Code:	LAP 08
Routes:	Vientiane - Luang Prabang - Khouang Si Waterfalls - Mekong Cruise - Hill tribe villages - Pakbeng - Houei Xay
Duration:	6 Days

Itinerary in brief

Day 1   : ARRIVAL - VIENTIANE
Day 2   : VIENTIANE - LUANG PRABANG
Day 3   : LUANG PRABANG - KHOUANG SI WATERFALLS
Day 4   : LUANG PRABANG - PAKOU CAVE - PAKBENG
Day 5   : PAKBENG - HOUEI XAY
Day 6   : HOUEI XAY - THAI LAND

After many years of war, peace and tranquility have come to Laos and this small landlocked nation is slowly opening its doors and offering traveler a great chance to explore the unspoiled landscape. On this TRIP, we travel from Vientiane to the World Heritage site of Luang Prabang and Thailand, using a wide variety of transport including car, plane, boat,.

Detail Itinerary

DAY 1: ARRIVAL - VIENTIANE
On arrival at Wattay Airport or Friendship Bridge, you are met and transferred to our centrally located hotel. On the banks of the Mekong River, Vientiane is the charming and fascinating capital of Laos. This small city conjures up exotic images, with the curious mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French influences. After a short rest, we start our city tour with Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple still standing in Vientiane. This amazing structure features remarkable frescoes and Buddha statues. The following sight is the former royal temple of Haw Pha Kaew, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. We also visit the imposing Patouxai Monument well known as Vientiane's own Arc de Triomphe before continuing to the great sacred structure and symbol of Laos, That Luang Stupa. O/N in Vientiane.

DAY 2: VIENTIANE - LUANG PRABANG
The royal capital  of the former Lane Xang Kingdom, Luang Prabang with its gleaming temple roofs, fading colonial architecture and stunning mountain backdrop  retains an unique charm rarely found in all Asia. This morning we take a short  flight to this delightful town. Here is plenty to see, some of which are the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun, the shrine of Wat Aham and Wat Mai with five tiered roofs. We include these sights in a half day guided tour which also gives us a chance to climb Phousi Hill for a beautiful sunset view  of the town and the Mekong River. There  are 329 steps leading us on zigzag way past various temples to the sacred, gilded stupa of Wat Phousi at the summit. O/N at Luang Prabang. (B)

DAY 3: LUANG PRABANG - KHOUANG SI WATERFALLS
The National Museum at the former Royal Palace displays a lovely collection of the artefacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through the last sovereign. We visit this landmark as well as the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong. This temple structures are decorated in various ways with gilded stuccoes and doorways. Heading out of the town, we  make our way south to explore Ban Xom, a lowland Lao hill tribe village, which is famous for its cotton production. Our main stop is the beautiful Khouang Si Falls surrounded by the native forest. The waterfall tumbles over multi tiered limestone formations into the cool and clear pool ideal for relaxing and swimming. O/N in Luang Prabang. (B)

DAY 4: LUANG PRABANG - PAKOU CAVE - PAKBENG
Today we board a boat cruising upstream on the Mekong River to Pakbeng, a lively village situated at the junction of the Mekong River and the small Nam Beng River. The Hmong and Thai ethnic people are frequently seen on the main street of Pakbeng and small vendors sell local textiles and handicraft. We  stop en route at the village of Ban Xang Hai, where they make the potent local rice wine before continuing on to the mysterious of Pak Ou Caves. These caves are crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes, all brought there by devoted villagers. O/N in Pakbeng. (B,L)

DAY 5: PAKBENG - HOUEI XAY
The morning market of  Pakbeng also attracts numerous ethnic minorities who converge from the outlying valleys and mountainsides to sell their goods and buy provision. After an enjoyable walk around this colourful congregation we re-embark on our boat for a trip towards Houei Xay, a border town close to the infamous Golden Triangle. The pace is very relaxed, a perfect way to observe rural life close up. Along the way we make stop over at Ban Houeilampen to visit the Hmong hill tripe people. They are very poor, but have an interesting culture and a colorful history. O/N in Houei Xay. (B,L)

DAY 6: HOUEI XAY - THAI LAND
The surrounding areas of out of the town Xay are home to a wide variety of ethnic minority groups. After an enjoyable visit to the Lu hill tribe people at Ban Namkeung, we take a short drive to the border gate for Chieng Khong ( Thai land). B)

HOTELS USED ON  THIS TRIP
CITY/ AREA	Standard  Class	First Class	Superior Class
Vientiane	Lanexang hotel	Novotel hotel	Lao Plaza hotel
Luang Prabang	Phousi hotel, Manoluck hotel	Villa Santi hotel, Villa Santi Resort	Phouvao Pansea hotel, Grand Luang Prabang hotel
Pakbeng & Houei Xay	Mini hotel
HOTEL NOTES	The hotels in Xieng Khouang, Khong Island and Pakse do not match tour classification since some of them are simple but remember Lao is a developing country.