On this 9-day tour to see Laos from Luang Prabang in the North to Vientiane in the south, we visit all the key landmarks. We visit the Pak Ou caves and the Kuangsi waterfall, then its off to the new capital city of Vientiane, followed by boat trips up the Mekong Delta, finally ending up at Pakse near Cambodia border.
Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Luang Prabang
Day 2: Luang Prabang - Pak Ou Caves
Day 3: Luang Prabang – Kuangsi waterfalls
Day 4: Luang Prabang – Vientiane
Day 5: Vientiane - City Tour
Day 6: Vientiane – Pakse - Tad Lo
Day 7: Tad Lo – Champassak - Khong Island
Day 8: Khong Island - Phou Asa – Pakse
Day 9: Pakse - Departure
LaosTravel Time:
There are two seasons in Laos, wet and dry. From early May to the end of October is the rainy season. It often rains heavily but for short periods of time, mostly later in the day or during the night, after which the sun returns. The rain cools the air and freshens up the lush green of the rice plantations. It is cooler in the dry season, which runs from early November to early February, when it starts heating up again, building to the hottest month of April. So the best time for rain lovers is between May and October and from November to early March for those who like it dry and cool.
Laos Weather
Laos has two distinct seasons throughout the year;
1. Laos' Wet Season: The southwest monsoon arrives in Laos between May and July and lasts into October, and as with many Southeast Asian countries, the wet season is characterized by a downpour for a few hours each day rather than all-day torrential downpours. While the rainy season tends to strike Laos pretty much uniformly, there are a couple of regional oddities. Laos' wet season tends to hit Phongsali a little early due to it catching a bit of rain from southern China, while Hua Phan and Xieng Khuang tend to get a little early rain from Vietnam.
Generally speaking, the higher you are, the more rain you get, and the towns along the Mekong River south of Vientiane get the least rain.
As with Cambodia, the most obvious effect of the wet season is damaged infrastructure. Landslides are common, as are severely rutted roads. While the road network is generally far better (that is, sealed) than Cambodia's, the topography of Laos (pretty mountainous) lends itself to landslides, some minor, some not so minor. Also, with all this rainfall, the rivers can become beastly and delays due to bridges being down are not uncommon. Don't be surprised if your trip takes longer than expected.
Don’t be strange, land transport during wet season in Laos can be slow and soggy.
On the upside, boat transport comes into its own during the great wet. Rivers are high so the showboats can make better pace. Along the Mekong River many of the rapids are submerged, helping the showboats with their deeper drafts, but if you're considering a speedboat trip, be warned that the heavy rainfall brings a lot of refuse into the river, and hitting a submerged log at 50km/h can be very messy. This is yet another reason not to get on a speedboat.
Other advantages of this season are lower temperatures, cleaner air and smaller crowds.
2. Laos' Dry Season: The monsoon is followed by a dry period, has two distinct sub-sections. First comes the cool dry season and then comes the hot dry season. The former is one of the most popular times to visit Laos, the later less so. The cool dry season runs from November to February and the hot dry season from March to April. What the hot season lacks in length it makes up in ferocity, they don't call it the hot season for nothing.
What makes the hot season even more unbearable is the smoke factor, from March to May farmers set fire to rice fields to improve soil fertility in preparation for a new rice crop. The resulting fires bathe most of Laos in a layer of smoke which, aside from ruining vistas and photos can become really irritating to the eyes.
The cool dry season on the other hand is an excellent time to go. Temperatures are relatively low, the air is cleaner and, particularly in November and December, the rivers are high enough to make river travel a breeze. Not surprisingly, this period in Laos is the peak season.
Day 1: Luang Prabang
Upon arrival you will be met by our guide and transferred to your chosen hotel. Enjoy a relaxed local lunch and continue the day with a visit to Wat Xienthong, one of the most beautiful temples in the town, dating back to the 16th century. The tour will also stop at Wat Visoun and the Melon Stupa, then we head next door to Wat Aham. Then you climb up Mount Phousi to catch the sunset and on the way back visit the famous local arts and crafts night market.
Overnight in Luang Prabang
Meals: Breakfast included
Day 2: Luang Prabang - Pak Ou Caves
After breakfast you will be met your guide in the lobby the depart for your trip by embark on a leisurely boat trip to the Pak Ou Caves, located some 32 km up-river, stopping along the way stop to visit the whisky village and observe the process villagers use to make Lau Lao (rice whisky). The Pak Ou caves are home to over a thousand Buddha images. After visiting the cave, you sail back downstream, returning to Luang Prabang for lunch, after which you take a short drive to Ban Xangkhong where you visit a weaving and mulberry papermaking village.
Overnight in Luang Prabang
Meals: Breakfast included
Day 3: Luang Prabang – Kuangsi waterfalls
This morning you will leave very early, around 5:45 am, and transfer by car to Ban Vat Sean to discreetly observe the long lines of monks collecting alms at this daily ceremony, and then it’s back to your hotel for breakfast. You then leave the hotel by car for the 29 km drive to Kuangsi Waterfalls through lush unspoilt countryside; these falls are well known as the most beautiful in the region. On the way you stop at Ban Naouan, a Hmong minority village. After enjoying a refreshing swim in the natural turquoise pools of Kuangsi, Then drive back to town late afternoon.
