CULTURAL AND LOCAL LIFE IN LAOS – 11 DAYS
Itinerary: Pakse – Bolaven – Vientiane
CODE TOUR : XSEL 0034 - CULTURE TOURS
Highlights:
- Discover incredible waterfalls, including the twin waterfalls of Tad Fane
- Visit coffee plantations and discover for yourself the excellence of Lao coffee
- Explore rural villages and learn about the cultures of the different ethnic groups of southern Laos
- Visit the highlights of Vientiane and discover the rich history and culture of this ancient city through its temples and landmarks
- Learn about Lao’s rich historical culture of weaving and textiles as well as the centuries old traditions of natural dyes, all of which are still practiced today
Overview
Tour summary:
- Day 1: Houeixay - Pakbeng/ Cruise on Mekong River (L)
- Day 2: Pakeng - Mekong Elephant Park - Oudomxay/ Muang Xay (B, L)
- Day 3: Muang Xay - Muang La- Trekking in Minorities Village - Muang Xay (B, L)
- Day 4: Muang Xay - Nong Khiaw (B, L)
- Day 5: Nong Khiaw- Trekking & Kayaking (B, L)
- Day 6: Nong Khiaw - Buddha Caves - Luang Prabang (B, L)
- Day 7: Luang Prabang - Bamboo experience - Kuang Si Waterfall (B, L)
- Day 8: Luang Prabang - fly to Pakse (B, L)
- Day 9: Pakse padding among islands (B, L)
- Day 10: Waterfall , History and wildlife of the 4000 islands (B, L)
- Day 11: Pakse Departure (B)
DAY 1: HOUEIXAY - PAKBENG/ CRUISE ON MEKONG RIVER (L)
Private driver & guide
After completing immigration formalities on your own, you will be welcomed by Laos guide who will accompany you to the pier where your start your first day tour in Laos by embarking on a traditional boat heading to Pakbeng.
During your journey (5-6h cruising), the boat stops at local traditional villages. This is a chance to observe rural life along the Mekong and witness the daily life of ethnic minorities and their talented craftsmanship. Lunch is served on board.
Arrival to Pakbeng, get transferred to hotel for checking in and resting.
Dinner on your own. Overnight at local guesthouse
Meals: Lunch
Accommodation at a selected hotel in Pakeng
DAY 2: PAKENG - MEKONG ELEPHANT PARK - OUDOMXAY/ MUANG XAY (B, L)
Private driver & guide
Approximately Pakbeng – Oudomxay (115km): 2.5 hours transfer
Enjoy breakfast at Guesthouse
After breakfast, Tour guide and driver will meet and escort you to the Mekong Elephant Park. Here, you will visit the elephants, and then go for a elephant riding (~2h). After, take your elephant down to the river to bathe it.
End of your wonderful riding, Lunch is served at local restaurant. Continue your journey by van to Oudomxay province which is populated by some 23 ethnic minorities mainly Hmong, Ekor (Akha) and Khammu. Upon arrival at Muang Xay, check in your hotel and free time then for your own discovery. Dinner on your own. Overnight at Muang Xay
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation at a selected hotel in Muang Xay
DAY 3: MUANG XAY - MUONG LA - TREKKING IN MINRITIES VILLAGE - MUANG XAY (B, L)
Private driver & guide
Approximately 3 hours driving & 3-4 hours walking.
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel .
After breakfast, get transferred to Muang La. Arrival and drive up along the Nam Phak River and admiring green rice fields, mountains, local people working on their farms, cultivating their lands… Arrive the drop off point where you start your trekking tour to remoted villages along the small green trail.
Lunch at Ban Phavie village. After village tour, continue trekking to visit the isolated waterfall Houay Kha and to the pristine forest. Then walk back to village where the vehicle is waiting to transfer you back to Muang Xay. Overnight at Muong Xay
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation at a selected hotel in Muang Xay
DAY 4: MUANG XAY - NONG KHIAW (B, L)
Private driver & guide
Enjoy breakfast at hotel
Approximately Muong Xay – Nong Khiaw 2.5 hours driving
After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Nong Khiaw. Stop to visit Ban Songcha village.
Arrival in Nong Khiaw, check in your hotel for resting. Then cycling around this small town. Stop to visit Nong Khiaw bridge and Pa Thok cave.
Meals on your own. Overnight at Nong Khiaw
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation at a selected hotel in Nong Khiaw
DAY 5: NONG KHIAW - TREKKING & KAYAKING (B, L)
Private driver & guide
Approximately 4 hours trekking
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel .
In the morning, you meet local guide then cruise on Nam Ou river to Ban Sopkong village. On arrival, start your trekking (~4h) through Bamboo Forest and some paddy fields. After picnic lunch, continue your trek to Nan Phayong where two ethnic groups Hmong and Khmu are together. Visiting one local family to learn about their daily life and culture.
Your trekking finishes at Ban Sopkhan before starting an 1h30mns kayking on Nam Ou river to Ban Sopvanh.
After kayaking, you will take the boat back to Nong Khiew. Time for resting at hotel.
