Luang Prabang and Southern Laos Tour 8 Days

At the Luang Prabang International Airport, you will be picked up and transferred to a local hotel. As a charming UNESCO-listed city, Luang Prabang preserves heritages of culture, religion, and history for awesome discovery and sightseeing.
After refreshing a bit in the hotel, you can start a short city tour for glimpses of the local highlights. In the late afternoon, there will be an opportunity to attend a private Baci ceremony at a local family. The Baci is a traditional ritual of Laotians; the locals will tie a cotton string around a person’s wrist to preserve good luck. This is a national custom for deep insights into Laos culture.
Then, you will enjoy dinner served in a local house together with a host family. Take time to get to know the villagers and their lifestyle.
Sleep in Luang Prabang.

This morning, you will visit the Royal Palace Museum, constructed in 1904 for King Sisavong Vong and his family during the era of French colonization. After the museum visit, let’s get ready for a scenic cruise trip upstream on the mighty Mekong. The voyage will shower you with spectacular sightseeing in the fresh countryside. Then, it will stop at the mystical Pak Ou Caves, which comprise the two linked caves filled with ancient Buddha statues. These statues were left inside the grottoes for decades by devoted pilgrims and townsfolks.
The next attraction on the agenda is the village of Ban Xanghai where you acquire knowledge of the local rice wine. On the return route, you will stop by the antique Wat Sene and Wat Xieng Thong temples; both reflect the classical religious architecture of Laos. The ornate mosaics and sweeping two-tiered roofs are amazing highlights.
For more cultural experiences beyond the city, take a drive to visit Ban Xangkhong, a Thai Lue Village, which is known for Laos crafts and arts. Also included in the itinerary is the adjacent village of Ban Xienglek for an understanding of the traditional Saa paper. There might be a chance to play the “pétanque” game with the local teams.
By the late afternoon, you should be expected to be at Wat Prabath to catch the last beauty of the day. Sunset watching from this wat is enjoyable. Lastly, enjoy some shopping rounds for the handmade textiles sold by the hill tribes at the Night Market.
Sleep in Luang Prabang.

TIP: If you are keen on the cultural diversity of ethnic groups, pay a visit to the Traditional Art and Ethnology Center (note that the center is closed on Monday).

This early morning, you can attend a religious tradition in Laos, which is an alms-giving ceremony by giving alms to the Buddhist monks. This tradition could be dated back to the 14th century and provide great insights into the country’s culture and religious practices.
Next, stroll around the temporary morning market next to the Royal Palace. You can try bargaining and watch the locals’ trading activities and products of rice, vegetables, fruits, chicken, fish, etc.
Have your breakfast at the hotel and come prepared for an adventure out of the city. The driving transfer will begin afterward and take you to the famous Phousi Hill, where you climb 329 steps to reach the summit. From there, the view of the entire city and the mighty Mekong becomes stunning. If time allows, make a stop at UXO Visitor Center to read historical pieces about the Secret War in Laos (the center is closed on Saturdays and Sundays).
For the next few minutes, you will be relaxing by the gorgeous Kuang Si Falls, which are known for the three tiers of water cascading to a 50m height into a turquoise swimming pool before continuing downstream. The turquoise pool is perfect for swimming amid beautiful nature. Great attractions near the waterfalls are Ban Thapene Village and the Bear Rescue Center, which are open to tourists.
On the return to the city of Luang Prabang, there will be a chance to visit the traditionally styled workshop of Ock Pop Tock Living Crafts Center. You will meet skilled weavers who make high-quality woven items and fabrics. The center offers free tours every half hour. When the daylight fades, admire the panoramic scene from this spot.
In the late afternoon, you should be back at your hotel in Luang Prabang.

TIPS:
– If there are little travelers in your group, we recommend you visit the Buffalo Daily Farm on the route to Kuang Si Falls. It will be exciting for kids to play at the farm.
– After relaxing by Kuang Si Falls, we recommend you visit the Butterflies Park to savor afternoon tea and homemade cookies. Meanwhile, the serene green garden filled with colorful butterflies is visually eye-pleasing.

Have your breakfast, and then get ready for a domestic flight from Luang Prabang to Pakse – the largest city in southern Laos.
When you are in Pakse, the driving transfer will carry you to the Bolaven Plateau. The plateau has been noticeable for its pristine and evergreen nature, crossed by rivers and scenic waterfalls. And the most famous waterfall in this elevated area is Tad Fan Waterfall whose water drops about 120m. You will also enjoy the cool temperature in this elevated region besides cultural experiences in the local villages of Ban Lak Sipchet (known for iron knives) and Ban Lak Samsip (known for bamboo baskets). If there is free time left, proceed to explore Tad Yeung and its crystal-clear natural pool at the base of the waterfall. Lastly, feast your eyes on the greenery of the coffee plantation prior to heading to your accommodation site.
Sleep in Bolaven Plateau.

Today will be a day of cultural and religious activities. First, you will visit a colorful ethnic food market named Tha Teng. The next few hours will be spent at other interesting minority villages of Ban Bong Neua (an Alak village known for boasting a sacrificial altar) and Ban Kokphung (a Katu village known for keeping coffins under houses).
You will be arriving at the 5th-century Hindu temple complex of Wat Phou. Located at the base of mount Phou Khao, Wat Phou comprises the surviving religious structures set amid rice fields and waterways. The complex preserves the pre-Angkorian temple architecture and once was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. Wat Phou nowadays is a sanctuary used for religious worship and one of the most consecrated temples in Lao people’s spiritual beliefs.
The tour will go on to Champassak for some glances at the French-colonial buildings. After that, you will take a drive to Khong Island (also called Don Khong) for a perfect island vacation. Take the remaining hours of the day to explore the island, check its highlights and relax well.
Sleep in Khong Island.

As the largest island in the Si Phan Don riverine archipelago, Khong Island is ideal for a 1.5-hour boat trip, which lets you explore the wild beauty of the mighty Mekong. The voyage will pass some scenic sceneries and stop at a local quiet Ban Khone Village which preserves the buildings of the French colonial era and remnants of the first Laos railway with the surviving locomotive.
There is more to see in Si Phan Don (meaning 4,000 Islands); so, you will take a tuk-tuk drive to visit the breathtaking Liphi waterfall (the “Corridor of the Devil), which is famous for its surreal beauty in the borders between Laos and Cambodia. Another great channel to roam around the island is to ride a bike and make your own explorations of the local life activities. When the sun starts descending below the horizon, it’s time to admire the sunset and its reflection on the Mekong.
Sleep on Khone Island.

Spend time exploring local villages and French-built buildings, which are unique highlights of the Si Phan Don area. In the next few hours, you will be back on the mainland at the Ban Nakasang fishing village. Then, let’s drive further south to admire the natural highlight of the archipelago – Khone Phapheng Falls, which is the largest waterfall by volume in Southeast Asia. Also called the wildest waterfall in the world, Khone Phapheng is surely worth contemplating. The highest falls even reach 21m and it is home to rich wildlife.
Leaving the impressive falls, the drive will carry you to Pakse.
Sleep in Pakse.

Have your breakfast, and then take a direct transfer to Ubon Ratchathani (Thailand) thru the international Chongmek border. Next, take a flight to Bangkok for your onward departure flight.

NOTES:
– Transfer duration: 3 hours including time at the border.
– From Pakse, there are also flights to other destinations like Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Siem Reap, Ho Chi Minh City, and Bangkok.

The Luang Prabang and Southern Laos Tour 8 Days is concluded.