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From Thailand To Luang Prabang In A Private Boat
Visit: Chiang Rai – Houayxay – Pakbeng – Pak Ou – Luang Prabang
Journey from the Golden Triangle in Thailand to Luang Prabang. Cruise the Mekong River and explore its mountainous area, home to several ethnic minorities in North Laos. Finish off with a comfortable stay in Luang Prabang, certainly one of the best preserved and most charming ancient towns in Southeast Asia, and also a UNESCO Heritage site.
A driver welcomes you at Chiang Rai Airport and drives you to your hotel. Check-in is available from 14.00. Make yourself comfortable and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Spend a day to explore Chiang Rai on your own, or join a guided tour and let us show you the highlights of the city.
OPTIONAL TOUR: CHIANG RAI EXPLORER - GOLDEN TRIANGLE PRIVATE TOUR
The guide and driver will pick you up at the hotel around 09:00. We will drive to the Doi Tung Mountain. Visit the Mae Fah Luang botanic gardens and learn about the royal project on Doi Tung. Continue to Mae Sai, this is the bustling border town between Myanmar and Thailand.
We continue to the Golden Triangle where the borders of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar meet. After a delicious Thai meal, there is a relaxing boat trip to Don Sao, a small island that belongs to Laos. We will make a short stop here.
Visit the Hall of Opium, an excellent museum focusing on the history of the Golden Triangle and the opium trade and have lunch.
Return to your hotel in Chiang Rai later in the afternoon
In the early morning, you are transferred to the border, where you will process with immigration into Laos before being welcomed on the other side. Board a local longtail boat and venture on the Mekong River downstream towards the mountainous town of Pakbeng.
Several hours of a beautiful and scenic commute, watching the wild North Laos sceneries passing by. Lunch is served on the boat and a stop to visit a Khmu ethnic village is also planned. We reach Pakbeng in the late afternoon. Make yourself comfortable in a cosy guesthouse. It should then be a perfect time for you to go enjoy a beautiful sunset by the riverfront and maybe have the chance to glimpse the elephants coming at the end of the day to bathe in the river.
We depart from the hotel after breakfast and start our walk. Today we are going to soak up some genuine mountainous culture and atmosphere as we tread lightly between the town and some remote ethnic villages. We first take Pak Beng’s main street and go visit the local market before leaving the town to continue our walk into the surrounding mountains.
We reach Ban Houey Ka village in the late morning and indulge a picnic lunch on the river bank near by the village. In the afternoon, our walk takes us through magnificent countryside to another Khamu village. We return to the town and close our day with a visit of its temple before having some time at leisure at the hotel.
Early mornings are special times in this part of Laos with stunning sights of the neighboring peaceful mountains, usually in the mist. Soak up this quaint atmosphere while a full breakfast is served. The cruise departs for another day of nature discovery along the legendary river with two stops planned along the way to Luang Prabang.
A few hours into the day after enjoying the sight of sparkling sandy shores, the river boat makes stops to visit the hill tribe village of Baw where you can watch the traditional process of making Lao whiskey. Lunch is served on board.
In the afternoon, opposite the mouth of the Nam Ou River, near Pak Ou village, the cruise stops to visit the Tam Thing cave. Translating as Rock Cave, it is famous for hosting over 2,500 Buddhas of all size and being a place of pilgrimage for the locals.
Following a day along the wide Mekong river with beautiful sceneries of mountains, wild nature, local life and delicious food, the cruise arrives in Luang Prabang, former Royal capital of Laos. Disembark and transfer to the hotel.
Check-in, take some time to refresh and make yourself comfortable. The evening is at leisure.
An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (ubiquitous sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession.
At about 9am, we hop on a gleaming vintage Tuk-tuk to venture in style around the old Luang Prabang town. First stop of this original sightseeing tour will be the Morning Market, where guide will help you immerse in this joyful atmosphere and learn more about local products. We then stop at the magnificent Wat Xiengthong temple with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. We end our morning with the visit the former Royal Palace, now a National Museum (close Tuesday) where you will find ornate, gilded and brocaded reception rooms, as well as Buddha and Spectacular artefacts including the Prabang, a large holy image, which was given in the 14th century by the Khmers to King Fa Ngum. Lunch is served in town.
