Laos Discovery

Upon arrival at Luang Prabang International Airport, please take a tuk-tuk or minibus to the downtown area and find a cozy hotel to take a break. We suggest you the 3-star Indigo House Hotel. The whole drive will take about 10 minutes and the price is around USD 6 or LAK 50,000.

After a break, you could hang out at the nearby night market on Sisavangvong Road. Most of the products sold there are textiles, handicrafts, art films, decorative elements and fruits.

Tips: There are many exchange points in the downtown area of Luang Prabang, mostly on Sisavangvong Road and Soulignavongsa Road. You are suggested to exchange for Lao Kips with US dollars.

Accommodation Suggestion: Indigo House Hotel (3 stars)

The first destination of today's Laos trekking tour is the Royal Palace Museum, 300 meters (330 yards) east of your hotel. The Luang Prabang Royal Palace Museum is a set of imperial buildings and was converted into the National Museum of Luang Prabang in 1975. You will see many precious state-level cultural relics including the well-know Prabang golden Buddha where the city got the name from, as well as other pictures and paintings showing history of the Kingdom of Lan Xang. It's a good place to learn the history of Luang Prabang. You are forbidden to take photos in Royal Palace Museum, and are required to remove your shoes before entry. Sleeveless shirts and short skirts are not allowed. You need to notice that the Royal Palace Museum is closed on Tuesdays.

Right next to the Royal Palace Museum is Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham, easily distinguished for its 5-layer roofs. It's the biggest temple of the city with an emerald Buddha statue in it.

After lunch, take a Tuk-tuk for about LAK 5,000 to visit Wat Visounnarath. It's the oldest temple in Luang Prabang with a history of over 500 years. The famous Prabang Buddha statue was stored here twice. A lotus pagoda, also called the watermelon pagoda for its appearance, was built there in 1903.

After one-hour visiting there, take a tuk-tuk for about LAK 10,000 to Wat Xieng Thong. This temple is well-known for its exquisite wood carvings and magnificent mosaics. Don't miss the mosaic wall painting, the Tree of Life, which is the most valuable and well-known art legacy of the temple on the rear wall of the main hall.

We recommend you wake up early at around 5:30 to attend the alms-giving ceremony along Sisavangvong Road, which is one of the highlights of your 10 days Laos trip. Locals will take some sticky rice, fruits and candies and sit on their knees quietly along the street. You can also buy some food and join them. When it begins, all the monks will walk barefoot and collect alms from believers. When they walk past you, you may put some of the food into their bowls.

Then take a tuk-tuk or rent a bike to Phousi Market, the largest market in Luang Prabang, to take part in local daily life.

After that, go back to the hotel to have breakfast and some rest, then charter a tuk-tuk towards Kuang Si Waterfall for about 50 minutes at a cost of LAK 30,000 per person. Enjoy the natural beauty and go for a swim or jump into the pools from trees.

After lunch, you may rent a bike to complete today's Laos trekking itinerary. Bike renting stations can be easily found in the city. A normal bicycle usually charges LAK 20,000 per day while a mountain bike costs you LAK 30,000-60,000 per day. First, ride along Sisavangvong Road and you'll see Wat Xieng Muan near the Royal Palace Museum with splendid frescoes of the Serpent God, Naga.

Keep riding northeast along Sakkaline Road to reach the next destination: Wat Sene. It is the oldest temple in Luang Prabang. The temple was built of 100,000 stones from Mekong River, and hence the name Sene meaning 100,000 in Lao.

In the afternoon, ride back to Mount Phousi, located opposite to the Royal Palace Museum. Spend 10 minutes climbing to the top and enjoy spectacular 360-degree view of the city as well as the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. Besides, don't miss the sunset scenery on Mount Phousi.

You may pay a visit to the Hmong Night Market at the foot of the Mount Phousi. There are many exotic commodities handmade by Hmong people, cheap and of good quality. Then have your dinner in the gourmet street near the market.

Today's tour will end here. You are recommended to book the next day's VIP bus to Vang Vieng through your hotel before getting to bed.

