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Laos Tour
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Laos Culture &
History Tour
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Laos Country & People
10 DAYS LAOS Country & People
trip
LUANG
PRABANG - XIENGKHOUANG – VIENTIANE – PAKSE – KHONG
ISLAND – UBON (Thailand)
(10DAYS/9NIGHTS)
Day 1 : ARRIVAL - LUANG PRABANG
Meet upon arrival, you are welcome to Luang Prabang, the
ancient first capital of Lane Xang kingdom, the center
of religious life in Laos and today the World Heritage
City.
Transfer to your 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.
Overnight at hotel in Luangprabang.
Day 2 : 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 and also take it away. We have lunch 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.
Overnight at hotel in Luangprabang.
Day 3 : LUANG PRABANG – KUANGSI WATERFALL (B, L)
An morning breakfast, we 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. Just 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 Talad Phosy, and also
visit Ban Na Oune, a small village of a hill-tribe group
“Hmong”, probably the best-known minority group in Laos.
Just before arriving at Kuangsi waterfall, there is
another village of Khmu minority group, namely Ban Tha
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 the 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 Hmong market in town, where some
skilled embroidery-works of Hmong ladies can be seen.
Overnight at hotel in Luangprabang.
Day 4 : LUANG PRABANG – XIENGKHOUANG (B)
After breakfast, we take our long trip by road about 8-9
hours from Luang Prabang over the high land through
beautiful nature and scenic views to Xiengkhouang, the
province which is best-known for having been heavily
bombed during Indochina War, apart from the famous
historic Plain of Jars.
Arrive in Phonesavanh (Xiengkhouang), transfer to our
hotel for check-in.
Overnight at hotel Xiengkhouang.
Day 5 : XIENGKHOUANG (B)
After breakfast, we drive (10 km SE of Phonesavanh) to
visit the Plain of Jars, the archaeological stone Jars,
which dated back at least 2000 years ago and also
continue to visit the Plain of Jars (site 2). We
en-route visit villages of Hmong minority group, where
we can learn more about their housing, living and
working conditions which are completely different from
others.
In the afternoon, we drive to Muang Khoune, the old
capital of Xiengkhouang, which was heavily damaged
during the war, but there are still some former French
settlement and hospital to be seen as well as the
damaged famous temple of Wat Phia Wat.
Overnight at hotel Xiengkhouang.
Day 6 : XIENGKHOUANG - VIENTAINE
Breakfast at hotel, before waving good bye to
Xiengkhouang, it is also interesting to visit both food
and central markets in town.
Transfer to airport for departure by QV flight 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.
Arrive in Vientiane and 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.
Overnight at hotel Vientiane.
Day 7 : VIENTIANE – PAKSE – BOLOVEN PLEATEU –
PAKSE (B,L)
An early breakfast, we depart hotel to Wattay airport
for departure to Pakse, the provincial capital of
Champasack at the confluence of the Mekong and Sedon
rivers and it is the center for trading between Thailand
and Vietnam.
Arrive in Pakse, transfer to our hotel to leave our bags
and to freshen up before continuing the trip.
We continue to drive about a few hours to Boloven
Plateau, the fertile farmland for a strong agricultural
base, supporting coffee, tea and cardamom plantations.
It is also the home to number of ethnic minorities.
En-route, we stop to visit Ban Houei Houne, a village of
ethnic minority of Katou. We will learn more about
traditional way of rural life with their fascinating
culture of people there. There are lots of nice views of
villages with tea and coffee plantations along the road
side.
Lunch is at Tadlo restaurant in the forest overlooking a
nice view of Saset stream.
After lunch, we continue to visit more villages of
ethnic Alak, Ngea, these minorities are very similar to
the Katou. Getting back to Pakse in late afternoon and
take a nice rest of the day.
Overnight at hotel Pakse.
Day 8 : VIENTIANE – PAKSE – WAT PHOU – KHONG
ISLAND (B,L)
Breakfast at hotel, we take a short drive to the boat
landing, and take an morning boat ride about 1 ½ hours
downstream on the Mekong river, through beautiful
scenery with mountains range and also local villages
along the Mekong valleys to Champasack, the nearest town
to the fantastic archaeological sight of Wat Phou.
Arrive in Champasack, continue by car about 15mn drive
to visit Wat Phou, a site of ancient religious
significance in one of the most spectacular regions of
Laos. Lunch is served at local restaurant in Champasack.
Continue by car about 2hrs drive to get to Khong Island,
the 4.000 Islands, where the Mekong reaches up to 14km
wide during the rainy season. Don Khong is the largest
of the Mekong Islands at 16 km long and 8 km wide and
its capital is Muang Khong, a small former French
settlement.
We take a small ferry boat to cross to Khong Island and
check-in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel in Khong Island.
