Overview
Laos offers the most authentic flavours in IndoChina and is now much easier to explore thanks to the advent of the trans-Laos railway that cuts down travelling time and allows visitors to see more of this wonderful country
After a couple of days exploring Vientiane, the Capital, head 1 hour in air-conditioned comfort to the dramatically set adventure town of Vang Vieng to enjoy its natural beauty via river, road or air. A further hour down the line and you reach Luang Prabang, the UNESCO crown jewel of Laos, a town that everyone should visit at least once in a lifetime. A short flight down to the sleepy south and you can relax in a beautiful lodge on an idyllic rural island in the middle of the mighty Mekong. From here the fabulous water world of the 4,000 Islands is there to be discovered.
This is an incredibly varied itinerary, with all the ingredients of a special holiday. The added bonus is that Saigon is just a 2 hour direct flight away with its choice of beaches. Alternatively the Angkor Temples can also be reached by short direct flight.
Day 1: Depart on your overnight flight to Vientiane
Day 2: On arrival met and private transfer to your hotel for 2 nights in Vientiane
Day 3: Full day private guided city tour
Day 4: 1 hour train ride to Vang Vieng (2 nights), set by the river at the foot of dramatic limestone hills
Day 5: Vang Vieng offers a fantastic range of activities - kayak / rube the river or perhaps hike / bike the hills
Day 6: 1 hour train ride up into the hills through multiple tunnels to Luang Prabang for 3 nights
Day 7: Up early for Alms procession and city walking tour. Afternoon boat tour to Pak Ou Caves
Day 8: Morning private guided tour to Kuang Si Waterfalls
Day 9: Fly to Pakse in deep south. Walk the Bolaven Plateau. 3 nights on idyllic Mekong River island
Day 10: Tour to 4,000 Islands, Khon Phapheng & Li Phi waterfalls
Day 11: Free day to enjoy your beautiful setting by the Mekong River and explore under own steam
Day 12: Fly to Saigon - 2 hour private transfer to Phan Thiet for 4 nights (or more) on beach
Days 13-15: 3 days to enjoy your beachside setting and explore the coast
Day 16: Fly home overnight
Day 17: Arrive home
Full Itinerary
Day 1: UK Airport / Vientiane
Depart on a choice of overnight flights to Vientiane via Bangkok or Hanoi. If you’d like to break your journey an add-on in either is easily added.
Day 2: Arrive Vientiane
On arrival you’ll be met by your private guide and transferred to the city centre where you check in to your choice of hotel for 2 nights. The rest of the day is free to recover from the journey and explore your immediate environs.
Day 3: Vientiane - Private Guided City Tour (B / L)
This morning enjoy a tour of the city’s historical highlights. Start at beautiful Wat Sisaket, whose walls are home to thousands of miniature Buddha statues and was the only temple left intact after the Siamese invasion in 1828. Then head over to Hor Pha Keo, a religious museum showcasing a fine collection of Lao and Khmer art. Continue on to Patouxai, the Victory Monument, with panoramic views of town. Finally end up at That Luang, the holiest site in Laos and its national symbol.
After lunch in a local restaurant, travel to Xieng Khouan Buddha Park. Here a renegade monk formed his own sect and began to carve magnificent, eerie statues out of concrete, based on Hindu, Buddhist and Brahman iconography. He began in 1958 and continued on until the Communist takeover of Laos in 1975, when he fled across the border to Nong Khai, Thailand and sculpted a new park. This is a surreal “Buddhisneyland” full of interesting photographic opportunities!
The collision of cultures in Vientiane has resulted in a superb variety of restaurants and so this evening we recommend you take to the streets, perhaps stopping for a drink and watching the sun set over the Mekong.
Day 4: Vientiane (B) - Train to Vang Vieng
Time to leave the city and start your overland adventure in air-conditioned comfort aboard a modern high speed train. Just an hour later you arrive at Vang Vieng, a small town that's dramatically set by the gentle Nam Xong River at the foot of dramatic limestone hill country. On arrival met and transferred to the beautiful Riverside Boutique Resort for 2 nights. Nothing else is planned for the rest of the day so you can explore the town and surrounding countryside or just relax in the beautiful riverside setting,
Day 5: Vang Vieng (B) - Your Choice of Soft Adventure - By River, Land or Air
Vang Vieng is essentially a dusty small town that wouldn't be worth visiting were it not for its dramatic setting and wonderful natural beauty that can easily be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Perhaps the most popular is to take to the river gently floating on an inner tube or kayak enjoying the stunning views, local life and easily accessed caves. The more energetic can take mountain bikes or hike along countryside paths though paddy fields to discover caves, dramatic views and to swim in natural lagoons. Those drawn to the air can take a hot air balloon ride or even paraglide to the get the best sunset views. We can tailor the day to suit you and even if you just stay by the pool you'll enjoy the best seat in the house gazing out over the river to the limestone hills.
Day 6: Vang Vieng (B) to Luang Prabang By Train
This morning continue your journey to Luang Prabang, just 1 hour away by train travelling through a series of tunnels up into the dramtic hill country. On arrival met by your private guide and transferred to the city centre where you check in to your choice of hotel for 3 nights. The rest of the day is free. Don’t miss the night market that runs through the centre of town every night.
