From Vietnam to Laos – 16 days

After a nice breakfast at the hotel, you will be driven to Ha Long and arrive at the port of embarkation. You will then board a beautiful junk and enjoy a delicious lunch with seafood dishes while your vessel cruises through magnificent landscapes made of thousands of karst islets floating on emerald waters. This unique landscape is classified as a World Natural Heritage by UNESCO.

During the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to refresh yourself by swimming in the waters of the bay, exploring astonishing caves, or kayaking to discover the bay and its hidden treasures. At the end of this unforgettable day, the boat will anchor at a quiet site and you will have lunch onboard.

Overnight on the junk in Ha Long Bay.

Wake up early and enjoy breakfast onboard while observing the sunrise. Then, you will continue cruising and sightseeing in Ha Long Bay before heading back to the port, where our driver is waiting for you.

Hop on the bus – you will be driven through the Red River Delta from Ha Long to Hai Phong, then Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, and Ninh Binh.

While on the way, you will make a few stops at Luc Village: enjoy a peaceful bike ride through villages and rice fields. A great opportunity to discover the daily life scenes of farmers in the Red River Delta. You might witness rice husking, or visit an artisanal workshop. Meet friendly and hospitable farmers.

Dinner with a local family and share dinner with them - a chance to taste some Vietnamese specialties and share a moment with the locals. You can even participate in a cooking workshop with the host family, making dishes like Nem or fried pork with medicinal leaves.

Today, you will visit the Ninh Binh Region, and most notably Hoa Lu and Tam Coc, the site where limestone peaks emerge from the middle of rice fields, often dubbed as “Ha Long Bay on Land”.

Then, you will reach Trang An Caves complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will board a small sampan and cruise on a river to penetrate 9 caves (including those of Ba Giot, Dia Linh, Toi – “Dark Cave” –, Sang – “Bright Cave –, Ao Trai and Seo) and multiple valleys (including those of Tran Temple, May, Khong and Nau Ruou). Later, you will go to Bai Dinh Pagoda, the largest in Vietnam, with its 500 arhats and an architecture similar to the Imperial City in China. At the end of your visit, you will be driven to Mai Chau, a wonderful natural haven.

Afternoon: Visit to Dinh and Le Temple & Tuyet Tinh Coc & Biking.

Departure towards the Pu Luong Nature Reserve, taking a beautiful mountain road. You will arrive in Pu Luong around noon. Lunch with a local family.

Afternoon: Visit to a family engaged in artisanal weaving of colorful textiles. Then transfer to the suspension bridge over the Cham River, where you will see magnificent water wheels (norias) installed on the banks of the stream, one of the iconic images of Pu Luong. These gigantic water wheels are a clever irrigation system that brings water from the stream to the rice fields. Approach each wheel and discover this original irrigation method of the Thai ethnic group. Understand how water moves from a river to a handcrafted bamboo aqueduct through simple installations of all sizes.

Bamboo rafting along the stream to fully enjoy the serenity of nature and the picturesque landscapes on both sides of the stream. You can try paddling and steering the bamboo raft yourself.

Overnight with a local family in an Ecolodge in the village of Ban Don.

After breakfast, take a walk along the small paths lined with tropical vegetation and stilt houses with palm leaf-covered roofs. Discover the beautiful rice valley of Don Ngon Leo. Immerse yourself in the calm nature and appreciate a stunning rural backdrop: terraced rice fields, ponds, stilt houses of the Thai Black people nestled at the foot of the mountain. Observe the daily life of the villagers and their agricultural activities. Take this opportunity to interact with the local residents and capture beautiful photos. Lunch in Pu Luong.

Afternoon: Head to a village deep in the Mai Chauvalley , away from the tourist crowds. Bike ride in the valley (5 km – 20 km), interactions with the locals. In case your stay coincides with the planting or harvesting season, you can participate in agricultural activities with the locals, such as preparing the land with a buffalo, transplanting rice, or harvesting.

Evening: Folk music and dance performance.

Tasting of straw-filtered rice alcohol, a typical Thai drink known as "Can."

After a good breakfast, you will leave Mai Chau by road and go to Na Meo international border pass (in Thanh Hoa Province). You will cross the border and go to Vieng Xay Region – an important tourist site in Hua Phan Province, 30 km from Sam Neua and 55 km from the border with Vietnam.

Vieng Xay is an attractive destination for travelers, thanks to its natural setting, with landscapes made of karst cliffs emerging from ponds.

Overnight at a hotel in Vieng Xay.

Breakfast at the hotel before going to Sam Neua – capital of Hua Phan province. Then, you will continue until Phonsavan. During this 7-hour drive, you will see beautiful mountainous regions and stop by ethnic villages.

Overnight in Phonsavan.

