LAOS – VIETNAM AT A GLANCE

Arrival at Luang Prabang airport, welcome by your guide and transfer to your hotel.
Luang Prabang: former capital of the kingdom of Lane Xang, a peaceful little provincial town that retains its status as the spiritual capital of Laos. The road traffic there is so calm that you can see trotting through the city, the monks dressed in their orange robes sheltering from the sun under their umbrellas. Luang Prabang has been claimed by UNESCO to be “the best preserved city in South East Asia”.
Orientation tour in the most beautiful areas of the city and transfer to your hotel in Luang Prabang.
Overnight at the hotel.

Day dedicated to the visit of the heart of the city where the main temples are located among the fifty that Luang Prabang shelters. Visit of the former Royal Palace, now the National Museum and where the “Prabang” is housed, the tutelary statue of the city, also a collection of religious art and gifts offered by ambassadors to the sovereigns of Laos. Wat Xieng Thong, from the 16th century, whose architectural elegance makes it the jewel of the city. Lunch at local restaurant. In the early afternoon, Continuation of the visit of Luang Phrabang
Vat Sene: the city’s first monastery with a roof covered with yellow and red tiles in the modern Thai way. Vat May: building with side galleries, topped with a five-sided roof, one of the most beautiful jewels of the city. It was the residence of the highest dignitary of the Laotian Buddhist Church before it was transferred in 1975 to Vientiane. The Vat Aham, from the 19th century, and whose guardians are Hanuman and Yakça, two of the mythical characters of the Ramayana. Vat Visoun, the oldest temple in the city which is unlike any other with its windows with wooden balusters, inspired by the Khmer temple of Vat Phou.
Overnight at the hotel.

Departure for an ascent of the Mekong by boat to the caves of Pak Ou, enclosed in the limestone cliffs which overhang the river at the confluence of the Mekong and the Nam Ou. Two caves form this sanctuary. The first, Tham Ting is open and houses thousands of Buddha statuettes, some of which reach two meters in height; the second, Tham Poun is a closed cave which contains a relic of the Buddha.

Lunch at Ban Pak Ou located next to the caves.

In the afternoon, then visit some villages hidden by the foliage. Along the banks, you will discover bamboo rafts, traps and traditional fishing nets. The village of Ban Xang Hai, is known for its production of rice alcohol. Visit the weaving villages in Ban Xang Khong, Ban Xieng Lek, known for their fine quality of weaving products.

Overnight at hotel.

Option: ASSISTANCE AT THE BACCI CEREMONY and TRADITIONAL DANCE.

The Baci ceremony is a mixture of animism and Buddhism, popular practiced by Laotians in all important circumstances of daily life: marriage, birth, departure or commemoration of the birthday of an ancestor. Supplement: 150 USD per group (10 – 19 pax)

Supplement: 180 USD per group (20 – 30 pax)

Suggestion for early risers: station yourself in the city center at sunrise (around 6:00 a.m. – 6:30 a.m.) to watch the daily quest of the monks in saffron robes.

Departure for Kuang Si (35 km), about thirty minutes by car from Luang Prabang. The waterfalls are not very high but are very beautiful and are famous for their beauty and for their environment. The whole has become a national park for the protection of biodiversity.

On the road, stop at Talat Pho market, visit ethnic minority villages: Ban Na Oune, inhabited by a Hmong population. Then to the populated village of Khamu, Ban Tha Pane. Ban Na Ouan with Lao Loum…

Picnic lunch near the waterfalls.

After lunch, swim in the natural pools of Kuang Si, or walk around.

Return to Luang Prabang. Ascent of Mount Phousi, whose temple is at the top of 328 steps and from where you will have a breathtaking view of the Mekong, the Nam Khan river and the royal city.

Walk to the evening market where the populations of the mountain minorities sell their productions: crafts including chiseled or embossed silver objects, embroidery, and pieces of woven silk.

Overnight stay at your hotel.

National road 13 for Vang Vieng with some stops to admire beautiful landscapes and to take photos.
Vang Vieng: The city of Vang Vieng is the favorite stopover for travelers on the road from Vientiane to Luang Prabang. This small town was built on the banks of the Nam Song and is surrounded by an impressive karst relief full of caves to explore. Even if the place has lost some of its charm due to the influx of tourists, you just have to leave the city to realize that the Lao people have lost none of their soul. The farmers work in the fields, the women weave and the children keep their indelible smile!
Lunch at a local restaurant en route.
Arrival and transfer to hotel in Vangvieng. Boarding a canoe for the karst landscapes along the Nam Song River. Continue to visit the Tham Jang cave, which the local people took to shelter during the defense against Chinese invaders in the early 19th century.
Walk in town to realize that the Laotian people have lost none of their soul. The farmers work in the fields, the women weave and the children keep their indelible smile.
Overnight stay at your hotel.