Dinner on your own. Overnight at Nong Khiaw
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation at a selected hotel in Nong Khiaw
DAY 6: NONG KHIAW - BUDDHA CAVES - LUANG PRABANG (B, L)
Private driver & guide
Approximately Nong Khiaw – Luang Prabang 2.5 hours driving
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel .
After breakfast, drive from Nong Khiew to Luang Prabang. Stop at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Ou Rivers and then ferry to visit Pak Ou caves. In these 2 caves are displayed hundreds of sacred centuries-old Buddha images which are the object of pilgrimages during the Lao New Year festivities around mid-April.
End of visit, ferry back and continue to transfer to Luang Prabang. Stop at Ban Xang Khong, a weaving village, where you can jump into wooden looms with local expert for practical and experience. Arrival in Luang Prabang and check in your hotel.
Dinner on your own. Overnight at Luang Prabang
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation at a selected hotel in Luang Prabang
DAY 7: LUANG PRABANG - MOTOBIKE TOUR TO KUANG SI WATERFALL (B, L)
Private driver & guide
Approximately Luang Prabang – Kuang Si Waterfalls 45 minutes transfer
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel
Today is a interesting day with motorbike tour around Luang Prabang.
After breakfast, get your motorbike and go to visit Phousi Market. This enormous market on the outskirts of town and this one isn’t for tourists. It’s where the local people buy everything they need on a daily basis. Some of it is inside a huge building, ill-lit apart from the occasional fluorescent strip lighting overhead.
Then heading to Kuang Si Falls. On your arrival at the Kuang Si waterfalls, enjoy your short walking on trails of falls to visit the bear rescued centre and main waterfalls with spectacular views and surrounding of orchids inside the park and falls cascade over many calcified tiers and down several hundred feet into a series of cool, turquoise pools.
On the way back to town, stop for visit few villages of H’mong and Lao loum people, your guide can introduce you to local people and its great opportunity for you to involving with their daily activities such as wooden cotton spinning, weaving, rice harvesting and green vegetable farms.
Dinner on your own. Overnight at Luang Prabang.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation at a selected hotel in Luang Prabang
DAY 8: LUANG PRABANG - FLY TO PAKSE (B)
Private driver
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel
Today you will free & easy by your own until our driver pick you up at hotel to Airport for flight to Pakse
Upon your arrival in Pakse, you will be transferred to hotel for check in. Relaxing in Pakse .
Meals on your own. Overnight at Pakse
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation at a selected hotel in Pakse
DAY 9: PAKSE PADDLING AMONG ISLANDS (B, L)
Private driver
Approximately 4.5 hours kayaking depending on the season
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel
We depart from Pakse and head south towards the 4000 Islands. We start our kayaking at a small village on the banks of the Mekong River. We paddle down the river, passing by idyllic island villages and forests until we reach a small beach where we enjoy a picnic lunch. We can spend some time relaxing and swimming before we continue onwards to Don Khone Island. We will watch the sun setting over the Mekong before spending the night in a local guest house.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation at a selected hotel in Don Khone
DAY 10: WATERFALLS, HISTORY AND WILDLIFE OF THE 4000 ISLANDS (B, L)
Private driver & guide
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel
Approximately 2.5 hours walking, 2.5 hours kayaking, 30 minutes boat ride.
After breakfast we take a short morning walk to visit some of the colonial buildings on the island while learning about the colonial history of Laos. We then walk to the spectacular Lee Phi Waterfall, where we will have our lunch.
From here we paddle downstream through some more tranquil waters, giving you the chance to take in the beautiful views. We paddle for a short while to an area inhabited by the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins. After spending some time in the area and hopefully spotting some dolphins, we will drive to the widest waterfall in South East Asia, Khone Phapheng.
From here we will drive back to Pakse where we will arrive by late afternoon.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation at a selected hotel in Pakse
DAY 11: PAKSE DEPARTURE (B)
Private driver
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel.
After your breakfast in the hotel, depending on flight schedules, you will be transferred to Pakse Airport by your driver for your departure flight.
Saying goodbye to Laos & Xuan Son Travel see you again.
Since this can be private or group tour, the price per person varies and depends on many aspects, such as your group size, the hotel ratings and your departure date. If you want to get a custom price quote for this tour, please fill out the online inquiry form and give you as much information as possible about your trip. Your online travel consultants will be at your service and help you make the most of your travel time and dollars!
NOTES
1.The weather & our latest advice on the weather
Light clothes regardless of the season in the south and centre but for the visiting of temples and pagodas, make sure you have a top with sleeves (shoulders must be covered) and bottoms going at least up to the knee.
- Dec – April : 10°C to 25°C, Cool and mostly dry, Special From Jan to Feb : cold, From Mar to April dry and very hot,
- May – Nov: 25°C to 35°C, Rainy season
Note: from 5°C to 10°C less in the mountains; make sure you have warm clothes.
2.Visa
- To go to Laos you must have a valid passport valid at least 6 months after the date of return.
- The Citizens of the following countries are also exempt from Laos visas: Vietnam ( 30 days), Brunei (14 days), Cambodia (30 days), Indonesia (30 days), Japan (15 days ), Luxembourg (15 days), Malaysia (30 days), Mongolia (30 days), Myanmar (14 days), Philippines (30 days), Singapore (30 days), Korea (15 days), Switzerland (15 days), Thailand (30 days) and Russia (30 days).
