DAY 1: ARRIVE IN VIENTIANE – VISIT LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS – VIENTIANE
Arrive at Vientiane airport, and after customs & immigration formalities, transfer with your guide to your hotel. In the afternoon, you will enjoy a city tour to Wat Sisaket with its thousands of miniature Buddha statues. Other sites you will see include the huge golden That Luang monument, and next door, Vientiane's own Victory Monument, which looks like the Arc de Triumphe. This was built at the end of the Indochina wars with money rumoured to be American, and earmarked for the airport’s new runway. Thus the departing Americans dubbed this monument the vertical runway! Have a look at the lovely arches inside the monument. Also visit Wat Simuang and Wat Prakeo, which was the original home of the famous Emerald Buddha, which today lives in Bangkok. There are many excellent restaurants in Vientiane, and you will easily find something to suit your taste.
DAY 2: VIENTIANE-XIENG KHUANG – PLAIN OF JARS – XIENG KHUANG
The Plain of Jars is a extensive area around Phonsavan, surrounded by mountains,where massive stone urns of mysterious origin are scattered about in a least a dozen major groupings. Site 1, or Thoung Hai Hin (Stone Jar Plain), is 15 km southwest of Phonsavan, and the largest of the sites, featuring 250 jars, mostly weighing from 600kg to one ton each; the biggest of them weighing as much as six tons!
Welcome to Xieng Khuang! Your guide will meet you at the airport upon arrival and bring you to your hotel for check-in, before escorting you to the Plain of Jars, an impressive archeological site where hundreds of large stone jars are littered all over the plateau. Have lunch at a local restaurant, and then continue to visit the old capital of Muang Khun Province and nearby hilltribe villages. They have a fascinating culture and a colorful history. Return in the late afternoon to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Plain of Jars
DAY 3: XIENG KHUANG – LAO / VIET NAM BORDER – TRIBAL VILLAGES SILK WEAVING HANDICRAFT VILLAGES – THAMPIU CAVE HOT SPRINGS – XIENG KHUANG
After breakfast, sightseeing amongst ethnic minority peoples and observing their essentially unchanged culture, living close to nature. Have a lunch in a local restaurant before turning back. Visit Thai Dam and Thai Dang villages and a silk-weaving handicraft village. Then continue back through the extensive rice-paddy region of the plateau. Stop at Thampiu Cave, which houses remarkable memorabilia of the war in Laos. On the way back we stop for a swim in natural hot-spring pool, before finally returning to Phonsavan to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Thai Dam Woman Weaving
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Hiking on the Plain of Jars |
DAY 4: XIENG KHUANG – LUANG PRABANG – WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN LUANG PRABANG – LUANG PRABANG
Surrounded by thickly forested mountains and situated at the confluence of the Khan and Mekong Rivers, Luang Prabang has a tranquil, old world charm rarely found in Asia today. This fascinating town was the capital of the Lane Xang (million elephants) kingdom until the mid-sixteenth century. In colonial times it served as a provincial headquarters of the north. The legacy of the European presence here well preserved French architecture and careful street planning – has blended delightfully with more than 30 gilded Buddhist temples to create a town rich in atmosphere and history.
After breakfast, half day drive to the former Royal capital, Luang Prabang around 5 & half arrive in Luang Prabang, en route you stop to talk with local ethnic people who have built their houses and settle down along the road. Also enjoy the very beautiful landscape that will make you temporary forget your home town. Un on arrival, Your guide will bring you to your hotel. Then take a spin around Luang Prabang with your guide…and you will understand why it deserves the World Heritage title! Visit Wat Visoun, the site of impressive Thad Makmo stupa. The rounded dome is stylistically more Sinhalese than Lao. Phou Sii hill stands right in the center of this small city. Climb its 350 steps to enjoy commanding views for many miles in each direction. Wat Phu Sii sits atop the mountain, along side the skeletons of Indochina war anti-aircraft guns!
Then continue on to visit Wat Mai. Built in 1796, the five-tiered roof of the wooden Sim (chapel) epitomizes the graceful Luang Prabang architectural style. Wat Xieng Thong further emphasizes & characterizes Luang Prabang’s uniqueness, its several roofs sweeping low to the ground. See also the impressive "tree of life" mosaic here. The gilt panel on the exterior of the chapel depicts semi-erotic episodes from the Ramayana.
DAY 5: LUANG PRABANG – LOCAL STYLE MEKONG RIVERBOAT EXPERIENCE – PAK OU BUDDHA CAVES – BAN PHANOM WEAVING – LUANG PRABANG
After breakfast, begin a Mekong Riverboat trip with your guide on the mighty Mekong River to visit the famous & sacred Pak Ou Buddha Caves. These caves, overlooking the confluence of the Mekong & Ou Rivers from on high, have been home to many thousands of Buddha images that were placed here by local people since 16th century, when King Setthathirat found the caves and declared them a holy spot. Today many still pay respect to this old tradition. Walk through the caves before returning to your boat and to Luang Prabang town. Enjoy a picnic lunch en route. Then visit the village of Ban Phanom where traditional Lao textiles are woven on ancient wooden looms. Return to Luang Prabang and spend the rest of the day exploring or relaxing on your own. You can find dinner on your own at any number of fine restaurants.
DAY 6: LUANG PRABANG TEMPLE TOURS – NEXT DESTINATION
AFTER BREALFAST, visit the National Museum, once a king's palace where displayed inside is a lovely collection of personal artifacts of the royal family, including photos, musical instruments, and many gifts received from the dignitaries of foreign countries. Then transfer you to the airport for your next destination.
