Best of Laos: Luang Prabang Tour

On arrival at the airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Luang Prabang is perhaps the best-preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. The tranquility and charm of this town with its splendid natural scenery and cultural sights make it one of the most delightful places to visit in Laos.
Overnight in Luang Prabang
 

You have the option to wake up before dawn to witness and participate in offering alms to hundreds of saffron-robed monks – an awe-inspiring sight. Please tell your guide a day in advance if you wish to make an offering so he/she can prepare some food for you to hand over to the monks. This early
morning ritual dates back generations in Laos. Watch the town come to life in the morning then return to the hotel for breakfast or join the locals for a bowl of delicious noodle soup after the alms giving ritual. (If you do not wish to make an offering, please keep an appropriate distance and observe the ritual in
silence. Dress appropriately – shoulders, chest and legs should be covered).
After breakfast, we visit Morning Market where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings.
Then we we transfer to Heritage House and attend a hands-on experience in traditional religious floral decoration uses banana leaves and local flower from the lush jungles that surround in this art form, and will help you create a religious offering, or Van-Cornet. Then we bring our flower set to visit the temple
nearby and offer to Monks. Next, we visit National Museum at the former Royal Palace displays a lovely collection of the artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through the last sovereign. Continue to Wat Mai the largest and most richly decorated of the
temples in Luang Prabang.
Afternoon, we visit the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. Then visit Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center (close on Mondays) where you are able to observe valuable artifacts and traditional clothing and implements from
each of the 20 ethnic minority groups which inhabit the Luang Prabang area. Finally we will climb up 328 steps of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a beautiful over view of the city and the Mekong River.
Late afternoon, we go to boat pier to embark on a traditional cruise for sunset dinner. The 2.5 hours slow boat trip gives us the opportunity to see the view of the city from Mekong River. We continue sailing to Pha Tad Ke Village with the most beautiful sunset

Breakfast at hotel.
Spend a morning on a community based living rice farm situated in the idyllic countryside, surrounded by mountains and rice paddies. Experience the life of a farmer and try your hand at some of the activities. Or just view it all from the comfort of our traditional Lao rice house balcony, which is surrounded by rice terraces and our organic vegetable farm. All can join in and there are great photo opportunities. While there, spend some time to visit some local handicraft workshops like bamboo weaving, blacksmith work, and sugar cane processing. Finally, join a tour of the organic garden with explanation on how natural herbs are used in traditional medicine.
Afternoon, transfer by private vehicle to Khouang Si waterfall. On the way, you can visit to the Lao ethnic minority group at Ban Na Ouane Village, H’Mong Village and also visit Buffalo Dairy Farm where you will have chance to join a scheduled tour of the farm, cuddle up to the beautiful Buffalos, give them a
bath or feeding them, hands on milking demonstration and learn how to milk a buffalo, also trying some tasty ice-cream and cheese. Once at the waterfalls, take a leisurely hike through the national park towards the Khouang Si waterfalls and pass by the Asian bear rescue center. You will enjoy feeling
 the mist of the cool, turquoise waters of the different waterfalls. Swimming in the refreshing waters is possible.
Overnight in Luang Prabang

Breakfast at hotel. Rooms available until 12h00. Free at leisure until transfer back to Luang Prabang airport for departure flight.
End of services./.