- To get more info => please click here https://laoevisa.gov.la/index
3.International flights
Our offer does not include international flights between your country and Laos for two reasons:
- International flights from your country are more expensive if purchased in Vietnam or Laos. It is therefore more beneficial for you to buy them from a ticketing agency in your country.
- The payment and booking conditions for international flights are strict while it is difficult for us, a local agency, to apply the same conditions to you (full payment before travel). Since international financial transactions give rise to significant bank charges, you will be led to pay unnecessary surcharges.
4.Which language?
- The official and most widely spread language is Laos
- English is spoken in all touristic areas.
5.Cancellation Policy:
- More than 30 days before arrival: no cancellation charge will be done (Client’s non-refundable deposit will be forfeited)
- 14-29 days before arrival: 10% of the cost of the tour is forfeited
- 10-13 days before arrival: 40% of the cost of the tour is forfeited
- Within 10 days before arrival: 100 % of the cost of the tour is forfeited
6.What to Bring
- Sun Glasses, Sun Block, Wide Brim Hat, Insect Repellent, Swimming Suits
- Warm Clothes (from Jan & Feb in The mountain areas)
- Original Passport
LIST OF OUR HOTELS:
The hotels offered by Xuan Son Travel classified from 02 to 05 stars at international standard, comfortable with all the required services.
- Homestay/local homestay: we have developed fair tourism, through contacts with the local population, the possibility of sleeping with locals and sharing their daily lives. The conditions of these accommodations that we offer you are well assured and with the best possible conditions
- Standard Category: 2 stars. The rooms are decent, clean, equipped with bathroom, satellite TV and air conditioning.
- Superior Category 3 stars. The rooms are generally spacious and the services and facilities are more numerous.
- Deluxe category: 4 stars. The rooms are luxurious and spacious, with a wide choice of quality services have swimming pool, spa, Jacuzzi
Luxury Category: 5 stars. Hotels with excellent comfort and a wide range of excellent services. Swimming pool, spa, Jacuzzi…)
| CITIES /AREAS | HOME STAY | HOTEL-STANDARD | HOTELS-SUPERIOR | HOTEL-DELUXE | HOTELS- LUXURY |
| PAKBENG | …. | …. | Phetsokxai Hotel/ Pakbeng Riverside hotel/ or similar | Le Grand Pakbeng or similar | …. |
| MUANG XAY | …. | …. | Singha Hotel / Charming Lao Hotel/ Friendship hotel or similar | …. | …. |
| NONG KHIAW | …. | Sabaidee Nongkiaw River View or similar | View Point Resort / Nam Ou View Villa/ Mandana Ou Resot or similar | Kham Phan Riverside hotel / or similar | …. |
| LUANG PRABANG | …. | Villa Oasis/ Phousi Guesthouse hotel or similar | Villa Pumalin/ Villa Chitdara /Villa Saykham/ Le Sen Boutique or similar | Villa Santi/ Maison Dalabua hotel/ Kiridar hotel or similar | Souvannaphoum/ Luang Prabang View/ Luang Say Residence hotel or simalr |
| PAKSE | …. | Pakse hotel or similar | Le Jardin Hotel / Mekong Paradise hotel or similar | Athena hotel / Champasak grand hotel / Nakhone Champa hotel or similar | …. |
| DONE KHONE | Guesthouse | …. | …. | …. | …. |
SERVICES & PRICE
TRAVEL PRICE: CULTURAL AND LOCAL LIFE IN LAOS – 11 DAYS 10 NIGHTS
From…. To…usd /per
Excluding international flights
Inclusion
- Accommodations with daily breakfast.
- Meals as mentioned in the itinerary.
- Private tours, transfers and all services as mentioned in the itinerary.
- Service of English speaking guides in every location.
- Entrance fees for all mentioned sights visited.
- Boat trip, cycle, motobike, kayaking as mentioned in program
- Entrance Fees as mentioned
- Government tax and service charge
- Drinking water
Exclusion
- International Airfares.
- Internal Flight Ticket (economy class, including fuel charge & airport taxes).
- Early check in/ late checkout.
- Single supplement surcharge
- Meals not indicated.
- Drinks & beverage.
- Visa fee: Cost about 30-40$ depend on Nationality
- Personal travel insurance (Compulsory).
- Personal expenses such as Telephone and Laundry bills.
- Tips and gratuities.
Customize this tour
This tour is designed with balanced activities and pace. If you want to customize it, you may always change its itinerary and accommodations according to your needs.
Contact us
- +84 914374251
- xuansontravel@yahoo.com.vn
My name is Nicky, English & French speaking advisor at Xuan Son Travel. I have been the specialist in tailor-made trips to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia for 18years. I love the charm of the small streets of Hanoi as well as the charm of the countryside, with magical landscapes, warm and smiling inhabitants in all regions of Vietnam. As a Travel Consultant, I put it at your disposal and will assure you that your wishes and desires are perfectly suited to your trip to Asia.