Unique Glamour Laos 7 days/ 6 nights

Day1. Arrival – Vientiane

 

Upon arrival, (depending on your arrival time) your half day city tour enables us to see the major temples of Vientiane including the oldest, WatSisaket, with its thousands of miniature Buddha statues, and the former royal temple of WatPrakeo, which housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. We also visit the national icon of Laos, That Luang Stupa, stopping along the way to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph. Overnight in Vientiane

 

Day2. Vientiane – Vang Vieng (B)

 

After an early breakfast we depart the capital for our journey northbound. Our drive will take approximately 2 hours passing through spectacular countryside before climbing into the mountains. There will be photo opportunities along the way and a stop at a colourful local market where various hill tribes come to trade goods and buy provisions.

We will arrive in the midst of the stunningly beautiful scenery of Vang Vieng  we will visit the famous Tham Jang Cave, once used by local people as a hideout from Chinese invaders. Then continue visit Blue Lagoon and have free time to attend activities here (zipline, kayaking, tubing, swimming…) – fee on your own. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore Vang Vieng by foot or bicycle, take a boat ride up river or just relax by the pool at your hotel. Overnight in Vang Vieng (B)

 

Day3. Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang (Baci Ceremony) by train (B).

 

After breakfast at hotel, transfer to train station to take speed train to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival, meet tour guide and transfer to hotel for checking in.

After check in at your hotel you can freshen up for our evening at the Traditional Baci& Cultural Show.Out of respect for the nature of this traditional performance we request that you wear formal dress and we will provide you with a traditional Lao shoulder scarf. Overnight in Luang Prabang (B)

 

Day4. Luang Prabang – Cooking Class - Half day city tour (B,L)

 

After breakfast we transfer to attend traditional Lao cooking class at local Cooking School. We’ll start with a visit to the major food market; explain the local produce and what it is used for. Then we’ll take you to ‘Tamarind Gardens’ to cook and eat. After lunch, we head off on bicycles to begin our city tour with a visit to the Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts from the Royal period in Luang Prabang. Cycling on, we are seeing the city’s oldest temples, the magnificent WatXiengthong with its roof sweeping low to the ground, representing classical Lao architecture, the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun. Continute to visit the Arts and Ethnology Centre to learn about Laos’many ethnic cultures. You can enjoy a coffee at the centre’s café if you chose before our climb to the top of Mount Phousi to explore the sacred gilded stupa and to enjoy the panoramic view of the city and the sun setting over the Mekong River.  Descenting the mountain your will find yourself in the midst of the famous Luang Prabang Night Market, where you can find a unique selection of handmade textiles and handicrafts locally made by both ethnic Lao and hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang. (B, L)

 

Day5. Luang Prabang – KuangSii Waterfall and Pak Ou Caves (B,L)

 

This morning you have the option and opportunity to rise early and participate in the daily morning ritual of ‘Alms Giving’, you will experience saffron-clad monks collecting offerings or ‘Alms’ from faithful local residents. This tradition is unique to Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the daily procession.

After breakfast back at the hotel we begin our journey to KuangSii Waterfall stopping along the way to visit the morning Phousi Market, this where all locals of Luang Prabang come to do their daily shopping.  You will see a variety of local foodstuffs and products including dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, fish, vegetables and fruit, everything needed for daily life in Laos.

On arrival at the KuangSii Falls you will have the opportunity to cool off with a refreshing swim in the topaz pools below the falls, walk along the forest trails and visit the Bear Sanctuary.

Upon return to Luang Prabang we board our private boat for a pleasant and scenic cruise up on the Mekong River to the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. These caves are an ancient pilgrimage site and contain thousands of gold lacquered Buddha images left there over hundreds of years.

Returning to Luang Prabang we disembark our boat and have the option of taking a short drive to Ban Phanom, a village famous for its hand weaving or returning to the hotel for free time to relax. Overnight in Luang Prabang (B, L)

 

Day6. Luang Prabang – Living Land Farm - petangue game – Spa treatment (B,L)

This morning we head out to Living Land Farm, a working community farm aprroximately 5kms outside the town. There you will learn all about the rice growing process and have an opportunity to participate in seasonal farm activities such as identifying viable rice seeds, ploughing with a buffalo, hand planting, weeding and harvesting rice and threshing rice seed.

You may be picking vegatables form the organic garden or catching fish to cook for your all natural, organic lunch where there will be a variety of local rice products for you to sample.

We will return to Luang Prabang late afternoon and have the option to go to a local petangue game and enjoy a few Beer Lao, experience a spa treatment or massage or just relax at the hotel. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Optional quotation:petangue game and spa treatment or massage(B, L)