After breakfast, head to Vientiane.
Vientiane, the capital of Laos has managed to remain a city on a human scale and has retained the charms of its colonial past. The provincial town atmosphere that reigns there contributes to making Vientiane the most peaceful capital of Southeast Asia.
Lunch at local restaurant.
In the afternoon, discovery of the capital with the main religious sites:
Vat Sisakhet, the oldest temple that resisted the sack of Vientiane by the Siamese in 1828. The cloister is particularly interesting with its niches housing nearly 8000 Buddha statuettes. The Ho Prakéo, which once housed the Emerald Buddha but which still houses a fine collection of bronze or stone statues and many other pieces of religious art. The That Luang, the great stupa of the city, symbol of the Lao nation and which is supposed to house relics of the Buddha. The Patouxai, or “arc de Triomphe” built in commemoration of the unknown soldier, the monument of Victory with panoramic views of the city. Stroll to Tala Sao, the largest market in the country which is full of traditional objects, tasty dishes, and souvenirs.
Overnight stay at your hotel.

Transfer to Vientiane airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.
Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport, you will be met by Tour guide and Driver and transferred to hotel for check-in. Dinner will be serve on Saigon River cruises
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vender Market & Cooking (8:30AM-12:30PM)
After breakfast, you get your eyes experience the way local people live, go shopping for daily life around Cau Muoi market. Furthermore, you can live like a local in half-day in purchasing ingredients for class as well as get knowledge about Vietnamese Cuisine. Then, returning with upcoming interesting things with class.
We serve you with 3 main dishes (you cook yourself under instruction) and 1 more dessert served. Further, you can enjoy your market tour at the beginning, welcome drink at class and recipes at end.

In the afternoon, we visit Chinatown, or more commonly known as Cho Lon, to the bustling Binh Tay Wholesale Market. Close by, we make a stop to one of the most active temples in Chinatown, Thien Hau Temple, built by the Cantonese Congregation in 1760 in order to express their gratitude to this Goddess for her protection during their immigration trip to Vietnam by sea.
We drive back to the centre of town to visit the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, built in 1877 and the City Post Office, often mistaken for a railway station by foreign visitors and City Hall
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city

After breakfast Your tour guide pick up at your hotel. Today we visit Mekong Delta. Before going to the cruise ship terminal in Cai Be, the car stops at Cai Be Cao Dai Oratories, which is the religious symbol of local uniqueness. Then the visitors are picked up by the tourist boats to visit the floating market of rice in An Cu commune, Cai Be district – where is the rice trade largest exporter Southwest region of Vietnam, tourists will chat to learn more about daily life of the local people. The next destinations are the ancient village of Dong Hoa Hiep commune and Cai Be floating market. Leaving the floating market, tourist boats take visitors to Tan Phong islet and go to Hai Yen bee Farm Here, guests will visit big flower garden where bees produce honey, enjoy fresh honey tea and understand more about bees life, visit Linhzhi mushroom area, try to pull fish hooves, experience the monkey bridges. Then, guests continue visiting the orchard of Ms. Hang and enjoy the fruits in the garden picked by themselves, listening to Vietnamese folk music then getting in a rowing boat to small canal. The Mekong Ecolodge Resort is the next destination where guests having lunch. After the meal, tourists will check-in their room and take a rest.
Around 4p.m: Tourists participate in scooping ditch to fishing activity and the picking vegetables in restaurant’s garden to prepare for dinner. After that, diners and Ecolodge’s members will cook together and enjoy our meal.
Overnight at homestay.

8AM: Tourists can receive the bike -after having breakfast- to begin the journey in which the tourists have an opportunity to discover an enjoyable itinerary and participate in a lot of activities with local people in Tan Phong island. First of all, tourist will visit Ms Ba’s house to learn how to make the ricepaper used to make the sping roll dishes. Then, the passengers continue going to Ms. 6’s house to see the method to knit the banana hammock from the rope of dry banana leaves. The next destination is Ms Yen’s house – the place where the travelers can learn the way to make jackfruit leaf cake – a cake is said to be special cake of Tan Phong island – guests and homeowners will work together and enjoy cake. After that, the tourists will visit Ms Muoi- a very old woman- to see the method to make the leaves that can be the roof of Vietnamese house. Say goodbye to Ms Muoi, visitors cycle to Thao’s house to know how to knit water hyacinth, guests can also enjoy their first handmade lovely gift with the guidance of Ms. Thao. Next, tourists visit a school, to interact with the children. Finally, holidaymakers come back to Mekong Ecolodge to take a rest and check out.
At around 12 a.m: Guests have an opportunity to experience the Hiep Duc ferry boat with the local people to go through Tien River and the car will pick guests up in the opposite side. Head back to Ho Chi Minh. Overnight in Saigon.

There is no activity planned for today so you are free to enjoy your free time souvenir shopping until transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

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