COMBINED TOUR TO MEKONG SUB REGIONLaos Tour Itinerary
** Lao Classic Tour
5 Days /4 Nights
Vientiane/ Luang Prabang
Day 1 : ARRIVAL - VIENTIANE
Meet
on arrival and you are welcome to Vientiane, the city of the moon - an
ancient city, situated on the bend on the left bank of the Mekong as the
largest city and the capital of Laos. Transfer to hotel for check-in.In the
afternoon, we take a sightseeing tour of Vientiane, to visit religious
museums of Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple to have been survived from the
Siamese war of 1828 and its cloister contains more than 8000 Buddha statues;
Wat Ho Prakeo, the former home-temple of the Emerald Buddha statue or Pra
Keo, but today it contains a collection of Buddha statues, antiques and all
artifacts found in around Vientiane; That Luang Stupa, the single most
important monument in Laos, which was built to cover the original small
stupa containing a piece of the chest bone of Buddha; Patouxay (Arch de
Triumph), built quite recently in commemoration of those who died during the
wars in the past and it is today as the land-mark of Vientiane.
Day 2 : VIENTIANE - LUANG PRABANG
Breakfast at hotel, if time permits, we will visit the
Morning Market, the biggest shopping center in Vientiane. we depart to
Wattay airport for departure to Luang Prabang, the ancient first capital of
Lane Xang kingdom, the center of religious life in Laos and today the World
Heritage City. Arrive in Luang Prabang and transfer to our hotel for
check-in. In the afternoon, we take a sightseeing tour of the sacred city of
temples, of which nearly fifty temples still remain in the town and
surrounding areas. Visit Wat Visoun, the 16th century temple served as a
small museum for religious artifacts; Wat Aham, the early 19th century
temple, whose two guardian figures at the foot of the steps which represent
two characters from the Ramayana - Hanuman, the Monkey God and a fierce
Yaksa; Wat Xiengthong, the 16th century temple which, more than any temples
in Luang Prabang, epitomizes all the elegance and grace of Luang Prabang
architecture; Phousi Hill, the 328 steps leads to the summit of Phousi hill
that dominates the sky-line of Luang Prabang overlooking the finest
panoramic view in the whole Luang Prabang.
Day 3 : LUANG PRABANG - PAK OU CAVE
Following breakfast, we depart hotel to the boat landing,
and take an excursion (a few hours) by boat, upstream on the Mekong to visit
Pak Ou cave in the side of a lime stone cliff and opposite of the mouth of
the Mekong and Ou rivers. The sanctuaries at Pak Ou consist of two large
caves, both repositories for thousands of Buddha images, which range from
mere centimeter to two meters in height. En route, Lao typical villages are
barely visible behind a screen of foliage. Slender canoes bobbing by the
shore, bamboo poles and floats mark the location of nets and fish traps. Our
first stop will be at Ban Muangkeo, a well-known village for Lao traditional
rice whisky, namely Laoh-Khao to be distilled. We are welcome to taste it
and also take away. Lunch is served at a riverside restaurant. We arrive
back at Luang Prabang in late afternoon, and continue to drive outskirt of
town to visit Ban Xangkhong, a well-known village for its wood paper making
and also Lao silk weavings with natural dyes.
Day 4 : LUANG PRABANG - KUANGSI WATERFALL
An
morning breakfast, before we take a drive (30 km South) to visit Kuangsi
Waterfall, which, though not very high, is spectacular and really beautiful
with its green surroundings as the preserved National park. We stop
en-route, stop to visit a fresh produced market namely Thailand Posy, and
also visit Ban Nan Ou ne, a small village of a hill-tribe group "Hong",
probably the best-known minority group in Laos. Just before arriving at
Kuangsi waterfall, there is another village of Hum minority group, namely
Ban Thai Pane that we will visit. Our picnic lunch is served at the shady
park nearby Kuangsi waterfall. There is plenty of time for relaxing and a
swim in cool water, before we head back to Luang Prabang in the late
afternoon. The rest of the day is spent by visiting various craft-shops,
including silver smiths' and also Hong market in town, where some skilled
embroidery-works of Hmong ladies can be seen.
Day 5 : LUANG PRABANG - DEPARTURE
After breakfast, we depart hotel to visit the National
Museum, the former Royal Palace which houses the collection of valuables
including the famous Prabang Buddha statue, gifts received from foreign
dignitaries…etc, if time permits, the rest of the day is spent free for own
experience in this charming town, till transfer to Luang Prabang airport for
departure to next destination.
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