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Laos vacation takes you to the remains of Laos relatively undiscovered and untouched by development, which is nonetheless bursting with pride, history, and color. In this compact four-day trip, you’ll soak up the best of what Laos has to offer through its two major cities. Travel from the gilded capital Vientiane, an interesting mix of Buddhist temples and French patisseries where evidence of French colonial rule still exists among the myriad wats and stupas.
Visit the holiest site of the country, the golden stupa of Pha That Luang, a famous monument in the 16th century, and Vientiane’s Arc de Triumph, a worthwhile site to visit. Then off to the lush forests and limestone cliffs of Luang Prabang. Float past the cliffs of the Nam Ou River, and visit the cliff-face caves of Pak Ou, replete with several thousand tiny Buddha statues. Strolling through the colorful night market and you’ll get a feel for the rhythms of life in Laos. Finish your Laos vacation!
Welcome to Laos, your Laos vacation begins at the airport in Vientiane, we will meet you and transfer you to accommodation. Vientiene is a fascinating capital, with a fusion of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and American influences. This charming and easygoing city will provide a smooth introduction to Laos. After a short check-in, the rest of the time is free at your leisure.
Overnight in Vientiane.
After breakfast, we start the vacation 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, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image in Laos. On the way to the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, we will stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph. From there, we visit the central market known as the “Morning Market” which is a great place for browsing antiques, handmade textiles, and gifts.
We board our short flight to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage City 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 Asia. On arrival, we transfer you to the hotel.
After a short rest, we climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as viewing a beautiful and panoramic sunset over the ancient and once royal city and the Mekong River. We then stroll around the Night Market, where you can find a lovely selection of textiles made by the locals and the hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang.
Overnight in Luang Prabang.
After breakfast, we enjoy a short-guided vacation seeing the city’s oldest temple of impressive stupa of Wat Visoun, and the shrines of Wat Aham, Wat Mai, Wat Sene, and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laos architecture. We then board a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which gives us a panoramic view of the tranquil countryside as well as an interesting visit to the mysterious 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. On our way back, we pass the local villages at Ban Xiengmene and Ban Chan and continue to see the royal temple at Wat Longkhoun, which belongs to the royal family patronage near Sackarine Caves. We cross to the city and take a short drive to Ban Phanom, a village well known for its hand weaving.
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. This is a real highlight of the tour before saying goodbye to this charming city. Following breakfast, we visit The National Museum at the former Royal Palace, which displays a lovely collection of artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through to the last sovereign. After we visit the silver Smiths and Fine Arts School and the Central Market. We then say farewell and depart this ancient city.
End your vacation in Laos and Say Goodbye!
