Laos Encompassed

Day 1: Bangkok

Arrive in Bangkok where you are transferred to the comfortable and centrally located Royal Benja Hotel. A pre-trip briefing is held in the evening, to meet the other members of your group and discuss the trip itinerary. Please check for a Welcome Notice on the hotel noticeboard located near the hotel lifts which will provide your tour leader's name and the exact time and location of your Welcome Meeting. Until this meeting we encourage you to get out and discover the delights that Bangkok has to offer, including trying some of Thailand’s famous cuisine. After the group meeting in the evening we may adjourn to a nearby restaurant and enjoy a meal together (this is optional and at your own expense). The rest of the evening is free - perhaps a quiet drink or a visit to the bustling night markets of Bangkok.

Day 2: Bangkok - Shiang Rai

We enjoy a city tour of Bangkok. This city tour is all done on the different forms of public transport available to the citizens of Bangkok (Skytrain and river ferry) to give you a true taste of life in this busy and varied city. We visit the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), a must for first-time travellers to Bangkok. We also visit Wat Po, home of the famous Reclining Buddha. (When visiting temples and palaces in Thailand, please dress conservatively in order to respect the local culture). We then transfer to the airport and fly up to the northern city of Chiang Rai. Meals included: 1 breakfast

Day 3: Huay Xai - Pakbeng

Today is a very early start as we need to leave Chiang Rai before dawn and travel approximately 2½ hours to Chiang Khong. After completing border formalities we take a small boat across the Mekong River to Huay Xai, our first stop in Laos. For centuries Huay Xai was a disembarkation point for Yunnanese caravans led by the Chinese Muslims on their way to Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, in ancient Siam. Today it is a hustling ferry town on the banks of the Mekong River. We transfer to the boat pier, where we board our slow boat for the trip down the Mekong River. The pace is very relaxed - a perfect way to observe the local lifestyle close up. We arrive in the evening in Pakbeng; a colourful village situated at the junction of the Mekong River and the smaller Beng River, hence the town’s name ‘Pak’ meaning ‘mouth’ in Lao. Hmong and tribal Thais are frequently seen on the main street of Pakbeng, and small vendors along the street sell local textiles and handicrafts. We spend the night in a simple hostel. Please be warned that the accommodation standard is very basic, but also bear in mind that you are travelling in a remote area. Please have an open mind and come with an adventurous spirit! Meals included: 1 breakfast

Day 4: Luang Prabang

We continue on our private slow boat on our journey down the Mekong River, gaining more insights into local rural life along the way. Just before arriving at Luang Prabang we stop at Pak Ou (meaning ‘mouth of the Ou River’), where the famous Tam Ting Cave houses thousands of Buddha images of various shapes and sizes, all brought there by devoted villagers. We also stop at the village of Ban Sang Hai, where they make the potent local rice-wine. Our travel time will vary greatly, depending on the water levels, but we hope to arrive in Luang Prabang in the early evening. This beautiful town, with its gleaming temple roofs, fading French architecture and stunning mountain backdrop, has been claimed by UNESCO to be ‘the best preserved city in South East Asia’. Meals included: 1 breakfast

Day 5: Luang Prabang

In the morning we have the option to rise early to view the procession of monks on their daily outing collecting alms, a practice that dates back centuries. The people of the town wait out the front of their houses with food for the monks to collect and take back to the temple. It is done early as the monks cannot eat anything after midday. By giving food to a monk you ‘het bon’ or make merit, which should augur well for your next life! Following breakfast we visit the major temples, including the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong, which nestles at the meeting of the Mekong and the Nam Khan rivers, and Wat Wisunalat, which is the oldest temple in the city. After our tour we enjoy the chance to walk around the local shops, which are well known for their hand-weaving and other interesting artefacts. Here is a chance for the shoppers to try their hand at bargaining. We visit the National Museum at the former Royal Palace, an interesting structure that dates from the early years of the 20th Century and combines traditional Lao architecture with French colonial influence. The collection of treasures and artefacts reflects the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through to the last sovereign, who was deposed in 1975. In the afternoon we embark on another highlight of our stay - a 29 kilometres journey south of town to visit the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfalls. In the evening in Luang Prabang we are free to make further discoveries including walking around the popular Night Bazaar. Another great optional activity is to sample a traditional Lao massage and herbal sauna. Meals included: 1 breakfast

