Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Laos – Vientiane – Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang
100% customisable for you
Your Laotian adventure begins today. Head to the airport, breeze through security and relax in the lounge before your overnight flight to Laos. The journey takes around 16-and-a-half hours, with a layover in an Asian hub, so sit back, slip on an eye mask and try to catch some sleep.
When you land in the country’s capital the following day, you’ll be met at the airport and privately transferred to your hotel in the city centre. Your room will be available when you arrive, so drop off your bags and spend the rest of the day relaxing with a spa treatment and an early dinner before collapsing into bed.
There’s no better way to find your bearings than on a tour with a local resident. After a quick chat about your interests, set out on a stroll tailored just to you. Step back in time with visits to some of the city’s oldest temples; enjoy a steaming cup of Bolaven coffee, made from beans grown in the fertile highlands of southern Laos; tuck into some klao niaw (glutinous rice balls); attend a Muay Lao martial arts class; or hunt for souvenirs at the morning market.
Come afternoon, head back to your hotel to freshen up, then head out for dinner – our Concierge can recommend the best restaurants in town.
You’ll be met at your hotel this morning and transferred to the station to board a train north to the pretty riverside town of Vang Vieng. The journey takes around one-and-a-half hours, and you’ll pass rice paddies, forested hills and limestone karsts along the way.
When you arrive, you’ll be collected from the station and transferred to your hotel, a charming property by the Nam Song River where you’ll stay for the next two nights. Stroll around the garden, enjoy a dip in the pool and then, come evening, pull up a seat in the restaurant and tuck into tasty dishes such as mok pa (steamed river fish infused with lemongrass and other herbs).
Considered Laos’ adventure capital, Vang Vieng is the perfect place to walk on the wild side. On the agenda today: a hiking and kayaking tour with a private guide. Explore winding trails and waterways, soak in views of karst mountains, rice fields and forests, and stop off to visit karst caves with impressive stalactites and stalagmites.
Then head back to your riverside hotel for a relaxed evening, enjoying more local dishes at dinner.
After breakfast, you’ll be transferred back to the station to catch a one-hour train to the UNESCO protected city of Luang Prabang. When you arrive, check in for a three-night stay in an elegant guest house located close to the old town.
Unpack, settle in and perhaps head out to explore on foot. Then, for dinner, embark on a gourmet food tour, stopping at three different spots for each of the three courses. Still relatively unknown, Laotian cuisine is fresh, fragrant and designed to be shared. Begin with an appetiser that blends French and Lao influences; then for your main course, stop at a fusion restaurant tucked down a hidden alley, and finally, after a short tuk-tuk ride, enjoy dessert in an charming, secluded setting.
Today we’ve arranged for you to explore the countryside around Luang Prabang with a private guide. Begin with a visit to an organic farm outside the city to learn about rice cultivation. The tour begins in the rice fields, where you’ll have the chance to see a buffalo-pulled plough in action and have a go at transplanting seedlings, and it ends with a tasting of local rice snacks.
On the way back to the city, stop at the famous Kuang Sy Falls, south of Luang Prabang. This multi-tiered waterfall is a popular swimming spot, with a series of turquoise pools, so make sure to bring your swimsuit for a cooling dip.
Set out again today to explore Luang Prabang’s beautiful surroundings with a private guide. You’ll be collected from your hotel and driven an hour to Ban Muang Keo, a village along the Mekong River. Here, you’ll be shown how to make a flower offering, before entering the temple to receive a blessing from a monk. Afterwards, you’ll have time to walk around the village, enjoy an aperitif on the sandy banks of the Mekong and refuel with a traditional lunch.
In the afternoon, walk off your lunch with a short stroll through the forest to the Pak Ou caves, which are home to hundreds of Buddha statues. Then return to Luang Prabang for some downtime before a final dinner in town at a special spot recommended by our Concierge.
Sadly, all great journeys must come to an end. After a hearty breakfast at your hotel, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your overnight flight home. The journey takes around 20 hours, with a stopover in an Asian hub, and you’ll arrive the next day.
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
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Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from checking you in for your flights to our network of local Concierges
