LAO
03: THE MYSTERY OF ANCIENT CAPITAL
Destination :
Laos (Vientiane, Luang Prabang)
Duration :
04 days/ 03 nights, daily departure
Grade :
Moderate to Adventurous
Mode :
Private package tour
Itinerary:
Day 01: Arrival - Vientiane - Luang Prabang (by air & road)
Upon arrival in Vientiane Airport, you
will be met and transferred to the city for a short tour, if
time permits. We then transfer back to the airport for a
short flight to Luang Prabang, which is perhaps the
best-preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. After
checking into your hotel, we visit the impressive stupa of
Wat Visoun and the shrines of Wat Aham and Wat Mai, we then
climb up to the top of Mount Phousi to explore the sacred,
gilded stupa as well as have a beautiful view of the city
and the Mekong River at sunset. From there, we explore the
Night Market, where you can browse a lovely selection of
handmade textiles made by the local people and hill tribes
surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang (B)
Day 02: Luang Prabang - Pak Ou Caves - Luang Prabang (road &
boat)
An optional early start gives you the
fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning
rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms
(often in the form of sticky rice) from the faithful
residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the
only Buddhist nation still preserving the ritual.. Today, we
enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temples
of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its
roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical
Laotian architecture. We then embark on a cruise upstream on
the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of
the tranquil countryside as well as exploring the mysterious
Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of
gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes
left by devoted pilgrims. Along the way, we will stop at the
village of Ban Xanghai, where the local rice wine is
produced. On return, we take a short drive to another small
village Ban Phanom, which famous for its hand weaving.
Overnight in Luang Prabang (B)
Day 03: Luang
Prabang - Vientiane (by air & road)
Today, we visit the National Museum (closed Tuesdays) at the
former Royal Palace. It displays a collection of artefacts
reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days
of the early kings right through to the last sovereign.
There will also be time for us to look around the Central
Market. After visiting these sights in the morning, you
catch your flight back to Vientiane. Here, see the major
sights of the capital; including the oldest Wat Sisaket with
its thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former
royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the
famous Emerald Buddha image. On the way to Lao’s national
precious heritage, the famous and sacred structure of That
Luang Stupa, we stop enroute to take some pictures of the
imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as
Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph. We watch the sunset by
Mekong Riverside and spend the evening here absorbing the
city’s nightlife. Overnight in Vientiane (B)
Day 04: Departure (by air)
After
breakfast, free for last minute shopping until time transfer
to Wattay airport for departure (B/-/-).
End of services.
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