Laos Thailand Adventure Tour

Arrive Bangkok and check-in at the hotel. The rest of the day is free. You may choose to take an optional cruise along the city’s Klongs (canals) in a traditional longtail boat. This is the ideal way to explore Bangkok’s network of meandering waterways that branch off from the main channel of the Chao Phraya River. The excursion will also include visits to the Royal Barge Museum and the iconic Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn, which was built to represent the towering slopes of Mount Meru, the home to the gods of Khmer mythology. Alternatively visit two of Bangkok’s most impressive monuments; the 18th century Grand Palace and the rambling complex of Wat Po, home to the fabulous 46 metre reclining Buddha.

Overnight Standard Hotel

This morning we fly to Chiang Rai in Thailand’s northernmost province, before continuing by road to Chiang Khong on the Mekong river which is border between the two countries. From here we take the ferry across to the northern bank where we must pass through Lao immigration as we arrive in the small sleepy town of Ban Houei Sai.

Overnight Simple Guest House Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we begin our journey through Laos as we head by bus to Luang Namtha. Travel today will be slow but our fabulous journey takes into the heart of the jungle, passing scenic rivers and numerous ethnic minority villages along the way. In the late afternoon we will reach Luang Namtha, the main market town for those that live in the surrounding hills. The main people that we are likely to come across are the Iko, Kamu, Lamet, Van and Yuan.

Overnight Simple Guest House Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Today we plan a full day walk out into the UNESCO controlled Namha National Biodiversity and Conservation Area, visiting several minority villages en route. The walking is easy and will be undertaken at a relaxed pace with plenty of stops. You will be escorted by a local guide who will shed light on the cultural aspects of the minority peoples that inhabit the region. This is a beautiful area where the local people are friendly but quite shy.

Overnight Simple Guest House Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We have a long drive out of Luang Namtha today. The condition of the roads in this part of the country is very much dependent on the weather and you should be prepared for some landslides and delays. The scenery however is spectacular – mostly forested with slash and burn cultivation very much in evidence and with many hill tribe villages along the way.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we board boats for our journey on the Nam Ou River – south to Luang Prabang. The river journey is stunning, passing many villages and forests, with the back drop of large rolling mountains. Soon before reaching Luang Prabang we will stop to visit the Pak Ou Caves, where we climb steps up the limestone cliffs to reach the sacred Buddhist shrine. Although now abandoned by the monks, there is an altar for incense burning, flower offerings and numerous rock shelves crammed with thousands of Buddha images of all shapes and sizes. We continue our journey to Luang Prabang, the country’s former capital.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

All the main sights of interest are close together, so this morning we walk around the various wats including Wat Xieng Thong (the Golden Temple built in 1559) which is strikingly decorated in brilliant red and gold designs, with an imposing tiled roof and mosaic dragon motifs. We also include Wat Visoun site of the impressive Thad Makmo Stupa. The afternoon is free and you may like to climb to the small temple on top of Mount Phousi and enjoy the sunset and fine views over the town.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we include a trip to the nearby beautiful Kuang Si waterfalls. This afternoon is left free to explore the local area. Perhaps by tuk tuk to the nearby blacksmiths village of Ban Hat Hien or the papermaking village of San Khong. Alternatively the craft shops, lively market and eclectic bars and restaurants of the town are more than enough to occupy those wishing to spend more time in the town.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today is set aside for the drive east to Phonsavan. We aim to break up the drive with stops along the way at local towns, getting a better insight to this beautiful country.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today we visit the Plain of Jars, site 2. Nobody knows how long the jars have actually been here or what they were used for; some speculate they are funeral urns dating back some 2000 years. Another theory says that they were probably made to contain and transport ‘Lao Lao’ (glutinous wet rice which is boiled with yeast and left to ferment in large jars). It is believed that they were prepared for a huge celebration, which, for some reason was disrupted whilst the jars were being transported, as other jars in smaller quantities can be found on two other sites close by. Despite being one of the most strategic battlegrounds of the Indochina War, most jars were unharmed and remain a complete mystery even today. We then head out to the old capital, Muang Khong, passing mainly Hmong and Black Thai villages on the way. Lots of military paraphernalia cluster the villages such as old mine casings and bomb shells which have been turned into flower pots or cattle troughs. Xieng Khouang town was rebuilt in 1975, but we can still see the remains of temples, stupa and French colonial buildings. Returning to Phonsavan in the late afternoon, the rest of the day is free.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

We spend the morning visiting the Plain of Jars, site 1. Here in a plain of undulating green fields pitted with craters, lie scattered approximately 300 giant stone jars, the largest of them weighing 6 tons and measuring 4 metres high. In the afternoon we fly to Vientiane. In the evening, it is pleasant to promenade along the banks of the Mekong admiring the Thai city of Nong Khai across the border on the western bank.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we explore some of the main sights including the Victory Gate, the That Luang stupa (said to contain a bone of the Buddha) and Wat Sisaket which is packed with fine Buddha images. We leave the afternoon free to explore further Laos’ capital city.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today we fly south to Pakse and then take a charter boat down the Mekong onto Champassak to visit delightful Wat Phu, an impressive Khmer temple dating back to the 6th century and considered to be one of the archaeological wonders of Laos. Originally built at the base of a sacred mountain – a symbol of Shiva to the Hindu – Wat Phu became a Buddhist shrine in later centuries. Every February pilgrims from all over Thailand and Laos travel here in their thousands to celebrate the full moon festival and participate in various competitions including bull fighting. At this time Wat Phu becomes decorated by offerings left to appease the earth spirit of Champassak. Next we continue by private boat to Don Daeng Island for further exploration of typical village life in this sleepy corner of Laos. This peaceful island is located inside the Champassak Cultural and Natural Heritage Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We then rejoin the mainland at Ban Muang where we change our transport to a charter bus to drive further south to Don Khong making a stop along the route at Oupmoung Temple.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Don Khong is the largest island in the Khong district which is known as the ‘Four Thousand Islands’ of Southern Laos. It is here, almost on the Cambodian border that the Mekong splits to create a maze of channels and also where the great river reaches its widest point. Exploring by boat and on foot through the watery landscape, we visit some traditional villages of the Lao Loum to witness the daily life of these people. We will also visit parts of the Old French Railway, built at the turn of the century to avoid the treacherous rapids caused by the many channels. Our explorations will include visiting Don Khon Island where we take small boats for possible sightings of Irawaddy river dolphins. Later in the afternoon we head back to the mainland to visit a part of the Khong Phapheng Waterfalls (supposedly the widest in Southeast Asia).

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning before heading north again to Tad Lo waterfalls, we travel through the western edge of the Bolovens plateau.The soil is very fertile and so cultivation of arabica and robusta and tea is the most important trade, this is complimented by small scale agriculture of fruit, vegetables, cardamom, rattan, arabica and robusta. The area around Tad Lo is also the centre for several Mon-Khmer ethnic groups who live around the plateau, and you may like to walk through the forests here. En route to Tad Lo we hope to visit Khiet Ngong Village, where there may also be the opportunity to do some elephant riding.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning is free in charming Tad Lo before heading back into Thailand for our evening flight from Ubon Ratchathani to Bangkok.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Tour ends after breakfast. If you have time you may wish to wander through Chinatown for a different flavour of the city.

Included meals: Breakfast