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This 10 day tour of the fascinating country of
Laos is the perfect introduction to Laos.
Day 1: Arrival - Vientiane
Arriving Vientiane our Laos representative will be at the airport to welcome you & transfer to your hotel. After lunch in a local restaurant today's city tour includes Wat Hoprakeo, built in 1566 by King Setthathirat to house the Emerald Buddha, Wat Sisaket, the only temple in Vientiane that survived the destruction of the city by the Siamese (Thai) in 1828; ThatLuang Stupa Museum shrine (great Sacred Stupa) ,the most important national monument in Vientiane, with a golden stupa believed to contain a relic of Lord Buddha; Pratuxay Monument situated in the centre of Vientiane prefecture, its architecture inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and incorporating typical Lao motifs. Finally see the sunset at Mekong riverside. (L) .
Day 2: Vientiane - Luang Prabang
Transfer to airport for your flight to Luang Prabang, pick up & transfer to your hotel. Today, tour the former Royal capital, Luang Prabang, the crown jewel of the ancient Lane Xang Empire (pronounced 'lane sang' - the Land of a Million Elephants). Visit Wat Visoun, the site of the impressive Thad Makmo stupa. The rounded dome is stylistically more Sinhalese than Lao. Phou Sii hill stands right in the centre 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, alongside the skeletons of Indochina war anti-aircraft guns! Then continue to visit Wat Mai. Built in 1796, the five-tiered roof of the wooden Sim (chapel) emphasizes the graceful Luang Prabang architectural style. Wat Xieng Thong is considered to emphasize & characterize the uniqueness of Luang Prabang's local style: its several roofs sweep 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; visit the National Museum, which was once a king's palace. Displayed inside is a collection of personal artifacts of the former royal family, including photos, musical instruments, and many gifts received from dignitaries of foreign countries. Dinner at local restaurant and evening walk of night market. (B/L/D)
Day 3. Luang Prabang - Pak Ou - Luang Prabang
After breakfast, board a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which gives a panoramic view of the
tranquil countryside. Our first stop is the village of Ban Muangkeo where we start a short trek
(45 mins) to reach 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, we stop at the
village of Ban Xanghai, where the local specialty of rice wine is produced. On the way, we also
visit Ban Xangkhong, Ban Xienglek and Ban Nong Xai, small villages well known for silk weavings
and for Saa (jute) Papermaking. Once back in Luang Prabang city we visit a traditional silversmith
workshop.(B/L)
Day 4: Luang Prabang - Khuangsii Waterfall
After breakfast drive with your guide by car to the Tad Khuang Sii waterfall. The falls cascade over many
calcified tiers and down several hundred feet into a series of cool, turquoise pools. The water here has a clear blue-green tint due to the high mineral content. You can climb the stairs and look down from various high viewpoints on the way to the top!
Enjoy a picnic lunch in the afternoon and then return to the hotel to relax or explore at your leisure. Luang Prabang is a wonderful walking town. (B/L)
Day 5: Luang Prabang - Phonsavan (Plain of Jars)
If you like, we can take you into the centre of Luang Prabang at 5:30 in the morning to watch local people give food & rice to the hundreds of monks who line the street. You can also give rice to the monks - your guide will provide sticky rice for you to give. (This dawn tour is optional - a very early start!) Afterwards a stroll though the morning market before returning to your hotel for breakfast. Today we travel by road to Xiengkhouang, which was devastated by American bombing between 1964 and 1973 during Indochina War. The journey takes us through beautiful rugged mountain scenery passing many hill tribe villages. En route, we stop at Sala Phoukhoun, located on the top of hill, then a Hmong village at Ban Phouvieng, Ban Nongthang, Muangsuy and Thampra . Upon arrival in Phonsavanh by late afternoon we transfer to mountain lodge hotel. (B/L)
Day 6: Plain of Jars
After breakfast, we head out the town to visit the "Plan of Jars" an impressive archaeological site where hundreds of
large stone jars are scattered all over the plateau. Each of these mysterious jars understood to have been made more than 2000 years ago.
We will visit all three sites. After lunch, we visit the local central market, observing their daily lifestyle and colorful traders before
returning to the Auberge overnight.(B/L)
Day 7: Phonsavan - Vang Vieng
After breakfast we drive to Vang Vieng. The 4 hour journey is through stupendous scenery of green fields, mountains, local
villages of wooden stilt houses & markets along the way. This is the best way to see the natural beauty of the landscape without
any sight of commercial activities. Vang Vieng is a lovely town resting by the Nam Song River. Arriving at Vang Vieng, we check-in at hotel.
After lunch, visit Tam None cave & boat cruise along the Nam Song River. Dinner at local restaurant.(B/L/D)
Day 8: Vang Vieng
This morning a walking tour of the surrounding hills & the river. Afternoon at leisure. (B)
Day 9: Vang Vieng - Vientiane
This morning we complete the journey back to Vientiane by road. On the way, visit the scenic Nam Ngum Lake where you will enjoy an excursion by boat around the lake with thousands of islands and floating fishermen's villages. After lunch, we also visit the 11th century Buddhist sanctuary of Vang Sang and Salt Extraction Site. Arrive back to Vientiane & transfer to hotel. (B/L)
Day 10: Vientiane- Departure
Free at leisure until transfer to airport for your return flight to UK. Arriving back Heathrow next morning. (B)
Please note that, whilst every effort will
be made to carry out the programme shown above, small changes may sometimes be
necessary. Due to limited availability of hotel rooms, sometimes a
particular hotel may not be available - if so we will
discuss options with you.
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