Colossal Cross-Border Tour from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane – 10 Days

Colossal Cross-Border Tour from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane – 10 Days

SCHEDULE STARTING FROM CHIANG MAI

From October to March: Depart from Chiang Mai every Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

From April to September: Depart from Chiang Mai every Sunday and Thursday.

DAY 1: DEPART FROM CHIANG MAI – CHIANG RAI – CHIANG KHONG

A van will pick you up at 8 am from your hotel in Chiang Mai. On the way we stop to visit the hot spring, Wat Sang Kaew Photiyan,“Wat Rong Khun” or “White Temple”, see temporary art by Mr. Chalermchai Kositpipat in Chiang Rai and lunch over there. Then we travel to Chiang khong in the afternoon and check in at your hotel in Chiang Khong

DAY 02: DEPART FROM CHIANG KHONG – HUAY XAI – PAKBENG. (B,L)

The next day in the morning we have a van to pick you up at 7:15 am from the hotel to take you to the Thai and Lao border No.4 and cross to Huay Xai Laos.

DOWNSTREAM CRUISE – 2 DAYS OF BOAT SERVICES 

• From October to March: Departure every Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
• From April to September: Departure every Monday and Friday.

At 08:00am, the guests will meet our English-Speaking guide with a welcome sign at Houay Xay immigration office (Lao border). Our guide will assist customers to apply for the visa. After getting the VISA, guests will take a sharing transfer (minivan) to the slow boat pier to embark on the boat. During the morning, Quick lecture about Do’s and Don’ts in Laos and fun facts will be presented by our guide. Lao traditional Lunch set is served on board. Before reaching Pakbeng, we will stop to visit a traditional Kamu village (Ban Houa Phalam), a tiny cozy place which host about 90 families. Travelers will learn about rural lifestyle in a very remote area. The boat will arrive at Pakbeng before the night.

Overnight in your hotel in Pakbeng

Note: 

We recommend to the travelers to be at Chiang Khong thai immigration border at before 07:30am to make sure to meet our guide in Lao side on time. If the travelers are already in Houay Xay, we will arrange pick up at their hotel between 08:30am and 09am. The boat will leave Houay Xay at latest at 09am

DAY 3: PAKBENG – LUANG PRABANG(B,L)

The boat will leave Pakbeng at 08am. Enjoy the beautiful nature and jungle during your journey. In the morning, our guide and cooker will make a short demonstration on how to make some lao desserts and local drinks that travelers will eat later in the afternoon. First stop will be at Ban Baw village, a complex but harmonic mixed of three ethnicity: Lao Loun, Shan and Tai Lue. Today the village is famous for its lao lao whiskey making. Right after the visit, a Lao traditional Lunch set is served on board. In the afternoon, the boat will stop for the second visit at the Pak Ou Caves (Tham Ting) and its over two thousands Buddha statues. It is one of the most important Pilgrimage place for lao people. After the visit, enjoy the homemade desserts and drinks made by our team and the travelers. The boat will arrive in Luang Prabang before 4:30pm.

Pick up at boat pier and transfer into hotel.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Day 4: LUANG PRABANG City Tour (B)

After breakfast, we visit the National Museum at the former Royal Palace.  It displays a collection of artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through to the last sovereign, we enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temples of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture.

Afternoon, We visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrines of Wat Aham and Wat Mai, we then climb up to the top of Mount Phousi to explore the sacred, gilded stupa as well as have a beautiful view of the city and the Mekong River at sunset.

From there, we explore the Night Market, where you can browse a lovely selection of handmade textiles made by the local people and hill tribes surrounding Luang Prabang.
Overnight in Luang Prabang

Day 5: LUANG PRABANG – KHOUANGSI FALLS (B)

An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (often in the form of sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the ritual..

