Laos
Timeless, enigmatic and stunningly beautiful. Laos should be on everyones list of must see Asia destinations. Less developed than its neighbours but with very welcoming people, Laos is a very scenic, culturally rich and devoutly Buddhist country. The two main centres are easy enough to be covered as an add on to a Thailand holiday or in combination with Vietnam and Cambodia.
Vientiane the capital city of Laos is one of the quietest capital cities you will ever visit, with dusty streets and very little traffic. Easily visited from Bangkok either by flight you'll enjoy the cuisine and sights - and don't miss a local show featuring traditional dance and song. Discover Vientiane. View Itinerary
Luang Prabang is Laos' other main city. Surrounded by lush jungle clad hills with the Mekong River flowing gently past and filled with delightful Buddhist monasteries and ancient shop houses, Luang Prabang is a wonderful place to visit.
For the more adventurous there is also the mysterious
Plain of Jars to visit. This large group of historical cultural sites contain thousands of stone jars which lie scattered throughout the Xieng Khouang plain in the Laotian Highlands.
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Discover Luang Prabang -
3 days
Laos'second 'city', Luang Prabang offers an amazingly tranquil setting in a lush valley beside the Mekong River. Accessible from Thailand (either Bangkok or Chiang Mai on Bangkok Airways or Thai Airways), Luang Prabang is a World heritage town filled with amazing working buddhist temples. The shops are filled with wonderful local art and crafts and markets sell ethnic items. A magical place! View Itinerary
Tranquility of Laos ex Vientiane, 5 days - Vientiane, Luang Prabang & the Pak Ou Caves. Combine a contrasting view of Lao's two major cities, Vientiane and Luang Prabang. Discover in Vientiane a city that is one of the quietest capital cities you can find, while its northern sister-city of Luang Prabang offers a rare glimpse into past royal traditions and ancient temples. Starts and ends in Vientiane. View Itinerary
Highlights of Laos ex Luang Prabang, 5 days
- Vientiane, Luang Prabang and the Pak Ou Caves
Similar package to the 'Tranquility package' above, except it begins in Vientiane and ends in Luang Prabang. View Itinerary
Luang Prabang Explorer - 4 days of Cycling
Cycling through the UNESCO heritage site of Luang Prabang and the surrounding countryside is a great way to experience this land of a million elephants. View Itinerary
Journey through Laos -
8 days - Down the Mekong River - soft adventure!
Beginning at the Northern Thailand border (access from Chiang Mai / Chiang Rai) - take a slow boat along the Mekong River visiting villages and sights along the way before exploring Luang Prabang and the capital Vientiane. A journey covering all the highlights of this fascinating country. View Itinerary
If you are travelling in from the Northern border of Thailand, outside of Chiang Rai, you may want to cruise down to Luang Prabang. Take a journey along the Mekong River gliding effortlessly across currents and along pristine forests. The Luang Say boat is a purpose built 34 meter luxury river barge, a stylish replica of the journey craft famous to these waters. Long scenic stretches of breezy, sun soaked river cruising are punctuated by visits to river side hill tribe villages and the magical Tham Thing Caves of a Thousand Buddhas. View Itinerary
Government Travel Warning: Refer to this website www.safetravel.govt.nz
