Mighty Mekong Cruise Expedition from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang

Mighty Mekong Cruise Expedition from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang 6-Day | Brief Itinerary:

DAY 1: DEPART FROM CHIANG MAI – CHIANG RAI – GOLDEN TRIANGLE – CHIANG KHONG (L)

DAY 2: DEPART FROM CHIANG KHONG – HUAY XAI – PAKBENG. (B,L)

DAY 3: PAKBENG – LUANG PRABANG (B,L)

DAY 4: LUANG PRABANG CITY TOUR (B)

DAY 5: LUANG PRABANG – KUANG SI FALLS (B)

DAY 6: LUANG PRABANG – DEPARTURE (B)

Fixed departure schedule from Chiang Mai

• From October to March: Pickup at your hotel in Chiang Mai and departure every Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
• From April to September: Pickup at your hotel in Chiang Mai and departure every Sunday, and Thursday.

DAY 1: DEPART FROM CHIANG MAI – CHIANG RAI –GOLDEN TRIANGLE – CHIANG KHONG (L)

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. Lunch.

After that, we go to the Golden Triangle, which includes the Opium Museum and Wat Phra That Pu Khao, with a great view. The Golden Triangle is a large, mountainous region of approximately 200,000 km2 (77,000 sq mi) in northeastern Myanmar, northwestern Thailand and northern Laos, centered on the confluence of the Ruak and Mekong rivers. The name “Golden Triangle” was coined by Marshall Green, a U.S. State Department official, in 1971 in a press conference on the opium trade.Today, the Thai side of the river confluence, Sop Ruak, has become a tourist attraction, with the House of Opium Museum, and a Golden Triangle Park, and no opium cultivation.

In the afternoon, we travel to Chiang Khong and check in at your hotel in Chiang Khong. Chiang Khong is a small, peaceful district on the bank of the Mekong River, opposite Huaixai, Lao PDR. It is about 115 kilometers from the provincial seat, or approximately 55 kilometers to the east of Chiang Saen on Highway No. 1129. Chiang Khong is noted as the place where Pla Buk, giant catfish, is cultivated. You might be free to take a walk or cycle along the river .

Overnight in Chiang Khong.

DAY 02: Mekong Cruise Expedition from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang: 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 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 07:30 a.m to make sure to meet our guide on the Lao side on time. If the travelers are already in Houay Xay, we will arrange pick up at their hotel between 08:30 a.m and 09:00 a.m. The boat will leave Houay Xay at latest at 09:00 a.m.

DAY 3: PAKBENG – LUANG PRABANG (B,L)

The boat will leave Pakbeng at 08:00 a.m. 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 ethnicities: 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 thousand 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 4:30 p.m.

Pick up at boat pier and transfer into hotel.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

DAY 4: Mekong Cruise Expedition from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang: 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 represent 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. Mekong River Shompoo Cruise.

DAY 5: LUANG PRABANG – KUANG SI 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: Mekong Cruise Expedition from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang: LUANG PRABANG – DEPARTURE (B)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

End of services.

CHILD POLICY

• Free of charge for children under 6 years old.
• Between 6 and 12 years old, we charge 50% of the normal rate.
• Over 13 years old, full rate is applied.

PROGRAMS INCLUDED (only applicable for joining 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.
• Accommodation in Chiang Khong and Pakbeng, Luang Prabang with breakfast

 PROGRAMS EXCLUDED:

• Shuttle bus tickets between Houay Xay border to Chiang Khong Border (after Thai immigration) – 50 Thai Baht per person
• Visa/immigration and/or overstay fees in Laos or in Thailand.
• Personal insurance.
• Beverages, personal expenses, and tips.
• Other expenses not mentioned above.