There will also be time for us to look around the Central Market. We then continue towards Khouangsi Waterfall, en route, we visit the local villages of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay, Ban Ou, Laoloum and Ban Thapene, and then drive to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall. Here you can take a dip in the inviting pools or walk along the forest trails surrounding the waterfall. We return to Luang Prabang by late afternoon and continue to Ban Xangkhong, a village well known for silk hand weaving and for traditional Saa Paper making.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Day 6: Luang Prabang – Express Train to Vang Vieng (B)

After breakfast, you are at leisure. Transfer to train Station; take on Train C81 on 2^nd class seat, leave 13:53hrs

#Remark: Train ticket is subject to be changed upon availability of the seat and there maybe surcharge for upgrade seat or less when low grade of seat.

Arrival Vang Vieng and meet with local guide and transfer into your hotel.

Overnight in Vang Vieng

Day 7: Vang Vieng – Explore (B)

After breakfast, we drive through paddy field areas heading to Tham Phoukham caves, where your breath will be taken away seeing the most beautiful and famous limestone cavern, surrounded by natural forests. Along the way, you have chance to explore the local cultures by greeting the local villagers and learning about their daily lifestyle. There is a small natural pool in front of the caves where you can take a swim to refresh yourself from the hot climate or you could explore the nearby area. You will have a picnic lunch enjoying the scenery. After spending the day at the caves and its surrounding areas, we make our return to the Vang Vieng town. En route, we visit the ethnic minority villages of Hmong, Souay and Taidam villages meeting the warm and friendly hill tribe people and observing their traditional tribal costumes.

Overnight in Vang Vieng

Day 8: Vang Vieng – Vientiane (Road)

After breakfast, we spend half our day driving to the capital city Vientiane, which is located on the banks of the Mekong River. Vientiane is a charming and fascinating capital, with an interesting mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, Soviet and American influences. Along the way we make a stop to visit the archaeological sight of Vang Xang dating back to the 11th century.

Overnight in Vientiane

Day 9: VIENTIANE – CITY TOUR( B )

Breakfast, we take a sightseeing tour of Vientiane, to visit religious museums of Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple to have been survived from the Siamese war of 1828 and its cloister contains more than 8000 Buddha statues; Wat Ho Prakeo, the former home-temple of the Emerald Buddha statue or Pra Keo,

but today it contains a collection of Buddha statues, antiques and all artifacts found in around Vientiane; That Luang Stupa, the single most important monument in Laos, which was built to cover the original small stupa containing a piece of the chest bone of Buddha; Patouxay (Arch de Triumph), built quite recently in commemoration of those who died during the wars in the past and it is today as the land-mark of Vientiane.

Afternoon, we transfer out to see the Buddha Park, an enchanting collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures on the Mekong Riverside meadow, near the Friendship Bridge.

There are approximately 200 religious images dating back over 500 years, which were created by a mysterious monk spreading his philosophy on life and to reveal his ideas about the universe. A spectacular view of over the Mekong River at sunset is a perfect way to finish the day.

Transport: Private air-conditioned.
Accommodation: Hotel.

Day 10: Vientiane – Departure(B)

Transfer to airport.

End of services.

PROGRAMS INCLUDED (only applicable for joinning cruise*):

• Welcome at Lao immigration in Houay Xay + assistance to apply for the visa to Laos.
• Transfer on a sharing minivan from Lao immigration office to slow boat Pier in Houay Xay for downstream and vice-versa for upstream program.
• Crew service during the cruise.
• Baggage handling during all the cruise.
• Admission fees for visiting sites serviced by our English-speaking guide.
• Lunch on board as mentioned in the program (except for charter boat). drinking bottled water, coffee & tea.
• Acommodation in Chiang Khong and Pakbeng, Luang Prabang and Vientiane with breakfast

Train Ticket on EMU 2nd class

 PROGRAMS EXCLUDED:

• Shuttle bus from Houay Xay to Chiang Khong (upstream cruise).
• Visa/immigration and/or overstay fees in Laos or in Thailand.
•  Personal insurance.
• Beverages, personal expenses, and tips.
• Other expenses not mentioned above.