Unseen Laos, 13 days
Bangkok – Luang Prabang – Xiangkhouang Province – Vientiane – Khammouane Province – Sala Hinboun – Savannakhet – Champasak Province – Don Khong Island – Ubon Ratchathani Airport
Bangkok – Luang Prabang – Xiangkhouang Province – Vientiane – Khammouane Province – Sala Hinboun – Savannakhet – Champasak Province – Don Khong Island – Ubon Ratchathani Airport
Welcome the clients at Luangprabang airport. Transfer to hotel. Discover this world heritage town located at the confluence of the Nam Khane River and the Mekong on an old prehistoric site. It became the capital of the Lan Xang Kingdom, the “Kingdom of the Million Elephants, all first Lao kingdom, made up in 1353. Very marked by Buddhist architecture, the city sheltered 60 Pagodas to the 18th century and was built around its “center cosmic “, the Phousy Mount.
It always presents a traditional habitat and colonial of the greatest interest. Small and quiet place invites you to calms and dawdling. Visit Wat Vixun and Manorom, Central market and evening market. Climb up the Phousy Mount where you have one overall picture of the city. The brilliant roofs of the pagodas mix with stripped plaster vestiges of colonial architecture. Overnight at Mansion Suvanaphoum hotel or similar.
06:00 am, depart the hotel to visit monks arm collection site where you can experience the local tradition way of life of the local Buddhish. 07’00 am, visit fresh local market, 07’45 am, back to hotel for breakfast.
08:30 am, Discover Museum installed in the old Royal Palace, the monasteries and pagodas of Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Mai temple, You will have also spare time to stroll in the city and the edge of Mekong and its tributary Nam Khan River, then you continue to visit the Buddhist caves of Pak OU – Tham Ting which dominate the river and shelter many statues of Buddha images, located about 35 Kms upstream of Luang Prabang and Ban Sanhai the sticky rice wine distillation village. Have dinner at local restaurant, Visit night market. Overnight at the hotel.
Excursion by road through the mountains towards Phonsavan. You arrive in an area of place located at the altitude of 1200 meters and let you discover all initially old Buddhist of Muang Sui, strongly damaged temples during the war during the Sixties and Seventies. Phonsavan is the new chief town of district of Xieng Khouang province. The area is the historical center of the Phuan language, which belongs to the family of Tai languages. Visit some hill tribe villages along the way.
Discovere “Plain of the Earthenware jars”. You discover in particular site of Thong Hai Hin, located at 15 kms in the South-west of Phonsavanh and which counts 250 earthenware jars, weighing between 600 kgs and 6 tons. These earthenware jars were cut in molasse (mixture of sandstone and granite) there is more than 2000 years.
One does not know exactly if these earthenware jars were funeral urns or not. Others think that they could be containers for wine fermentation or with the conservation of rice. It is possible that these earthenware jars are dependent with the history of the civilization of Dong whose center was to Vietnam. But the mystery remains for the moment …….!!
One can not wait for moment how to admire them! There were several thousands of them but only 500 escaped from the destruction related to the war, since 1945 and especially in the Sixties and Seventies. Overnight at Vansana Resort or similar.
We discover also another site, Hai Hin Laat Khai, located at 35 kms in the South of Phonsavanh, with 150 earthenware jars on one hill from where the sight is splendid and the site no: 02. Overnight at hotel.
In the morning visit Muang Khoun – the former old capital of Phonsavan. Visit old temple and stupa dated on the 15th century. Have lunch transfer to domestic airport to fly back to Vientiane.
Upon arrival, transfer to hotel. Have dinner and overnight at Settha Palace hotel or similar.
Discover this small capital of Laos, such as That Luang stup, the national monument which is very important for all laotiens, symbolizing at the same time of the Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty. Visit also of Vat Sisaket, the temple going back to 1818 BC, the only one to be saved by the raid of Siamese in 1828 BC.
Vat Pha Kaew, old Royal Temple transformed into Museum, national musuem and of Vat Chan which is not far from the Mekong River where we admire it to lay down sun. Overnight at hotel in Vientiane
Take a drive to Khamoun province to Ban Nahin village about 05 hours. Visit Taimeuy, Laotheung villages. You will enjoy the limestone forest around this area. Then continue the journey by boat or car to Sala.
Dinner and overnight at Sala Hinboun guesthouse or similar.
Excursion by local traditional boat through the Tam Konglor cave, the cave is special charming with its length 7 Km, its limestone.
Afternoon free at leisure. Overnight at hotel.
Take a drive to Savanaket province about 05 hours to Savanakhet. Visit That Inghang stupa and old temple of Wat Xaiyaphoum and local market.
Dinner and overnight at Hungthip hotel or similar.
Continue by road to Pakse about 03 hours. Visit Ban Napong village on the way and Wat Phou temple the pre Angkor wat.
Dinner and Overnight at Souchita guesthouse or similar.
Excursion by local traditional boat on the vast Mekong River to Donkhong island. Visit Umong the Kmer ruin temple dated on the 06th century and villages along the bank. Arrival at late afternoon, free time for their own survey around the island.
Dinner and overnight at Sala Donkhong or similar.
After breakfast, excursion by other traditional boat to Donkhon island to visit Liphi waterfall and the former French army pier during the first time, they came to Laos from Cambodia. Then return to Ban Piengdi village to take a car to visit Khonphapheng waterfall the widest fall in South East Asia.
Back to Pakse by road. Dinner and Overnight at Champasack Palace.
After breakfast, visit Tad Fan waterfall the 300 meters high fall and surrounding by forest and if time permit, continue to visit Tad Phasoum waterfall and hill tribe villages.
Transfer to Chongmek Lao-Thai border. Then further to Ubonratchathani airport for departure flight.