Overnight in Luang Prabang
Meals: Breakfast included
Day 4: Luang Prabang – Vientiane
After breakfast, your guide come to pick you up to visit the former Royal palace and the morning market before transferring you to the airport for your hour-long domestic flight to Vientiane. On arrival at the new capital city, you will be transfer by your guide then proceed to your chosen hotel after which you are free to spend the rest of the day exploring this very relaxed and atmospheric city at your own pace.
Overnight in Vientiane
Meals: Breakfast included
Day 5: Vientiane - City Tour
After breakfast at your hotel. Then your guide take you to visit the city’s most important temples such Wat Sisaket , Wat Phrakeo, Wat Thadluang and Patu Xay landmark Victory Monument. After lunch you visit the market and drive to the famous and very unusual Buddha park located 27 Km out of town. Later you head back to the hotel after which you can spend the evening at leisure.
Overnight in Vientiane
Meals: Breakfast included
Day 6: Vientiane – Pakse - Tad Lo
After an early breakfast you will be proceed by checking out from the hotel then transfer to the airport for your short flight to Pakse. Upon arrival your guide will welcome you and head of on an excursion by road (known as the old coffee road) toward Tad Lo on the Bolaven Plateau. You stop around the 35 Km mark to visit the famous Tad Fan Waterfall and ethnic villages in the surrounding countryside.
Overnight at Tad Lo
Meals: Breakfast included
Day 7: Tad Lo – Champassak - Khong Island
After breakfast we take a drive to Champassak to visit Wat Phou (Khmer ruins dating back the 11th century and seen as the most important site of its kind after Angkor in Cambodia), after which you drive toward Khong Island. On the way you visit the local Phasouay Waterfalls and minority villages such as Alak and Katou. You will continue your trip through the Mekong Island Delta to Khong Island.
Overnight at Khong Island in a typical colonial lodge
Meals: Breakfast included
Day 8: Khong Island - Phou Asa – Pakse
Today will be a half-day devoted to exploring Khong Island at your leisure. Travelloops recommend that you hire a bicycle to make the most of the tropical countryside. In the evening you will be transfer to Pakse and on the way visit Phou Asa. Overnight at chosen colonial hotel.
Overnight in Pakse in colonial hotel
Meals: Breakfast included
Day 9: Pakse - Departure
After breakfast you are free to go exploring and shopping until it’s time to transfer to the airport and your onward destination.
Meals: Breakfast included
The end of our services
Included
Hotel accommodation based shared twin room
Air-conditioned transportation
Sight seeing as the itinerary including admission fees
Local English speaking guide
Excludes:
Flight and airport taxes
Visa fees
Travel insurance
Meals other than those mentioned in the program
Personal expenses such as tips, bar bills, laundry and telephone charges.
This tour is private and can be tailor-made to suit your travel needs. As a result the price is quoted in US dollars and shown on a per-person basis. The 'Price From' quoted above is for parties of 2, 4 and 6 people and for accommodation in 3 star hotels. The final price will be privately quoted, based on the number in your party, your preferred time of travel, grade of hotel and any additional services requested. Please click on the BOOK NOW button and fill in the booking form, after which one of our travel consultants will customize the best value holiday for you.
REMARKS:
We are aware that a good tour must have good hotels. In Indochina particularly, hotel price makes up most of the cost of your Cambodia cycling, Vietnam cycling, Laos cycling, Myanmar cyclingor Thailand cycling. All of our prices are calculated on a twin-shared basis. As a guide, Travel Loops defines hotel grades as follows:
>>Superior Level (3 star hotels in good locations): > 40 USD/room/night
>>Deluxe Level (4 star hotels):> 80 USD/room/night
>>Luxury Level (5 star hotels): > 180 USD/room/night
Price based on twin shared accommodation.
Tour price is indicative only, please enquire for a detailed quotation.
More people means more discount. Please enquire for more details
If, after reviewing the details of this tour, you would like to receive a "Special Offer" tour price, just click on the "INQUIRY" button below. If you wish to “Tailor Make" your trip, simply click on the "CUSTOMIZE TRIP" and enter your contact details.
COST INCLUDED:
- Experienced English speaking guide
- Private transportation by air-conditioned vehicle
- Accommodation in double/twin sharing rooms with daily breakfast
- Meals as mentioned in the itinerary
- Bottled drinking water for sightseeing
- All sightseeing entrance fee where required in the itinerary.
COST EXCLUDED:
- International/domestic airfares & tax
- Travel Insurance. (We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance from home)
- Personal expenditure (telephone, laundry, shopping and so on…)
- Tips for guide, driver, porters and project cost
- Beverage and alcoholic drinks
- Any other services not clearly mentioned on itinerary and trip inclusive portion.
The hotels listed below are just our suggestions offering the best value for this trip according to the hotel category chosen, but Travel Loops also offers more options to cater for different grades, personal taste, and budget. Please let us know if you have any specific choice of hotels, or personal preferences/requirements.
Note: Our choices for each level of accommodation have been highlighted in orange. As mentioned above our selection criteria are based on: prior client reviews, hotel management and staff training, facilities maintenance, location, business relationship and advantages given exclusively to our clients on price and service.
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