Laos Past & Present - 10 Days

Day 1. Welcome Luang Prabang World Heritage Site
Up on arrival, our guide will greet and transfer you to the hotel located in the city center. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang 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 Laos, maybe in Indochina. We’ll visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham. The evening will be spent climbing up to the top of Phousi Mountain for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa, as well as a beautiful sunset view of the city and the Mekong River. Discover the Night Market, where you can find a lovely collection of locally handmade textiles and other local goods.
Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang.

Day 2. Luang Prabang - Magic Mekong and the Holy Pak Ou Caves
After breakfast, we’ll enjoy a short-guided tour of the Wat Mai and the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong, with its roofs sweeping low to the ground representing the classical architecture of Luang Prabang. We then take cruise up the Mekong River, which also gives us a beautiful view of the tranquil countryside as well as an interesting visit to the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes. Along the way, we’ll stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they distill local rice wine. 
Back to city center to visit Ban Phanom which is very famous for local hand weaving. 
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang

Day 3. Luang Prabang World Heritage Site - Kuang Si Waterfalls
If you wake up early and participate in the daily early morning ritual of saffron-clad monks with their black Alms-giving bowls taking offerings from the local people.
After breakfast, we will visit the former king’s palace, which is now a museum. The many items nicely displayed include rare furniture, traditional costumes and arts, jewelry, ornaments as well as working tools and utensils of the early part of the 20th century. Then take a stroll on the Phosi Market where you see many local products such as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings.
Continue to the Kuang Si Waterfall. Along the way, we’ll stop to visit local villages.  At the waterfalls you can splash around in the pools or walk along the forest paths. The evening is free to enjoy as you wish.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang

Day 4. Luang Prabang - The Plain of Jars - Phonsavanh - Xieng Khouang Plateau
Enjoy a beautiful countryside 6 hour drive to Xieng  Khouang, which was devastated by American bombing between 1964-1973, while visiting some local hill tribe villages along the way. Upon arrival at Phonsavanh, we’ll continue to the famous Plain of Jars, an impressive archaeological site where hundreds of large stone jars are littered all over the plateau.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Phonsavanh

Day 5. Xiengkhouang - Phonsavanh - Vientiane by Flight
After breakfast, visit the bustling Central Market and enjoy free time to further explore the town before our flight to Vientiane. After checking into the hotel, (if time permits) we’ll continue our sightseeing visiting the impressive Lao - Thai Friendship Bridge and the Buddha Park, a display of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures created by mystical monks on the Mekong River.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Vientiane

Day 6. Vientiane City tour 
Today will be a full day to explore Vientiane - the charming and fascinating capital of Laos, one of the classic Indo Chinese cities which conjure up exotic images, with its intriguing mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, American and Soviet influences. Our visit will take you to the key sites: National Museum, Wat Sisaket - the city ‘s oldest surviving temple with thousands of silver and porcelain images in the gloriously authentic temple compound that offers you a glimpse into the Vientiane of the past, the next stop is Haw Phra Kaeo. This large temple is beautiful both interior and exterior, it was built to house the famed Emerald Buddha in courtyards filled with frangipani trees. 
Then visit Pha That Luang. The giant golden stupa is a sight to see as the bright gold holds a sharp contrast to the pure blue sky. Next you will go to climb the Arc De Triomphe of Laos, Patuxai. The massive arch has a beautiful mosaic tiled ceiling and once at the top you can see for miles around Vientiane. 
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Vientiane

Day 7. Vientiane - Pakse - Wat Phou Ruins
After breakfast, we will take the van to the airport for your flight to Pakse.
Upon arrival transfer to Champasak town, home to Wat Phou ruins. Until the 1860s, Champasak was the major town of southern Laos, however French-built Pakse eventually replaced it as the area's commercial hub. Nearby Wat Phou, a UNESCO World Heritage temple is all that remains of one of Southeast Asia's most mysterious and least understood kingdoms. The Hindu-influenced Wat Phou ruins is the finest example of Khmer temple ruins outside Cambodia, and little has changed since French explorers first visited the site in the late 1800s. This site was once the nexus of the Khmer Kingdom which spanned over much of present-day Southeast Asia.
Back to Pakse town and visit Phou Salao, the best place to enjoy sunset panoramic view in Pakse.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Pakse

Day 8. Pakse – Bolaven Plateau – Done Khong
Today, you will have an excursion by car to visit the highlights of the fascinating Bolaven Plateau. The Bolaven Plateau, which was formed by an ancient volcano, is famous for its agricultural products including many coffee and tea plantations. The plateau has a number of tribal villages, some of them still practising Stone Age culture. They use extremely primitive agriculture tools and conduct frequent spiritual ceremonies.
You visit numerous of waterfall: Tad Yuang, Tad Fane Waterfalls, Tad Phaseum fall.
Here you will visit the Tribal Villages Museum to learn about the tribal vernacular architectures and life of the Southern Laos tribes. You will have chance to see the coffee plantation on the way, and take the stop to buy some packs of coffee from this plateau if you want.
Transfer to Done Khong in late afternoon
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Khong island


Day 9. Khong Island -  Pakse
After enjoy the breakfast, you will check out the room and then take the long tail boat down stream of Mekong River to Don Khone. From here, take motorised tuk tuk to see the remains of the sole railway built by the French during their time as colonial occupiers, followed by vibrant Li Phi Falls. Come back to Nagasang boat pier where the car and driver will wait for you transfer to the most beautiful fall: Khonephapheng Fall - the largest fall in Southeast Asia in terms of water volume. The falls had a profound effect on the planned use of the Mekong River as a French trade conduit connecting Vietnam with China, and resulted in the construction of the bypass railway joining Khone and Det islands.
Come back to Pakse in late afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Pakse.

Day 10. Pakse - Departure
Enjoy breakfast and free time for your own exploration of Pakse Town before your private transfer to Pakse Airport.

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