Best of Laos

Start your holiday in style with included UK airport lounge access before flying overnight to Luang Prabang. 

Upon arrival in the historic city of Luang Prabang, you'll be met by a guide and driver at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Stay: Le Bel Air Resort & Villa (Superior) or Sofitel Luang Prabang (Deluxe)

After breakfast, explore the National Museum, which is the former residence of the now deposed royal family, and is full of fine examples of Laotian art and furniture. You will then visit Wat Mai – an exquisite temple that was spared by the Chinese Black Haws in the late 19th century because of its beauty and design. Next, you will start a half-day excursion to learn about the rice cycle on the Living Lands Community Farm, during which time you will take on the role of a rice farmer for the day and learn how to plant and plough rice paddies. 

After lunch, head to the Kuang Si Falls, one of Luang Prabang's most beautiful waterfalls. While there, swim and relax amidst the verdant jungle in the turquoise pools at the base of the falls. You will also get the opportunity to meet some Asiatic Black Bears, which are cared for in a sanctuary near the falls. Many of them have been saved from the illegal wildlife trade or have been displaced due to habitat degradation. 

After freshening up at your hotel, spend the evening attending a traditional Baci ceremony; Baci is a traditional dance performance during which you will be offered tidings of good luck in your travels. Afterwards, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Stay: Le Bel Air Resort & Villa (Superior) or Sofitel Luang Prabang (Deluxe)

Start the day by attending the incredible Tak Bat ceremony in Luang Prabang. Taking place every morning at dawn, the ceremony consists of hundreds of saffron-clad monks silently walking through the streets to collect alms (offerings of food). Afterwards, visit the colourful Morning Market where locals buy and sell produce. 

After breakfast, travel upriver on a Mekong cruise to the mysterious 'Cave of 1,000 Buddha images' at Pak Ou. Along the way, soak up the Mekong riverside scenery of villages and mountains covered with thick green forest and watch fishermen go about their daily labours. At the Caves, watch local people add to a repository of Buddha statues near the base of the small cave; this tradition has endured for centuries and continues today much as it always has done. 

After cruising back to town, visit a social enterprise in a village on the outskirts of Luang Prabang that specialises in textiles. Ock Pop Tok, meaning 'East meets West' brings the fascinating world of traditional Lao handicrafts alive for visitors and here guests can learn about traditional Lao weaving. In the late afternoon, Lao refreshments and cocktails will be served in the garden on the banks of the Mekong at sunset.

Stay: Le Bel Air Resort & Villa (Superior) or Sofitel Luang Prabang (Deluxe)

Today guests can choose between two different activities. Either join a morning cookery class or a half-day elephant experience, in each instance enjoying an afternoon at leisure. The afternoon is at leisure to relax, shop or continue exploring this atmospheric small town. There is then the option of a private evening food tour with dinner, accompanied by an expert local guide. It starts off with cocktails before introducing you to many aspects of Lao cuisine – from street markets to food stalls, including hidden hangouts frequented by locals. Enjoy high-end fusion drinks and classic Lao dishes. This is a unique experience that embraces the local hustle and bustle of street markets and the accompanying sights, smells, and sounds. 

This morning, you'll be met by a local guide and begin a river cruise on the Nam Ou River, heading north. This journey is the perfect way to experience Laos' peaceful countryside, passing by some spectacular limestone rock formations en route. You'll arrive in the small fishing village of Ban Sop Jam, where you'll check into your bamboo lodge and enjoy a traditional lunch. There will also be an opportunity to meet the locals and learn about the art of silk weaving and the role it plays in rural life in Laos. Later on, kick back and relax with a cold beer on the riverbank or by the campfire while dinner is prepared by your host. This traditional accommodation will give you an authentic taste of life in rural Laos; however, you also have the option of staying for an additional night instead in your next stop, Nong Khiaw, a little further along the river.

Stay: Sop Jam Bungalow (Standard)

Take a stroll through the village before embarking on a kayaking adventure on the Nam Ou River, working your way towards Nong Khiaw and taking in the resplendent scenery as you go. After lunch at a local restaurant, you'll soon arrive in the village where you'll check into your lodge for the night. If time allows, a hike up to Pha Daeng Peak is highly recommend for the ultimate viewpoint to watch the sun setting behind the mountains. 

Stay: Nong Kiau Riverside Resort (Standard)

After breakfast, you'll be transferred to Luang Prabang train station for a high-speed journey to Vang Vieng, a town renowned for its spectacular nearby caves and mountains as well as its lively bar scene. Lunch is included at a local restaurant, followed by a trip to an organic farm and a kayaking or long boat adventure on the Nam Song River. If time and energy permit, make a stop at the extraordinary Tham Chang cave, which you can walk inside. 

In the morning enjoy a bicycle ride around the outskirts of town to experience some of the beautiful scenery and local life Vang Vieng has to offer. Visit an organic farm, enjoy tea or coffee, and take a gentle kayak on the majestic Nam Song River. You will receive a brief introduction to the basics of kayaking, and will work your way downstream towards the town, taking in the towering karst formations around you from the unique perspective of a kayak. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the riverside before returning to your hotel.

This morning, visit some interesting local villages and markets with your guide. In the late afternoon, drive for two hours to Vientiane. On arrival, transfer to your hotel, check in and freshen up. Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure. Later on, you'll be met by a local guide to experience Vientiane by night, taking a tuk-tuk to a local street market for an authentic dinner. Sindat, a barbecue-style hotpot dish, is a local favourite. 

Stay: Crowne Plaza Vientiane (Superior) or Settha Palace (Deluxe)

Begin today with a tour of Laos' capital, visiting the morning market, Talat Sao, where you will see silk and cotton textiles, gold and silver jewellery, and wooden carvings. Next, visit exquisite Wat Sisaket, Vientiane's oldest original temple, which dates from 1818 ; all the other temples in Vientiane were re-built after the Siamese invasion of 1828. Across the street, Haw Pha Kaew, the former royal temple of the Lao Monarchy, has now been converted into a museum.

After lunch, visit the most active temple in Vientiane, Wat Si Muang; if you're lucky, you may be able to see local temple-goers praying for good fortune. From here, continue on to the COPE Visitor's Centre, a local organisation providing prosthetic limbs to victims of unexploded mines and vehicle accidents throughout Laos. Finally, finish your day's touring with a stop at Phra That Luang, the most important national monument in Laos and symbolic of both the monarchy and the Buddhist religion, and the Patuxai Monument, which is strongly reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

Stay: Crowne Plaza Vientiane (Superior) or Settha Palace (Deluxe)

You will be transferred to the airport today by private car, with a guide, in time to board your flight back to the UK. 

Arrive in London, and continue your onward journey home.