Day 6: Phonsavan

In the mid-morning we take with us our spirit of adventure and travel on our private bus to remote Xieng Khuang Province, an area that was devastated by American bombing between 1964 and 1973. The high altitude means that the weather will be relatively cool. We visit the province’s old capital of Muang Khun that was largely destroyed in the bombing raids, as well as the nearby villages, home to the Hmong hill tribe who have an interesting local culture and a colourful history. The Hmong people wear distinctive costumes and live at high altitudes. We spend the night in a basic hotel in the small town of Phonsavan, which is the province’s current capital. Meals included: 1 breakfast

Day 7: Phonsavan - Vientiane

In the morning we transfer out to visit the Plain of Jars, an archaeological site where hundreds of large stone jars are littered all over the plateau. It is said that these jars are over 2000 years old, but there is no reliable way of dating them and archaeologists are still mystified as to their original purpose (opinions vary from burial urns to rice whisky vats). We are then transferred to the airport to catch our flight to Vientiane - the capital of Laos. Meals included: 1 breakfast

Day 8: Vientiane

A city tour acquaints us with the major sights of the capital. We visit the imposing Patuxai monument (also known as the Anousavari, which translates as ‘Victory’ in Lao - hence the name Victory monument), which is Vientiane's version of the Arc de Triomphe and dominates the city's main thoroughfare. It has also been nicknamed the ‘Vertical Runway’, which refers to the fact that it was built in the 1960s from funds the US Government had given to the Lao Government for the expressed purpose of extending the runway at the airport! Wat Si Saket is the oldest temple in the city, while the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha image before it was taken by the Siamese in the late 18th Century. We visit both temples and the most famous structure in Laos, the That Luang stupa. A drink in a riverside bar watching the glorious sunset over the Mekong River is the perfect way to finish our day. Meals included: 1 breakfast

DAy 9: Tad Fane - Bolaven Plateau

It’s a very early start as we are transferred to Vientiane’s Wattay Airport for our 6.30am flight to Pakse in southern Laos. On arrival we transfer to the Bolaven Plateau and our eco-lodge accommodation at Tad Fane. The plateau is home to a variety of ethnic minority groups, spectacular scenery and coffee plantations and enjoys cool temperatures all year round, compared to the rest of the country. On arrival at our eco-lodge, we enjoy free time to relax and absorb this stunning location. Meals included: 1 breakfast

Day 10: Tad Fane - Bolaven Plateau

Today we take a trek around the surrounding area. With numerous trails to choose from, there are plenty of varied options available, depending on the season and also your level fitness. Our resort is situated near the heavily forested area of Dong Hua Sao, one of 18 designated National Biodiversity Conservation Areas in Laos. Meals included: 1 breakfast

Day 11: Champassak – Si Phan Don

We leave behind our beautiful eco-lodge and head back to Pakse, where we board our private slow boat for a morning journey cruising slowly down the mighty Mekong River. The tip is just to sit back and enjoy the ride as rural life in southern Laos passes you by. Our destination is Champasak where we visit the ancient Khmer temple complex of Wat Phu Champasak. Walking around the ruins we explore the hidden sanctuaries and admire the stone carvings. Dating back to the 5th century AD, this mystical site pre-dates the world-famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Afterwards we continue our journey by road and are driven to Don Khong (Khong Island) - the largest of an estimated 4000 islands situated in the deep south of Laos. This name of this area, Si Phan Don, literally translates as 'Four Thousand Islands'. Meals included: 1 breakfast

Day 12: Si Phan Don - Pakse

Today we take a day tour through Four Thousand Islands. Our destination is Don Det, where we see the remnants of a French railway locomotive. The French had moved into Laos hoping to open a trade route to China via the Mekong River. After surveying the river they discovered a number of areas where the river was impassable due to waterfalls, including those in the Si Pan Don area. To get around the falls the French built a railway to carry goods (including entire boats!) around the waterfalls. They later developed plans for a railway network to link southern China with Saigon and Phnom Penh, however the railway on Don Det was the only one ever built in Laos. Following our visit to Don Det we head back up river to meet with our private minivans for the journey back to Pakse. En route we will stop at Pha Paeng Falls, the largest waterfall in the Si Pan Don region and sometimes referred to as the 'Niagara of South East Asia'. We stay overnight in the township of Pakse. Meals included: 1 breakfast

Day 13: Pakse

The tour ends after breakfast. A transfer to the airport is not included; however, your tour leader will be on hand to advise you as to the options available. Meals included: 1 breakfast