Continue your Laos trekking tour to Vang Vieng today. Take a tuk-tuk to southern bus station in Luang Prabang and then take the VIP Bus to Vang Vieng with the duration of 6-7 hours. Upon arrival, take a tuk-tuk to the recommended 2-star Vang Vieng Centralpark Hotel. Book the next day's hot air balloon tour at the reception after check-in. Then you may stroll around this small city to enjoy its picturesque natural scenery.

Accommodation Suggestion: Vang Vieng Centralpark Hotel (2 stars)

After breakfast, you will be picked up at your hotel to the hot air balloon site. You can enjoy the city view of Vang Vieng and natural beauty in balloon. The whole tour will last for about 40 minutes.

Getting off from the balloon, you may take a tuk-tuk back to downtown area to rent a tire at Green Discovery Agency, and then take a tuk-tuk to Namsong River which is about 4 kilometers (2 miles) from downtown and start your Tubing. Tubing fee is around LAK 55,000, and a waterproof bag requires additional LAK 20,000. During Tubing you'll see many bars along the river bank. Just wave your hands to the waiter and they will drag you up to the bank. You can also dive into the Namsong River from diving blocks on the bank. You will have to get onto the river bank by yourself when you see the sign of "The End of Tubing".

If you are not interested in tubing, walk to Wat That. It is a small temple close to the Namsong River. You can also rent a bike to ride along the country road to enjoy the peaceful rural landscape.

After returning to the hotel, don't forget to book the next day's bus to extend your Laos trekking itinerary to Vientiane at the front desk.

This morning, the hotel will arrange a car to transfer you to catch the bus heading for Vientiane. You will spend 4 hours on the way and when you arrive, the 3-star Ibis Vientiane Nam Phu is suggested, for being pretty close to major attractions of Vientiane.

After a short break, you can walk southwards to Mekong Riverside Park and enjoy the sunset.

Accommodation Suggestion: Ibis Vientiane Nam Phu (3 stars)

After breakfast, you are suggested to take a tuk-tuk to the shining Pha That Luang Temple. It's the most important national monument of Laos. As the most splendid pagoda in Laos, the image of its main tower shows in the national emblem.

Then walk southwards along 23 Singha Road for 25 minutes to visit Patuxay Monument, which means Victory Gate in Lao. It is a monument built to honor those who lost their lives in the War between Laos and France as well as the WWII.

Walk south along Ave Lane Xang and turn west at Rue Bartholonie. That Dam is at the end of the road. It's the oldest historic site in Vientiane, built in the 14th century. The monument is also known as Black Stupa because of its black appearance.

Continue walking along Ave Lane Xang for 100 meters (110 yards), Wat Si Saket is on your east side. Built in 1818, it is the oldest temple of Vientiane with almost 7,000 Buddha statues.

Then, turn east to Rue Setthathilath at the end of Ave Lane Xang and walk for about 100 meters (110 yards), and you will see Haw Phra Kaew. It's one of the most beautiful temples in Vientiane, and an important religious art museum with Khmer carvings, and an imperial gilded throne on display.

The next destination, Wat Si Muang, is about 800 meters (870 yards) east of the Haw Pha Kaew. It is the most visited temple in Vientiane.

At the end of today's Vientiane backpacking tour, please take a tuktuk back to your hotel to get some rest for next day's itinerary.

After breakfast, walk along Rue Setthathilath for 650 meters (710 yards) and turn north onto Mahosot Road, then continue walking for 300 meters (328 yards) to take bus No. 14 at Khua Din Bus Station. Get off the bus at the Buddha Park at a cost of LAK 6,000. The park, formally called Xieng Khuan, has more than 200 different statues. The most visited and distinctive statues are a sculpture seeming like a pumpkin and a reclining Buddha.

Then you may reverse the trip back to the downtown, and then visit Wat Sok Pa Luang by tuk-tuk. It's famous for herbal sauna and massage. At last, take a tuk-tuk back to your hotel and have some rest.

Your 10 days Laos trip will come to an end at this point. Take your entire belongings to check out the hotel and take a taxi or tuk-tuk to the Vientiane Wattay International Airport in around 15 minutes. You are suggested to reach the airport 2 hours in advance for your leaving flight. We hope you enjoy your journey!