This beautiful city nestled between the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers is a calm and fascinating place with Wats to explore, excursions up and down the Mekong, and serves great base for treks to the traditional, rural hill tribes of Laos. With its distinctive French air and quaint small village atmosphere, Luang Prabang is also a nice place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of Asia and relax with beautiful views and delicious food in character-filled cafes and bakeries.
Day 1 Luang Prabang: Arrival and Orientation Tour
Catch your flight – Laos Airlines QV634 departing Bangkok at 10:25 & arriving in Luang Prabang at 12:05. After your arrival in Luang Prabang, you’ll be picked up from the airport and driven to the main part of town for a quick orientation tour. Your guide will give you an introduction to the city, showing you the main roads, some restaurants and the night market area, before dropping you off at your hotel to check in.
Meals Included: None
Overnight at Maison Dalabua Hotel – Deluxe Room
Day 2 Luang Prabang: Sunrise to Sunset
Wake up at sunrise to give the monks morning alms. You’ll be accompanied by your guide who can demonstrate the proper method of alms giving and explain this daily Buddhist ceremony. Return to your hotel for breakfast. After you eat, your guide will take you on a tour of the city, which will include visits to The National Museum, Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Visun, Wat Aham and Wat Sen. Enjoy lunch at the Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Center located on the Mekong River surrounded by a garden and artisans on the outskirts of town. Enjoy the early afternoon relaxing or walking around before you continue your tour, visiting the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Museum and finishing with a hike up Mt. Phou Si in the late afternoon to see a sweeping view of Luang Prabang and watch the sunset.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Maison Dalabua Hotel – Deluxe Room
Day 3 Luang Prabang: Life Along the Mekong
Today you’ll escape the tourist hubs in town and see Luang Prabang through local eyes. First, you will drive up the Mekong to the village of Pak Ou. From here board a small boat and take a tour of the local fishing area, checking traps with fishermen along the way and collecting any fish you might find. You will then cross the Mekong to visit the small village of Ban Mueng Keo, known for its production of local whiskey. Here you will be able to watch a demonstration of the whiskey-making process by a local Lao Lao Whiskey producer and, if you’re up for it, sample the finished product for an early morning boost. Afterwards, you will go a bit up river to the quaint 120 year old village of Ban Kok that only received electricity 5 years ago and is only accessible by the river. Take a stroll with the chief of the village before joining him for a home-cooked Lao lunch in his humble house.
Please note: A portion of your tour fees will go into a Ban Kok fund set up to help the village and its primary school and the students with needed materials and supplies.
Then travel downstream to visit the Pak Ou Caves, famous for the thousands of Buddha statues left inside by pilgrims. Board your long-tail boat for a scenic ride on the Mekong until you reach the small weaving village of Ban Phone Xay, where you’ll enjoy a weaving demonstration and have a chance to purchase handmade items directly from the source. Learn the story behind who really makes the beautiful textiles sold at the night market – at the end of the day you’ll be the only tourist in town who knows the real story behind the bottles of Lao Lao, the grilled Mekong fish, and the night market!
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Maison Dalabua Hotel – Deluxe Room
Day 4 Luang Prabang: Day Trek to Kuang Si Waterfall
You will be met at your hotel and driven out to the countryside mountain village of Ban Long Lao, where you’ll visit Hmong and Khmu villages before starting your 3 to 4 hour hike through farming fields and mountains. You will be accompanied by a local guide and trek along mountainous paths through stunning scenery until you reach your final destination – the Kuang Si Waterfall. Here you can enjoy a well-deserved swim and lunch. If you desire, you can also visit the Kuang Si Butterfly Park and the Free the Bears Projects to learn about these local organizations plight to educate on and protect native species before returning to Luang Prabang by minivan in the afternoon.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Maison Dalabua Hotel – Deluxe Room
Day 5 Luang Prabang: Departure
You will be transferred to the Luang Prabang airport in time for your flight- Laos Airlines QV633 departing Luang Prabang at 07:40 & arriving Bangkok at 09:20.
Meals included: Breakfast
Tour Rate Starting at: $1,220.00 per person based on two people traveling (double occupancy) with $605.00 single supplement
Price includes:
- Air tickets Bangkok – Luang Prabang – Bangkok
- Boat tickets as specified above
- Accommodation as specified above
- Air-conditioned car/van with driver
- Licensed English speaking guides
- Tours and admission fees as mentioned above
- Meals as specified in itinerary, including water
Price excludes:
- Personal expenses
- Visa fees
- Airport tax
- Drinks (except water) and meals not mentioned in itinerary
- Tips