Day 9 : KONG ISLAND (B,L)
Early breakfast, we take another boat ride for 1 hour
from Khong Island downstream to Done Khone, another
large island covered in coconut palms, flame trees,
stands of bamboo, kapok trees and hard woods.
En-route, it is very picturesque of beautiful small
green islands and also people doing fishing with fish
nets and traps. We pass the former port with its steel
rail jetty remained on the right bank before getting to
Done Khone.
We stroll to explore the peaceful island and to visit
old railway with old locomotive and boiler car, which
the French ever built in Laos.
After lunch at local restaurant, we take a boat ride to
the main land for continuing to drive to Khonephapheng,
the most impressive Mekong waterfall in Laos and it is
reputed as the biggest waterfall in Southeast Asia and
the widest one in the world. We get back to our hotel in
late afternoon.
Overnight at hotel in Khong Island.
Day 10 : KHONG ISLAND - PAKSE – UBON
(Thailand) (B,L)
Breakfast at hotel, it will be an optional walk to visit
local morning which is opened only a few hours in early
morning. We wave good bye to Khong Island by acrossing
the Mekong to the main land and head back to Pakse. It
will take a bout 3 hours drive, but en-route, we also
stop at Ban Kiet Khong to have an elephant ride about
1-2 hours through the forest up to the high land area
where there is a ruined temple Asa, to be visited. Lunch
is at local restaurant.
We arrive back to Pakse in the afternoon and proceed to
drive across the Mekong Bridge to Vang Tao - Chongmek,
the entry and exit point between Thailand and Laos.
After having checked through immigration and customs, we
continue to drive to Ubon airport for departure to next
destination.
HOTEL ADDRESSES:
|
Superior Category |
|
|
Novotel Hotel |
Unit 9 Samsenthai
Road, Vientiane, Lao PDR
Tel: (856-21) 213
570-1 / Fax: (856-21) 213 572 |
|
Thavonsouk Bungalows
(Superior) |
Ban Viengkeo, Vang
Vieng District, Vientiane Province, Lao PDR
Tel / Fax: (856-23)
511 096 |
|
Vansana Plain of Jars
Hotel (Superior) |
Ban Phonesavanh Tai,
Xieng Khouang Province, Lao PDR
Tel: (856-61) 213
170-73 / Fax: (856-61) 213 174 |
|
Muang Luang Hotel |
Bounkhong Road, Luang
Prabang, Lao PDR
Tel: (856-71) 212 791
/ Fax: (856-71) 212 790 |
|
First Category |
|
|
Lao Plaza Hotel |
63 Samsenthai Road,
Vientiane, Lao PDR
Tel: (856-21) 218
800-1 / Fax: (856-21) 218 808-9 |
|
Thavonsouk Bungalows
(Superior) |
Ban Viengkeo, Vang
Vieng District, Vientiane Province, Lao PDR
Tel / Fax: (856-23)
511 096 |
|
Vansana Plain of Jars
Hotel (Superior) |
Ban Phonesavanh Tai,
Xieng Khouang Province, Lao PDR
Tel: (856-61) 213
170-73 / Fax: (856-61) 213 174 |
|
Villa Santi Hotel |
Sakkarine Road, Luang
Prabang, Lao PDR
Tel: (856-71) 252 157
/ Fax: (856-71) 252 158 |
|
Deluxe Category |
|
|
Settha Palace Hotel |
6 Pang Kham Street,
Vientiane, Lao PDR
Tel: (856-21) 217
581-2 / Fax: (856-21) 218 583 |
|
Thavonsouk Bungalows
(Superior) |
Ban Viengkeo, Vang
Vieng District, Vientiane Province, Lao PDR
Tel / Fax: (856-23)
511 096 |
|
Vansana Plain of Jars
Hotel (Superior) |
Ban Phonesavanh Tai,
Xieng Khouang Province, Lao PDR
Tel: (856-61) 213
170-73 / Fax: (856-61) 213 174 |
|
La Residence Phou Vao |
Phou Vao Road, Luang
Prabang, Lao PDR
Tel: (856-71) 212 530
/ Fax: (856-71) 212 534 |
Our tour prices are inclusive
of transfers
and tours by air-conditioned car / minivan / coach with
English or French speaking local guides, entrance fees,
meals as specified in the program (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch,
D=Dinner), accommodation in twin shared rooms with private
bathroom, service charges, room tax and baggage handling.
Not included are arrival
and departure flights, Laotian visa fee upon arrival (US $30
per person + two photos), airport departure tax
(International: US $10 per person / Domestic: US $0.50 per
person), all other meals not mentioned above, drinks, tips
and other personal expenditures such as telephone, laundry,
and personal travel insurance.
NOTE:
Small deviations in the tour program are sometimes
necessary, depending on weather, road and/or river
conditions, international flight schedules and room
availability.
Trip
cost : in US$ and per person based on 02
Superior class:
US$1159
per
person
First Class:
US$1236
per
person
Deluxe Class:
US$1442
per
person
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