Itinerary in brief

Day 1     Luang Prabang – Arrival
Day 2     Luang Prabang - City tour
Day 3     Luang Prabang - Khuang Sy waterfall
Day 4     Luang Prabang CRUISE - Pak Ou - Kamu Lodge
Day 5     Kamu Lodge - CRUISE - Luang Prabang
Day 6     Luang Prabang - Vang Vieng
Day 7     Vang Vieng – Vientiane
Day 8     Vientiane
Day 9     Vientiane – FLY - Paksé - Tadlo
Day 10   Tadlo - Wat Phou - Khong island
Day 11   Khong island
Day 12   Khong island - Paksé - FLY - Siem Reap
Day 13   Siem Reap
Day 14   Siem Reap
Day 15   Siem reap - Departure

Itinerary in details

DAY 1: LUANG PRABANG - ARRIVAL

Met and welcome by the Hanoi Voyages Guide upon arrival at the airport. Then transfer by private car to your hotel.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

DAY 2: LUANG PRABANG - CITY TOUR  

Designated a UNESCO Heritage City.

Very early in the morning at sunrise, before breakfast, you have the opportunity to witness the everyday ritual of monks collecting alms. The monks, barefooted and dressed in their resplendent saffron robes, walk in single file through the streets, collecting food for the monastery. It is a wonderful, colorful sight!

After alms we will visit some small morning markets, selling produce from market gardens across the region. They also sell insects, bats and snakes for human consumption.
We visit a local food market to discover some typical local Laos cuisine.

After breakfast we travel by tuk-tuk, and enjoy an in depth discovery tour of this ancient capital of Laos.

We visit:

• Wat Xieng Thong, in the centre of a small religious complex built in 1560, considered the most beautiful - Buddhist temple in Luang Prabang, where we discover the chapel of the sacred Buddha Pavilion, the Royal
• Funeral Chariot and the Reclining Buddha Sanctuary contained in the complex.
• The temple of Wat Visoun, built in 1515, and the oldest temple in Luang Prabang, which houses numerous gold statues of Buddha.
• The That Makmo stone stupa
• Vat Aham, a major shrine in the city, dedicated to the ancestors of Laos.
• In the afternoon
• The National Museum (formally the Royal Palace) which displays a collection of artifacts that once belonged to the royal family.
• The temple of Wat Mai, the most richly decorated temple in Luang Prabang, and was the residence of the Buddhist patriarch before 1975.
• Then stroll through the Darat market, before climbing Mount Phousi to discover a magnificent panoramic view of the ancient capital and Mekong River at sunset.

Relax with a massage provided by the Lao Red Cross

In the evening: we enjoy a traditional Baci ceremony and local dance spectacle.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

DAY 3: LUANG PRABANG - KHUANG SY WATER

Depart for the beautiful Khuang Waterfalls, approximately 30kms from Luang Prabang.
This journey takes you through some beautiful nature places and past traditional houses made from bamboo, wood, and palm leaves.
The waterfalls are nestled in lush tropical vegetation with beautiful, clear pools of water for swimming.
On the way we visit H’Mong minority a village of Ban Thinkeo, and Khmu peoples village of Ban Thapaene.
We visit the weaving village of Ban Xang Khong, where the people, using traditional techniques, make Saa paper from mulberry tree leaves.

On return to Luang Prabang we visit the Ock Pop Tok textile gallery for an explanation and viewing of some Lao Silk products, made with the co-operation of small villages. From the rearing of silkworms, silk production, weaving and natural dying of the fabrics, we will understand the whole process.

Then enjoy some free time to stroll through the H’Mong night market, where a variety of original, local handicrafts are sold. Trading begins at 5pm.
There are also many small shops offering prepared meals, hot or cold, of the real local cuisine.

Overnight at hotel in Luang Prabang

DAY 4: LUANG PRABANG - CRUISE - PAK OU CAVE - KAMU LODGE

From your hotel, we head for the pier and board traditional wooden boats for the 1hr 30min cruise along the Mekong River to visit two sacred caves at Pak Ou. The Tham Ting and Tham Phoum caves are highly venerated and revered in Laos, and house many thousands of Buddha statues and other memorabilia, placed there by the people who come to visit and pray.
The caves offer a magnificent view over the Mekong and the Nam Ou rivers and their contrasting waters.

During the boat ride you may observe some elephants bathing in the water close to the banks, or some locals trying their luck and panning for gold.

