Day 1: Vientiane
Vientiane (Lunch)
Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Lunch at the hotel. Visit Vientiane, the capital of Laos, situated on the left bank of the Mekong, which retains the charm of an old French colonial town that contains: the elegant old-fashioned building dedicated to the Museum of History, the austere Presidential Palace, broad avenues, the myriad colors of Talat Sao, the great market hall, the cosmopolitan liveliness that revolves around Nam Phou, the rotunda of the fountain, the mysterious charm of That Dam, the Black Buddhist Monument and the joy that spreads amongst the many restaurants and bars of the river walk. Return to the hotel.
Day 2: Luang Prabang
Vientiane - Luang Prabang (Breakfast, Lunch)
Transfer to the airport. Flight to Luang Prabang. Transfer to the hotel. Lunch in a typical restaurant. Visit Luang Prabang, the ancient royal capital located in a valley on the middle course of the Mekong and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The numerous temples give the town a sense of mysticism and spirituality that is felt by every visitor. We visit Wat Visoun, Wat Sené and Wat Xieng Thong. In the late afternoon, we climb to Wat Chom Si, at the top of the Phu Si hill, to wait for the sunset and enjoy the beautiful view. Return to the hotel.
Day 3: Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang (Breakfast, Lunch)
Early departure by boat to visit the caves of Pak Ou, located about one hour upriver. The first stop is in a village where, among various interesting traditional activities, the lao-lao (national liquor) is distilled. We continue upriver until we reach the famous caves of Pak Ou. The caves are high in a vertical cliff and a long wooden stairway leads to the entrance. The inside is filled with thousands of Buddha images, from various times, offered by the people. Lunch in a typical restaurant. On the way back we moor on the right bank of the Mekong, in front of Luang Prabang, for a short walk to the village of Ban Xangkong Sa, famous for its paper processing workshops and its ancient temples. Return to Luang Prabang to visit the handicrafts market on the main street that opens in the evenings only. Return to the hotel.
Day 4: Vientiane
Luang Prabang - Vientiane (Breakfast, Lunch)
Early wake-up call (before dawn) to watch the daily silent procession of over 200 monks, with the Patriarch at their head, who silently accept the food offered by the people. Return to the hotel for breakfast. Visit the National Museum inside the building of the Royal Palace. A rich collection of objects that belonged to the treasure of the royal family is displayed in the large, breezy rooms. The most precious item here is the Phra Bang, the gold statue, a symbol of the ancient Lan Xang kingdom. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Vientiane. Transfer to the hotel. Lunch in a typical restaurant. In the afternoon we visit the main temples of the city. Passing the side of the Patuxai, one of the city's landmarks, we reach the most sacred place of all Laos, the That Luang, a grandiose stupa that is said to contain a relic of the Buddha. We return to the old city to visit the ancient Wat Si Saket, where more than two thousand images of the Buddha are kept. Across the road is Wat Phra Keo, where we visit the Museum of Religious Art. Return to the hotel.
Day 5:
Vientiane (Breakfast)
Transfer to the airport.
