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| Romantic Laos |
Pick up at the airport on arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. After a short rest, your guide will show you around the Morning Market and the city seeing the city lifestyle of local Lao people. You will spend the night in the Vientiane.
Day 2: Vientiane City Tour (B, L, G)
After breakfast, you will visit the major sights of the capital; including the oldest Wat Sisaket, the temple with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. You will then visit the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa. You will finish your day by a visit to the Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane's own Arc de Triumph.
In the afternoon, you will be transferred out to see the Buddha Park, a scattered enchanting collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures on the Mekong Riverside meadow, close to the Friendship Bridge. Your overnight accommodation will be in Vientiane.
Day 3: Vientiane/Vang Vieng (B, L, G)
In the morning, you will drive out of town to Vang Vieng. Along the way, you will stop to visit Vang Xang, a famous archaeological site dating back 11th century. Arriving in Vang Vieng, a small and tranquil town, which is nestled on a bend of the Nam Song River in the mid-afternoon, you will embark on a boat for a well-paced trip along the Nam Song River, exploring the breathtaking mountain landscape then back to your hotel for dinner and overnight accommodation.
Day 4: Explore Vang Vieng (B, L, D, G)
This morning, you will head out of town taking a short drive before setting off on a full day's trek from Ban Phatang village through undulating hillsides and paddy fields. On the way, you will visit Tham Hoy Cave and Ban Phathao village, which is home to the Hmong ethnic minorities. After a picnic lunch, you will continue walking and exploring the fantastic limestone karsts formation. The trekking ends when you arrive to Ban Tham Xang in the late afternoon. At this small village, you will have a chance to explore the interesting local lifestyle and enjoy a traditional dance performed by villagers. Back to the hotel in the late afternoon, you will have time to rest before a dinner by the river. You will overnight in Vang Vieng.
Day 5: Vang Vieng/Luang Prabang (B, L, D, G)
This morning, you will be driven to Vang Vieng passing through beautiful mountainous scenery with many stops en-routes for visiting different hill tribes. On arrival in Luang Prabang, you will be taken to your hotel. After a short rest, you will be free to wander around the city's Night Market offering handmade textiles woven by local people and ethnic minority communities. You will spend the night in Luang Prabang.
Day 6: Luang Prabang city (B, L, G)
After breakfast, you will enjoy a guided-tour seeing the city's oldest temple of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. You will then visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun.
In the late afternoon, you will climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a panoramic view of the city at sunset and the Mekong River. The rest of the day will be free to wander around the ancient street or just relax with a Laos's beer along the Nam Khan River. You will spend the nigh in Luang Prabang.
Day 7: Luang Prabang/Kuangsi Waterfall/Luang Prabang (B, L, G)
Get up early in the morning; you will witness one of Laos' unique ceremonies – the daily 'alms giving' ritual of saffron-clad monks walking in a long line holding black bowls to receive offerings from local people. The traditional gift is a handful of 'sticky rice', but nowadays money is equally acceptable.
You'll then return to your hotel for a proper breakfast. Afterwards, you'll be driven to the Kuangsi Waterfalls, a serene beauty spot where you can splash around in the pools or stroll the forest paths. From there, you'll return to Luang Prabang and continue to Ban Phanom, a well-known weaving village. You will spend the night in Luang Prabang.
Day 8: Luang Prabang/Pak Ou Caves (B, L, G)
After breakfast, you will board a cruise upstream on the Mekong River to visit the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. En-route, you will stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where the local specialty of rice wine is produced.
You will then continue boating up on the Nam Ou River to Nong Khiew with stop en-routes at Thai Lu Village at Ban Pak Jak, Ban Nong Kham – weaving village. Arriving in Nong Khiew in the late afternoon, you will check in and spend the night at your hotel.
Day 9: Nong Khiew/Oudomxay/Pakbeng (B, L, G)
After breakfast, you will start driving to the most mountainous area of Laos with some stops on the way to visit different villages and get closer to their daily life. You will visit the Hmong, Khmu, Black Thai and Lu ethnic minority people, Hmong hill tribe people at Ban Songja and Ban Jarong.
On arrival in Oudomxay, you will stop for lunch before continue driving to Pakbeng with stops to visit more Khmu, Black Thai Villages. Arriving in Pakbeng in the late afternoon, you will taken to your lovely lodge over looking the Mekong River where you will spend the night.
Day 10: Pakbeng/Houei Say/Chiang Khong Departure (B, G)
In the morning, you will board a traditional boat to cruise upstream on the Mekong River. This portion of the Mekong River is not too large but both banks of the river are bordered by very beautiful mountain ranges and green forest. Along the way, you will stop over at Ban Houeilampen to visit the Hmong hill tripe people, who are very poor but have unique culture.
On arrival at Houei Say, you will complete the visa formalities before taking a ferryboat crossing Mekong river to Chiang Khong (Thailand side) where your Thailand guide is waiting. Tour ends.