We continue our cruise for another 1hr 30mins through spectacular landscapes, and truly wilderness areas with the rainforests butting up to the river banks, until we reach Kamu Lodge.

Kamu Lodge, constructed in total harmony with nature, is an exceptional site, and while here you will enjoy the original and authentic experiences of the Laotian countryside.

You can participate in activities (optional) such as planting rice, gold panning or fishing in the Mekong, and enjoy a guided tour of an ethnic “Kamu” village.

Overnight at Kamu Lodge.

DAY 5: KAMU LODGE - CRUISE - LUANG PRABANG

After a relaxing morning at Kamu Lodge, we cruise back to Luang Prabang by boat.

In the afternoon, free time at your leisure to enjoy the daily life in Luang Prabang. 

Overnight in Luang Prabang

DAY 6: LUANG PRABANG - VANG VIENG

Depart for the town of Vang Vieng (160kms from Luang Prabang) and its natural topography of karsts on the west bank of Nam Song River. The road is great and on the way we pass through some picturesque scenery, stopping at Meo village to visit a tea plantation.

• Lunch on route

Overnightl in Vang Vieng.

DAY 7: VANG VIENG - VIENTIANE

In the morning we visit the local market and discover some of the spectacular caves (thams) of the district, including the triangle of limestone rock caves of Tham Sang, Tham Hoi, the Tham Loup, and Tham Nam
We stop at the historical site of Vang Xang, and depending on the season (for an small added cost) experience the fun on the downhill banana boat song nam.

Transfer to Vientiane, with a scheduled stop en route to visit a village

We arrival in the capital in late afternoon, and transfer to your hotel. Then take a stroll through the Khua Din market.

By late afternoon, the time has come to settle at a sidewalk cafe to watch the sunset on the golden brown banks of the Mekong River.

Overnight in Vientiane

DAY 8: VIENTIANE

Our day is spent visiting the main attractions of the city by tuk tuk.
Attractions include:

• Vat Sisaket, built in 1818 and the only temple in Vientiane that was not destroyed by the Siamese in the fiery raid in 1828.
• Phraken Ho, the former royal chapel, which was home to the Emerald Buddha, and the power base of the Kingdom of Lane Xang.
• Patouxay, a large monument, reminiscent of the Arc de Triumph in Paris. It boasts four archways and was built to commemorate the Lao people who died in pre-Revolutionary wars.
• The large golden stupa of That Luang, founded by King Setthathirah in 1566 and a symbol of Lao sovereignty and Buddhist religion. It is said to contain a hair of Buddha.
• The temple Wat Si Muang, the most visited temple in Vientiane as it is considered the seat of the guardian spirit of the city.
• Relax in the Wat Sokpaluang, enjoying a wonderful steam bath and massage. Centered in a large park, with a hut on stilts as its steam room, and a large pot of aromatic plants and herbs “cooking” below, steam is piped and circulated in the steam room.

Enjoy some free time to stroll and investigate some of Vientiane’s markets, including the covered market, known as the “Morning Market” with lots of local crafts, jewelry, gold and silver on display.

In the evening : enjoy dinner with a folk dance show.

Overnight in Vientiane

DAY 9: VIENTIANE - FLY - PAKSE - TADLO

Transfer to the airport for a short flight to Pakse. Met and welcome by the Hanoi Voyages Guide upon arrival at the airport. Then transfer by private car to your hotel.

We take the road to the Bolaven plateau (1250m altitude), a major agricultural region of Laos.
The area is primarily devoted to the cultivation of robusta coffee, introduced by the French, but tea, pepper cardamom and rubber plantations also exist in the region.
We discover magnificent waterfalls named Tat Fan and Tat Lo.

Ovenight in Tadlo lodge

DAY 10: PAKSE - WAT PHOU - KHONG ISLAND

In the morning we transfer to the pier for a boat cruise on the Mekong to Champassak.

On arrival at Champassak we visit the Vat Phu (“Temple of the Mountain”), a sacred place dating back 1500yrs, and now a UNESCO protected building. Renovations have been undertaken to return it to its former glory.

We lunch in town, and then cross the Mekong River by ferry to the site of the "4000 islands" and its wonderful peaceful landscapes. The river floods the plain and after it recedes, many small islands appear, hence the name, "4000 islands". There are many permanent, inhabited islands offering fascinating glimpses of tranquil, river-oriented life.

