Gems of Laos

Laos, 10 Nights

Day 1 - London/Vientiane
Board your overnight Thai Airways flight from Heathrow to Vientiane, via Bangkok.

Day 2 - Vientiane
Arrive into Vientiane and check-in to the Settha Palace hotel. This afternoon, visit Wat Sisaket and the Haw Pha Kaew museum of arts and antiquities. Finish the day at That Louang, the country's most important religious building. Enjoy dinner at Kualao Restaurant.

Day 3 - Vientiane/Xiang Khouang Province
This morning, visit the Xiang Khouan Buddha Park sculpture garden. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before transferring to the airport for your flight to Phonsavan (approximately 30 minutes flight). Check-in to the comfortable Vansana Plain of Jars hotel for two nights. The Plain of Jars is an archeological mystery, where hundreds of ancient stone funerary urns are scattered over a plateau. Visit Thong Hai Hin (Plain of Jars Site 1) for sunset.

Day 4 - Xiang Khouang Province
After breakfast, drive 30km to Muang Khou. Here you will see evocative temple ruins and a ruined villa - a reminder that this was once a French outpost. After lunch at a local restaurant, explore the scenic Hai Hi Phou Salato (Plain of Jars Site 2), where a hundred jars are scattered across two adjacent hills.

Day 5 - Xiang Khouang Province/Vientiane
Visit the colourful morning market at Phonsavan, before driving to the Hmong village of Ban Thajok. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and transfer to the airport for your flight back to Vientiane. Check-in to the Settha Palace for one night.

Day 6 - Vientiane/Vang Vieng
Drive to Vang Vieng (approximately 150km), a small town lying in a spectacular limestone karst valley. Check-in to the Villa Namsong for one night, before visiting Thanjang cave, known for its spectacular stalactites and stalagmites. As dusk falls, relax on the banks of the Nam Xong River for a beautiful sunset.

Day 7 - Vang Vieng/Luang Prabang
Depart this morning for the scenic, mountainous drive to Luang Prabang (250km/approximately 5-6 hours drive), stopping en route in local hilltribe villages. On arrival, check-in to La Residence Phou Vao for four nights.

Day 8 - Luang Prabang
Begin a full-day of sightseeing with a visit to Wat Visoun, the Royal Palace Museum and the historic and enchanting Wat Xiang Thong. After lunch in a local restaurant, drive to a local hand-weaving village and see a former royal silversmith's house in Ban Xiengmoune. Enjoy views of the city from sacred Phousi Hill and finish the day at the evening market.

Day 9 - Luang Prabang
After breakfast, transfer to the pier for a boat trip on the Mekong River to visit the Pak Ou Caves, where you will see thousands of antique Buddha images. Have lunch in a local restaurant and stop at Ban Xang Hai 'whisky village'. Finish the day with a Baci ceremony, said to bring peace of mind and happiness.

Day 10 - Luang Prabang
Drive south to the Kouang Si waterfall, tumbling 60 metres into crystal-clear pools. En route, stop at some local villages. Enjoy a picnic by the falls or lunch in a local restaurant.

Day 11 - Luang Prabang/London
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Heathrow, or extend your stay in Indo-China or Thailand.