Timeless Laos with Vang Vieng Adventure

Welcome to Laos! Upon arrival, your professional private guide will be ready to welcome you at the arrival hall. You will be transferred to your hotel with a private car and driver. Luang Prabang is a very special city! It enchants with its magnificent location, amidst mountain ranges and historic temples, which gives the city a title of World Heritage Site by UNESCO. 

The first visit today will be Wat Xieng Thong. This 15th-century wat is the most important in Luang Prabang and one of the most important in the entire country. Until the revolution of 1975, Wat Xieng Thong was a royal temple, supported by the royal family. During the 1960s, Wat Xieng Thong was completely remodeled and redecorated, becoming the splendid temple we see today. Walk down a few steps from the temple to the Mekong River, where you'll board a traditional slow boat for the next part of the journey.

We will stop to visit the holy Tam Ting Caves (also called the Pak Ou caves), where the Nam Ou River meets the Mekong. This is a site of ancient spiritual significance, both Buddhist and animist. Within the two caves of Tam Ting are stupas, shrines, and carvings of Buddha. Over 4,000 wooden figures of Buddha, many highly ornate, stand within the natural limestone caves, a testament to the skill of Lao craftsmen through the centuries.

From the boat landing, it's a short walk to Wat Mai (“New Monastery”) built in 1796. It was given its present name following the restoration undertaken by King Manthathourat in 1821. The most striking feature of the temple is the gilded relief panels covering the front facade.  Next to Wat Mai is the old Royal Palace (Haw Kham), which is now the National Museum. It houses many religious and cultural treasures, including the royal throne of the Lane Xang kingdom in its original splendor, and preserves some of daily royal life up to 1975. The museum provides information about its exhibits in English, and your guide will be able to offer additional explanations about the artifacts inside.

We'll end the day tour atop Phou Si Hill. The steps to the top of the hill are studded with small shrines. The gilded stupa at the top of the hill is built on a large rock outcropping. Next to the stupa is a small wiharn (chapel) for prayers. From the top, you can see panoramic views of the surrounding town, the meeting of two rivers, and the curve of the Mekong as flows into and around the town. Coming down the other side of the hill, we'll pass part of Wat Phra Buddabhat (Buddha's Footprint Temple) and its quirky statues.

We'll leave Luang Prabang and take Route 13 through the highlands and breathtaking scenery to Xieng Khouang. On the way, we'll stop to explore one of the many Hmong villages we pass. The small, quiet town of Muang Sui is notable for several reasons. During the Indochina War this was the last position of the Nationalist Lao Army and the CIA, supported by Air America, before being evacuated. This area became known as 'Lima Site L-108' and the runway and some of the abandoned buildings are still visible today. While in Muang Sui we will visit Buddhist sites in the area, including historic temples and caves used as hospitals and shelters during the Indochina wars. We'll spend the night in Phonsavanh.

Your guide will take you to explore the Phonsavanh local market and an exhibit displaying the huge variety of bombs used during the Indochina War on the way to visit the Plain of Jars. You'll visit sites 1, 2 & 3 within the Plain of Jars, all of which have been made safe (other areas are considered too dangerous due to remaining unexploded ordnance (UXO)).

Afterward, we’ll take you to explore the city of Muang Khoun, the former royal capital of the Xieng Khouang region. Though the town was heavily bombed during the war, a few colonial French buildings remain, along with several temples and the famous stupa tower of That Foun, built in 1576, and Wat Pievat. It’s said that That Foun was built over the ashes of Lord Buddha which were brought to Laos from India.  Lastly, we will visit the MAG Visitor Center in downtown Phonsavanh where you can view a film further discussing the areas we visited today.

Today you will depart from Phonsavanh to Vang Vieng (about 6 hours). Stop will be made in Muang Sui where you will visit Tham Pha Cave, a two-limestone cave that hid hundreds of small Buddha figures from the Haw invasion a few centuries ago; and Nong Tang Lake, a large picturesque natural lake flanked by high limestone cliffs. 

After lunch at Phou Khoun and enjoy a panorama view from Phou Khoun Observation Site. You will continue to Vang Vieng. Your guide will help you with your hotel check in and the rest of the day is free at your leisure.

Enjoy 1-hour boat cruise on Nam Song River before driving North to the famous archaeological site of Vang Xang. This archaeological site dates back to the 11th century. The name of the site translates to 'Elephant Palace' in reference to a nearby elephant graveyard. Here you’ll wander through the historic sites and see the fascinating Buddha sculpture reliefs inscribed onto the cliffs.  Enjoy a private transfer from Vang Vieng to Vientiane.

Enjoy this guided tour to discover the charms of Vientiane, the quietest capital of South West Asia. Our tour begins with Wat Sisaket which was built in the Siamese style of Buddhist architecture, with a surrounding terrace and five-level ornate roof, unlike the Lao style. Wat Sisaket has a fence wall with more than 2,000 ceramic Buddha images and silver. Our next visit will be Wat Phra Kaew built between 1556 and 1565, it was the first housed the Emerald Buddha, who now reside in Wat Phra Keaw in Bangkok. The temple was destroyed many times and was rebuilt for the third time by the French in the 1920s.

On the way to the famous sacred stupa of That Luang, a golden-covered Buddhist stupa, the most important national monument in Laos and a national symbol, we will visit the imposing monument of Phatuxay. The Victory Gate or the Triumphal Gate was built and dedicated to what was fought in the struggle for independence against France. Then we will visit COPE Centre. 

Our day will end with a visit to Sao Talat or Morning Market, where you can find an abundance of locally made handicrafts.

Free at leisure until your private guide escorts you to the airport for your onward flight.