Transfer to Khong Island, the largest of this group of islands.

Overnight in Khong Island

DAY 11: KHONG ISLAND

Discover the village of Ban Khong to see the Wat Keo Phouang, and the magnificent Buddha, protected by seven heads of Naga’s. We detour and stop by at the local market to discover the trade of palm sugar and other commodities.
Then taking a motor canoe we cruise through the region of the 4,000 islands to enjoy a look at river oriented life

We stop at Khone Island, to see the old colonial mansions of the French period, and while on the island we visit two waterfalls:

• Firstly the Li Phi falls, known as the “Phantom of the Abyss”.
• Then we visit the spectacular Phapheng Waterfall, the largest in South-East Asia, on the border of Cambodia.
• The day concludes with the observation of rare, white “Irawaddy” river dolphins.

Drive back on the island of Khong to your hotel

Overnight in Khong Island

DAY 12: KHONG - PAKSE FLY - SIEM REAP

Transfer to the airport for a short flight to Pakse. Met and welcome by the Hanoi Voyages Guide upon arrival at the airport. Then transfer by private car to your hotel.

In the afternoon, visit:

• Thommanon temple, a Hindu Temple dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu.
• Chau Say Tevoda, the twin Temple of Thommanon.
• The unfinished sandstone temple of Ta Keo and, the sacred pond Sra Srang, once the ablution pool for the Royal Family.
• Banteay Kdei an imposing monastery of the late twelfth century, with its finely carved bas-reliefs.
• Completing our day we see the fascinating Buddhist monastery of Ta Prohm, invaded by the jungle and truly stunning to see and photograph.

Overnight in Siem Reap

DAY 13: SIEM REAP - ANGKOR TEMPLES

Firstly we will visit the walled city of Angkor Thom, 10sq kms in size. To see :

• South Gate, Bayon built under Jayavarman VII in late 12th century, with 54 towers, each with four faces of Buddha.
• Completing our day we see the fascinating Buddhist monastery of Ta Prohm, invaded by the jungle and truly stunning to see and photograph.
• The Baphuon with its splendid sculptures.
• The Terrace of the Elephants.
• The Terrace of the Leper King with its beautiful carvings of gods, nagas, and dancers.
• The Royal Enclosure and its small temple, Phimeanakas.
• Then we see the fascinating Buddhist monastery of Ta Phrom, invaded by the jungle and truly stunning to see and photograph.

In the afternoon
Visit Angkor Wat, built in the first half of the twelfth century, and dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. This huge temple-mountain, built by King Suryavarman II, is considered a masterpiece of art and fine architecture of the Khmer, so much so the five towers of Angkor Wat appear on the Cambodian flag.

If the weather does not permit you to see the sunrise, you may witness the sunset, from the top of the hill of Phnom Bakheng, which offers a magnificent overview of Angkor Wat.

Overnight in Siem Reap

DAY 14: SIEM REAP - ANGKOR TEMPLES

A one hour drive from the Temples of Angkor, is Banteay Srei, a Hindu temple dating back to the 10th century. Called "the citadel of women", its stone has a marvellous pink hue, and is very well preserved.

Classic carvings, some three dimensional, adorn this temple, including delicate women with lotus flowers in hand, their traditional skirts clearly visible. It is also decorated with beautiful, fine filigree relief work and graceful pattens depicting scenes from Hindu mythology. These are some of the finest examples of stone carvings found anywhere on earth.

In the afternoon, we will follow your visits to Angkor, with one to see other monuments of the 12th century:

• The monastery of Preah Khan, whose name means "Sacred Sword".
• The small Temple of Neak Pean.
• Ta Som Temple.

Visitez le célèbre temple de Bantey Srey « la Citadelle des femmes ». Ce petit temple de grès rose (fin du Xème siècle) est considéré comme le joyau de l’art khmer classique en raison du raffinement et de la beauté de ses sculptures.

Overnight in hotel in Siem Reap

DAY 15: SIEM REAP - TONLE SAP - DEPARTURE

We drive to the fishing village of Chaong Kneas, on the banks of the Tonle Sap Lake, board a boat and take a cruise to explore some of the floating villages on this massive expanse of water. We see the huts of bamboo and straw, built on stilts, to avoid flooding, and practice some of the traditional fishing techniques employed by the locals, on one of largest reserves of fresh water fish known to man.

Free time until transfer to the airport in Phnom Penh for your departure flight

End of our services