Day 7: Luang Prabang - Private Guided Almsgiving & City Tour (B / L)
It feels to some that the city is bathed in Buddhism and this feeling is at its most accessible each morning 
as monks rise early for the silent alms procession. Today rise at dawn to watch this beautiful, understated and authentic tradition with your private guide. On the way back to the hotel they will take you to the Morning Market, a feast of local and somewhat unusual (to us) produce. After a leisurely breakfast join your guide for a private guided Walking tour around this beautiful World Heritage town, visiting a number of Wats (temples), the Royal Palace and central market. Luang Prabang is best experienced by foot (we can arrange a car) and is home to a growing number of niche shops and galleries. The morning finishes with a climb up the 328 steps up Phousi Mountain for superb views of the area. Lunch will be in a local restaurant and then the rest of the afternoon is free.
Day 8: Luang Prabang - Cruise along Mekong to Pak Ou Caves. Visit Kuang Si Waterfall & Buffalo Dairy (B / L)
After breakfast transfer to the pier for a short boat trip along the Mekong River to the Pak Ou Caves that rest high in the limestone cliffs and house thousands of Buddha statues that were hidden from the looting Chinese Haw. The caves were converted into Buddhist temples in the 15th century and are used as a site for old Buddha images that can no longer be venerated in a temple, either because they are damaged or the temple they were displayed in has been destroyed.
From here transfer to the Laos Buffalo Dairy for an authentic farming experience. Working with people from the surrounding villages this social enterprise produces ice cream, yoghurt and cheeses, whilst supporting local farmers. You’ll have the chance to get up close with the grazing buffaloes, feeding them grass 
and bananas and treating them to a cooling bath before taking part in a hands-on milking workshop. Learn about the nutrients of buffalo milk and finish with a light lunch at their café. Try their delicious buffalo mozarella, feta, ricotta, blue cheese, yoghurt and ice cream.
Finish the day at the Kuang Si Waterfall, a three-tiered waterfall with a drop of 60 metres. The walk travels past lush rice paddies and through forest, offering spectacular panoramas of the surrounding countryside. Arrive at the breathtaking Kuang Si Waterfall, whose multi-tiered cascading falls tumble down jagged limestone reliefs into emerald pools. Quite a walk but you can reward yourselves with a refreshing dip in one of the pools. Back at the hotel late afternoon.
Day 9: Fly Luang Prabang / Pakse (Southern Laos) - Bolaven Plateau (B / L)
Early transfer to the airport for the short flight to Pakse, gateway to the south. On arrival you’ll be met by your private guide. Time for lunch in a local restaurant then it's time to head up to the Bolaven Plateau, 
formed by an ancient volcano and one of the most scenic spots in the region, full of beautiful landscapes made up of forests, rivers and waterfalls. At an altitude of over 1,000 metres, the scenery is very different to that experienced in most of the country and even at the hottest time it rarely rises above 27°C.
One of the prime draws is Tad Fane Waterfall whose twin streams dramatically cascade into a 200m deep gorge. From here walk on through the unusual landscape to Paxong and Tadlo that also boast impressive waterfalls. Along the way you will stop at small tea and coffee plantations, as well as visiting minority villages of the Neua Pong Kok and Bhoung people. Late afternoon head back down to the Mekong River to either the River Resort or La Folie Lodge, two beautiful boutique hotels right on the river (River Resort) or in an idyllic island (La Folie) where you’ll spend 3 nights.
Day 10: Champasak - Private Guided 4000 Islands Mekong Tour (B / L)
This morning your guide will collect you for a day exploring the south. 
Drive down to the 4000 islands for a boat ride to the largest waterfalls in Asia on Cambodia’s border. Khone Phapeng & Li Phi Falls were the major obstacles which thwarted the French in their efforts to open the Mekong River to navigation. Here also live some 50-100 Irrawaddy dolphins. If you’re lucky you'll see them. Lunch will be at a local restaurant. This afternoon walk along the small gauge railway and Colonial Bridge that were built by the French to circumnavigate the falls and open up the region. Transfer back to the hotel late afternoon.
Day 11: Champasak (B) - Free Day by Mekong River
A free day to take a break from touring and enjoy the hotel's riverside position and facilities. The surrounding countryside can be explored on foot, by bike or boat. As southern Laos is well off the beaten track we recommend the free day as it's rare to find such an untrammelled and beautifully positioned destination. This can be removed.
Day 12: Champasak (B) - Flight to Saigon - Beach Days
Morning airport transfer and short flight to Saigon. Nights can be added here, but in this example itinerary we've taken you by car 2 hours to Mui Ne / Phan Thiet for 4 nights (or more / less) on the beach.
Days 13-15: Mui Ne / Phan Thiet Beach Stay (B)
3 full days to enjoy your beachside location, the hotel's facilities and the surrounding countryside. Mui Ne and Phan Thiet sit on the same bay and are probably the best all round resorts in Vietnam, striking the right balance to create a relaxed atmosphere but with plenty of activities and restaurants to keep you happy. The added bonus is that is the driest region in Vietnam.
Day 16: Beach (B) - Flight home from Saigon
Day free until private airport transfer to connect with your overnight flight home. Arrive the following morning.
Hotels in Vientiane
Hotels in Luang Prabang
Hotels in Mui Ne / Phan Thiet