In the afternoon we continue our excursion toward Kuang Si Waterfalls, en route, we visit local villages to discover more about the local ethnicity. We stop at the H’mong Village of Ban Ou, Laoloum Village and later on at the Khmu Village of Ban Thapene. Wander around these villages, meet with locals and let your guide introducing the cultures to you. We then drive to the beautiful falls where you can splash around in the turquoise pools or walk along the forest trails. We return to Luang Prabang by late afternoon, end of the day at leisure.
Enjoy a full day at leisure in Luang Prabang. This town has an enchanting atmosphere which lends itself to the more relaxed way of life. Meander through the narrow alleys of the peninsula; put your feet up while sipping a coffee on a quaint terrace overlooking the Mekong River; or venture across the bamboo bridge over the Nam Khan River and simply take the time to absorb the peaceful atmosphere of the town. Two lovely places that are definitely worth a visit are: the Ock Pop Tock Centre, for people who are interested in crafts and local products; as well as the UXO Centre where you can learn more about war history in Laos.
OPTIONAL TOUR: UNVEIL THE SECRETS OF RICE FARMING (LUNCH INCLUDED)
Depart your hotel and we head out to a local farm of Luang Prabang, where we will learn and experience the local way of rice cultivation. After having an overview by visiting a small rice museum, we learn how rice is farmed, using water buffalo for ploughing together with the traditional manual processes of ranking, transplanting, sowing, grinding, and pounding. We end with a hands-on cookery session at the farm and the resulting lunch before heading back to the hotel.
INCLUDED: English Speaking Guide, Private Transfer, Lunch, Farming Experience
You are met in the lobby of your hotel for a short transfer to Luang Prabang airport for your departure flight. Rooms are available until noon.
Inclusion
- 07 nights shared Accommodation in twin/double room with daily breakfast at the below indicated room types (see hotel category list below) (check in and check out around noontime)
- All transfers and transportation with air-con vehicles (depends on group size)
- Local Stationed ENGLISH speaking guide on touring days
- All entrance fees as program
- Private Boat trip: Houayxai – Pakbeng – Luang Prabang
- 07 breakfasts at hotels + 01 Lunch on boat + 01 Picnic Lunch + 01 Lunch at local restaurant
- 02 bottles of mineral water per person per day on days of transfer and sightseeing only
Exclusion
- Air-tickets
- Meals (other than mentioned in the program)
- Drinks
- Mineral water beyond that supplied
- Tips
- Early check in or late check out
- Insurances
- Optional excursions and activities
- Additional transfer required due to any emergency situation
- Items of a personal nature (Phone calls, laundry, beverages…)
- Peak season surcharges if any
- All not mentioned above
Note
Rates quoted are with a Private boat from Houayxai – Pakbeng – Luang Prabang
Cost with a Shuttle boat from Houayxai – Pakbeng – Luang Prabang are available on request
Expected Hotel List or similar
City Hotel Name
Chiang Rai Mayro Hotel
Pakbbeng DP Guest House
Luang Prabang My Lao Home Hotel
Surcharge for Peak Period will be applicable as below
Hotel From To
Mayro Hotel 20-Dec-20 10-Jan-21
My Lao Home 24-Dec-20 01-Jan-21
My Lao Home 10-Feb-21 18-Feb-21
My Lao Home 12-Apr-21 16-Apr-21
My Lao Home 24-Dec-21 31-Dec-21
Supplement cost for OPTIONAL TOUR is available on request
Visas into Thailand and Laos are required except for countries who have signed the visa exemption contracts. Please contact us for visa information details.
Remarks: Passport must be valid 6 months ahead since the time of departing the visited country
Compulsory dinners on Dec 24th (Christmas), Dec 31st (New Year) or applicable public holiday event within your host country will be advised at time of booking
Escorted Experience
- Fixed Dates
- Modern Airconditioned Vehicle
- First Class Hotels
Tour Vehicle
Car or Small Van AC
Tour Guide
Local English only guide
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