Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel where you have the rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight in Chiang Rai

We transfer early this morning to the border town of Huay Xay. The Luang Say Cruise boat leaves Huay Xay pier at 09:00 hrs for a cruise down the Mekong to Pakbeng. En route one stop is made to observe rural life along the Mekong and visit minority ethnic groups; then, a buffet lunch on board. Arrive Pakbeng before sunset and check-in at LuangSay Lodge. You can then enjoy dinner on the terrace overlooking the Mekong River.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight in Pakbeng

Full breakfast at lodge, (Optional: walk to Pakbeng market, where people from the surrounding minority villages exchange their goods). At 08:30 board the boat for the second leg of the cruise. A short stop to discover a Hmong village before having a buffet lunch on board. Continue to Pak-Ou village at the mouth of the Nam Ou River, and then visit Pak Ou Caves “Cave of a thousand Buddha’s”. On the way to Luang Prabang a brief stop is made to observe the traditional process of manufacturing local rice alcohol. Arrive at Luang Prabang before sunset.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight in Luang Prabang

An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning ritual of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms from the faithful residents. This procession is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the tradition. Afterwards, we have the option of visiting the local morning market, before returning to the hotel for breakfast.

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.

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight in Luang Prabang

After breakfast, we visit the local Phosi Market, this is the place where all the locals shop and your guide will show you the diverse offerings on display. We also stop at Ock Pop Tock, a silk weaving centre. Here you will be given a guided tour and the silk weaving process will be explained. We then continue to Kuang Si Waterfall, where you will enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking the beautiful multi tiered falls. You also have the opportunity to cool off in the turquoise blue pools. Afterwards you return to Luang Prabang in time to catch the sun setting over the Mekong.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

You will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Vientiane. Upon arrival you will be checked into your hotel and following lunch we explore Vientiane capital by visiting 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. . En-route 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.

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight in Vientiane

You will depart Vientiane early for your 6.30am flight to Pakse. On arrival you will be met and transferred to the Vat Phou Cruise leaving Pakse for Champassak at 10:00am. Once on board, we head south, arriving at Champassak in time for a riverside lunch, followed by a guided tour of the mysterious pre-Angkorian 10th century temple of Wat Phou, the boat’s namesake. As dusk falls, we board the Vat Phou for a relaxing cruise down-river, enjoying the tropical sunset on the deck. Dinner is served on board, while the boat docks for the night alongside a remote Laotian village.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight on board Vat Phou Cruise.

After a leisurely breakfast on board, we set sail for the village of Huei Thamo, only a few minutes walk away from the spectacular hidden ancient forest temple of Oum Moung. We rejoin the boat for a leisurely cruise southbound and enjoy lunch on the deck, continuing south to the wild paradise of the “4,000 islands” region. In the afternoon we will arrive at Ban Dua Tae, a traditional Laotian Village where the traditional way of life has not changed in centuries. We observe traditional village life and learn about the daily activities within the village. This evening we enjoy a quiet dinner on board, under the stars, serenaded by the songs by the songs of the buffalo toads.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight on board Wat Phou Cruise.

Today we will enjoy breakfast on the upper deck, while cruising to the small village of Ban Veuthong, where we will board a small long tail boat to Khong Island, the largest island in the 4,000 islands region. After visiting the island, we take a long tail boat back to the mainland for lunch amid the bygone splendid of another age; colourful French colonial houses and an old customs post, alongside a stone quay. We will transfer by minivan to the captivating, scenic splendor of the Khone Phapeng waterfall, “the Niagara of the East“, close to the Cambodian border. We return to Pakse for “civilization”, which is a two-hour journey by road, arriving in the late afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight in Pakse.

After breakfast; you will be transferred to the airport for your departure.

Meals: Breakfast