Have breakfast at your hotel. The morning will be dedicated to visit the archeological site No2, where the famous stone jars are found. Those monumental objects bear witness to an ancient civilization which many mysteries have yet to be unsolved. Then, you will continue to Muang Khoun, the former capital, destroyed by American bombings, before going to Wat Phia Wat Temple and That Foun Stupa.

Lunch on site, we will start our way back to Phonsavan and stop at the archeological site No3, where approximately 50 jars are scattered throughout the hill.

After a short visit to the archeological site No1, you will be driven back to your hotel.

Dinner and overnight stay at Phouphadeng Hotel.

Visit the local market where local people gather to sell what they caught during their hunts, before getting on the vehicle for a 7-hour drive through amazing wild sceneries that will lead to Vang Vieng.

You will reach Vang Vieng at the end of the afternoon – there, you will discover enchanting landscapes, blessed by the Nam Song River and a succession of rocky formations sculpted by the erosion. Check-in at the hotel, before starting a short cruise on Nam Song River.

Overnight in Vang Vieng.

Today, you will go to Pathang Village, your starting point for a hike through incredible landscapes, charming villages, and intriguing caverns. During this walk, you will have time to contemplate the beautiful nature in Vang Vieng and its surroundings.

After a nice picnic lunch, you will drive to Vientiane.

Check-in at the hotel upon arriving in the capital.

Overnight in Vientiane.

After breakfast, you will meet the guide and start the city tour. First, you will visit Wat Si Saket, erected in 1818 by King Anouvong and designed according to the ancient Bangkok style. Then, you will go to Haw Pha Kaew, an old royal temple now acting as a museum, Wat Si Muang, the most revered temple in Laos, and Pha That Luang, the national monument of Laos symbolizing both Buddhism and Lao sovereignty. After that, you will discover the Central Market.

After your visit, you will be driven along the Mekong River until reaching Chao Anouvong Park, where you will enjoy a nice walk. A bronze statue of Chao Anouvong was installed in this park named after him. There, you will visit the night market, where you can shop for local snacks and products while also bargaining for other items such as wood sculptures or mountain clothes.

Overnight at the hotel in Vientiane.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for a short flight to Pakse. Upon arrival, our guide will meet you at the airport.

Upon arrival, we'll head for Saravanh province via Tateng Village. You will make a stopover en route to observe the locals making tea and coffee - have a cup of either before exploring the cultures and the way of life along the way to Boloven Plateau Area. You will also visit Tad Fan waterfall.

Upon arrival at Tad Lo Waterfall, you will pay a visit to villages of Alak, Nge, Katu ethnic minority groups. Return to the town in the late afternoon.

If time permits, we can drive up Phou Salao to visit the big Buddha at Wat Phonethong.

Overnight in Pakse

After breakfast, we leave Pakse and transfer to Champasak District, visit the ruins of Wat Phou Temple Complex, one of Southeast Asia's most dramatically situated temples. We have time to explore these intriguing Khmer ruins, which are perched at the base of Mount Phu Kao. Wat Phu is one of the Lao World Heritage sites recognized by UNESCO in 2001, this wonderful archeological site of Khmer civilization dates back to the 9th century, predating the famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia. A festival of this site is held yearly during the full moon in February and attracts numerous pilgrims from all over southern Laos.

Then continue your way to the 4000 Islands Region and Khong Island, which is quite relaxing in the day while pretty at night. The rest of the day is in your hands.

Overnight in Khong Island

Following breakfast, we enjoy a visit to the surrounding countryside, and embark on a local boat tour to Don Khone. During this cruise, you will stop at Don Khone Island to visit the remnants of the French Colonial Era (which include a bridge and a railway, built by the French in order to circumvent the waterfalls), Liphi Waterfalls or "the Corridor of the Devil". We disembark and have the option of exploring the island by bicycle. We also have a chance to visit Don Det, a small Island nearby Don Khone.

We return to the mainland at the fishing village of Ban Nakasang and drive further south to visit Khone Phapheng, located at the extreme south of the country and near the border of Cambodia. Khone Phapheng is considered the largest waterfall by volume in South East Asia; set within an area which is teeming with wildlife, making this area one of the most breathtaking destinations in Laos. You will have time to admire this magical natural sight. Then we drive back to Khong Island for your overnight stay.

Overnight in Khong Island

Breakfast at the hotel. You will have free time till our guide meets you and escorts you back to Pakse airport for your international flight ongoing to the next destination.

You will be directly transported to the airport for your departure flight (or you will have the possibility to come back to Vietnam from Paske via Savvanakhet and then Dong Ha, if you want to visit Hue and Hoi An / please note that there are weekly flights linking Pakse to Ho Chi Minh City).

Please contact us for more information about this tour or to customize this itinerary.