Highlights of Laos

Fly overnight to the vibrant city of Bangkok.

Depending on your time of arrival the rest of

the day is yours to start soaking up the local

culture.

Fly to Luang Prabang. An enchanting city,

Luang Prabang is the quintessential image

of Laos. At its core, lush greenery, golden

temples and vivid-robed monks come together

to create a colourful, rich heritage and an

enduring French-colonial legacy. Take a

walking tour around the vibrant night market,

keeping an eye out for craft souvenirs from

Laos' hill tribes as you go.

Rise early this morning to witness the

Buddhist ceremony of Takbat, when the

monks of Luang Prabang’s monastic

communities collect alms from locals. These

lines of silent saffron robe-clad monks will be

an enduring image of your trip. See Wat Sene

and the National Museum. Visit the traditional

H’mong village of Ban Na Ounae, before

walking to the cascading turquoise waters of

Kuang Si Waterfalls for a picnic lunch and a

swim. Stop at Ock Pop Tok Weaving Centre on

the return to Luang Prabang..

Explore Wat Xieng Thong, considered Luang

Prabang’s most beautiful temple. Board

a boat to cruise the mighty Mekong up to

the sacred caves of Pak Ou, known for the

hundreds of miniature Buddha sculptures that

reside within. Visit the local villages of Thin

Hong and Ban Xang Khong to witness the

daily life of the local people and their cottage

industries.

Climb Phousi Hill to admire the views down

over the city before exploring Wat Mai, Wat

Visoun and Wat Aham. Enjoy an afternoon at

leisure.

Drive to Phonsavan via Phoukhoun, stopping

at Tham Phra Cave and Nong Tang Lake on

the way.

One of the most important prehistoric sites

in Southeast Asia, these mysterious clusters

of giant jars are thought to be about 2,000

years old. We will visit Site 1 where there are

over 200 jars, Site 2 which also allows you

to admire the beautiful scenery of the region

and Site 3, situated in picturesque woodland.

There will also be a visit to the office of the

Mines Advisory Group (MAG), an organisation

that helps clear unexploded ordnance that

are a remnant of American raids during the

Vietnam War. Take the opportunity to speak

with the organisation's head. (B,L,D)

Depart Phonsavan for Vang Vieng. Stop en

route at Pathang village, where you can enjoy

dramatic views over the karst landscapes

for which Vang Vieng is famous. On arrival,

head into Tham Chang Cave to explore. The

cave was used as a hideout for locals when

marauding Yunnanese came to town in the

early 19th century.

Drive to Vientiane, Laos’ capital. Nestled

in a languid bend in the Mekong, Vientiane

is a delightfully quaint city, more friendly

backwater than chaotic capital. Spend the

rest of the day exploring with visits to Wat Si

Saket, Wat Phra Keo, That Luang Stupa, and

the Patuxai Victory Monument, that resembles

Paris' Arc de Triomphe.

Rise early for a morning flight to Pakse. On

arrival, explore the UNESCO World Heritagelisted

Wat Phou, a ruined Khmer temple

complex set in the beautiful landscapes of

Mount Phu Kao. Drive on to Khong Island,

the largest island of the laidback Si Phan Don

archipelago in the Mekong River. The rest of

the day is free.

Around Si Phan Don, meaning ‘4,000

islands’, the pace of life is slow and easy

and the river views are gorgeous. See the

magnificent Khone Phapheng Waterfall,

Southeast Asia’s largest, and pop over to

Khone Island by speedboat to discover its

charming colonial buildings and see Liphi

Waterfall, nicknamed the Devil's Corridor.

Depending on the season, you may see

traditional fishing techniques in action. Spend

the rest of your day at leisure.

Depart Khong Island for Pakse, stopping en

route to admire Tad Yuang and Tad Fane

waterfalls. Continue up onto the Bolaven

Plateau to pay a visit to a coffee plantation

and learn about the process of planting,

harvesting and roasting the beans. This

evening, enjoy a farewell dinner back in Pakse.

Fly from Pakse to Bangkok, where you'll have dinner and the use of a hotel room before your evening flight back to the UK, arriving home the following day.