
village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the distillation of local
rice wine. On return, we take a short drive to Ban Xang Khong and
Ban Xienglek, well known for its hand made of Jute Sar paper.
Overnight in Grand hotel in Luang Prabang.
Day3. Luang Prabang – Khouangsi Waterfalls (B,L)
This morning you may
want to wake up early and participate in the daily early morning
ritual of saffron-clad monks with their black Alms-giving bowls
being given offerings from the local people, including the
ubiquitous sticky rice.
Breakfast, you will
visit the morning Phosi Market where you will see such diverse
offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the
chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings. Laos is also known
for its traditional crafts, and today you will visit the Ban Ouay,
Hmong Hill tribe, Ban Ou, Lowland Lao and Ban Thapene of Khmu
village. Continue driving to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall
where you can splash around in the pools or walk along the forest
paths, return to Luang Prabang by late afternoon and continue to
Ban Phanom, a well known weaving village, return to the city by
late evening for observing the sunset at Wat Siphouthabath.
Overnight in Grand hotel in Luang Prabang
Day4. Luang Prabang – Xiengkhouang (Road) (B,L)
Breakfast, we visit
the National Museum at the former Royal Palace, which displays a
lovely collection of the artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao
culture dating from the days of the early kings right through the
last sovereign, and the Central Market are not to be missed. After
visiting these sights. Today, we are driving 306KM overland on up
Hill Mountain with splendid natural scenery to Xiengkhouang, where
was devastated by American bombing between 1964 and 1973. Upon
arrival, we transfer out to visit the Plain of Jars, an impressive
archaeological site where hundreds of large stone jars are
littered all over the plateau. If time permits, we are seeing the
old capital of Muang Khoun [if time permits] and the nearby
villages, home to the Hmong hill tribe people. They have an
interesting local culture and a colorful history. Overnight in
Phouphaden Phonsavanh.
Day5. Xiengkhouang – Vientiane (Flight) (B)
Breakfast, visit
Central Market, and then free at leisure by own discovery for you
to further explore the town before we catch a flight back to
Vientiane. After checking into hotel, [if time permits] we
continue our sightseeing tour of Vientiane surrounding; visit the
impressive Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge and the Buddha Park, a
display of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures created by mystical monk
on parkland located by the Mekong River. A view of the Atacular
sunset over the Mekong River is perfect way to finish the day.
Overnight in Laos Plaza hotel in Vientiane.
Day6. Vientiane - City Tour (B)
Breakfast, AM: you are
met to continue exploring Vientiane capital city, we start to
visit 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 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
Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de
Triumph.
PM: continue to visit
the rest of Vientiane by walk, visit Wat Ong Tue, Wat Inpeng and
Wat Haisok. Then we pass by the major shopping area continuing to
the Vientiane Central Market of Talad Sao and Talad Kouadin where
the major goods display; including fresh food, household,
textiles, gold, silver and ancient souvenir varied display and
return to Mekong Riverside and late evening. By late afternoon
observing sunset by Mekong. Overnight in Laos Plaza hotel in
Vientiane.
Day7. Vientiane – Pakse – Don Khone Island (Flight) (B)
Breakfast, we take an
early flight to Pakse. On arrival, we drive on the National Road
No. 13th south to Champassak and visit the ruins of Wat Phu, which
is well known as the most important Hindu sanctuary of the Khmer
Empire between 9th –13th centuries. Here is also a chance to visit
some nearby Khmer temples and Buddhist shrines, after a shortstop
visit, we continue to Done Khone Island by long tail local boat.
Overnight in villa Maungkong Don Khone Island.
Day8. Don Khone Island – Surrounding (Boat) (B,D)
Early morning
breakfast, we explore the local villages of Ban Khone, where the
old French colonial buildings and its retrace the old colonial
past with seeing the first Lao railway with its locomotive. We
continue discover the area of 4000 islands by our leisurely boat
to visit one of the most beautiful waterfalls of marking the end
of Lao boundary to Cambodia call Liphi waterfall, known as the
Samphamith. If we have luck, we may be seen the rare freshwater
Irrawaddy Mekong dolphin at Ban Hang Khone. Return to Ban Nakasang
and drive to famous waterfalls of Khone Phapeng. The largest
waterfall in South East Asia, known as Niagara of the east.
Overnight in villa Maungkong Don Khone Island.
Day9. Don Khone Island - Tadlo – Pakse (B)
Upon leaving Done
Khone Island, we continue our journey towards Tadlo, through
Boloven plateau where famous tea and coffee plantation and other
lush vegetation and red surface of basaltic soil are incredible
all along the way. En route, there are some opportunities to
explore a part of Boloven plateau and visit some hill villages of
the Katu, Alak and Nge ethnic minority people, return to Pakse by
late evening. Overnight in Champa Residence in Pakse
Day10. Pakse – Departure (B)
Breakfast; there is a
free time for your own exploration of Pakse Town before catching
either flight to Siem Reap-Cambodia or overland exit the Chongmek
International checkpoint to Ubon Rathani Thailand. |
