Spirit of Laos and Cambodia

Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Luang Prabang is a relaxed place that has a feel more similar to a provincial town than a city. Weathered French Colonial mansions give way to golden temples, and the languid pace of life here makes it an ideal place to explore by bicycle.

For those arriving on time our Leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 7pm for the welcome meeting and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Luang Prabang at any time. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) which is 30 minutes from our hotel. Should you miss the welcome meeting, your Leader will inform you of any essential information by note left at the front desk.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Luang Prabang is nestled in a valley of lush rolling hills and sits at the confluence of two rivers - the Khan and the mighty Mekong. Influence from its French occupiers is peppered all over the city, with grand white-washed Indochinese villas lining its leafy streets, oddly complementing the golden-tipped wats (temples) found around almost every corner. Time moves so slowly here that it almost stands still, and a must-do is grabbing a Lao coffee, sitting down outside one of the many cafes and just watching the world go by, in traditional Laos-style.

Today we'll get to have a closer look at Luang Prabang. All the main sights of interest are close together and we'll have a chance to walk around the various wats (temples) including the splendid Wat Xieng Thong (Golden Temple). Built in 1559, it is strikingly decorated in brilliant red and gold designs with an imposing tiled roof and mosaic dragon motifs. We'll also visit Wat Khili and the Royal Palace Museum. Next we'll follow the quiet back lanes to Heuan Chan Heritage house which gives a unique insight into what pre-colonial life was like for Laotians. We'll end the sightseeing in the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre which brings to life the 50+ ethnic groups, languages, customs and religions found in the patchwork of Laos' hillsides, villages and countryside.

This morning we head out to the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfalls, approximately 45 minutes from Luang Prabang. Passing forested hills and several ethnic minority villages we arrive at the limestone falls that cascade into several turquoise pools below. We have some time to explore the many levels of the falls as well as the near-by Sun Bear rescue centre. Returning to Luang Prabang we visit Ock Pop Tock, a centre dedicated to showcasing the tradition of northern Laos' silk-weaving cottage industry.

The rest of this afternoon has been left free to further explore this charming city, or to relax at one of the many al-fresco coffee shops that pepper the street sides. There is an opportunity to take an optional bicycle trip to the village Ban Xieng Maen. Crossing the Mekong by boat, the road gently undulates through cultivated scenery and arrives at the charming pottery village of Ban Chan. This optional bike ride is approximately six kilometres and will take around two hours.

This evening there is chance to walk to nearby Mount Phousi and climb its 328 steps in time for sunset, offering excellent panoramic views over this sleepy city and beyond.

We board our private long tail boat this morning for a leisurely cruise along the Mekong to the village of Pakbeng. As we navigate upriver the city of Luang Prabang soon fades away, passing river-side villages and then rice paddies and fields of vegetation, all under the shadow of the rolling mountainous terrain in the background. Along the way we stop at Pak Ou Caves, a cavern hidden in the rockface and filled with a plethora of Buddha images and statues. Depending on the season we may see locals panning in the river, children playing, blacksmiths at work and basket weavers as we cruise past dwellings. Lunch is served onboard, and we plan to arrive into Pakbeng in the early evening.

After a leisurely breakfast we leave Pakbeng by bus and head north on a scenic drive to Oudomxay. This part of Laos is very rural, and the road weaves its way past lush countryside, agricultural land and past minority villages. Along the route we stop at the Hmong village of Ban Yor which is known for its intricate pottery. We arrive into Oudomxay in the early afternoon, where the rest of the day has been left free. The drive today will take approximately five hours including stops.

We set off on foot this morning to explore the surrounding countryside and meet some of the local people. Our walk follows a river course which meanders its way through lush vegetation and past farm lands. We stop to meet some of the farmers who share with us how the rice is cultivated and what other crops they grow here.

After continuing on, we arrive into the village of Ban Phavie, a charming Khamu village that sits atop a hill and offers great views of the surrounding countryside. We enjoy a packed lunch here and then continue our walk to some nearby waterfalls. There's some time to relax in the refreshing water of the falls and the lagoon, before returning to our hotel in the late afternoon.



The total walking distance is around 8.5km with 250m ascent and 250m decent, which we anticipate will take around 6 hours and is graded as easy to moderate.

This morning we make our way to Luang Prabang railway station to board the newly constructed Boten-Vientiane Railway for the short two hour journey to the capital, Vientiane. Opened in December 2021, this ambitious collaboration between Laos and China connects the Chinese railway system at the northern border with the Thai railway system across the Friendship Bridge in the South. The railway now connects a series of rural villages in Laos and will be a huge boost to trade, in a country that has a poorly connected road network through mountainous terrain. Using a fleet of modern trains that travel at speeds of up to 160 km/h, they have also opened up traveller networks in Laos and made previously challenging journeys much more comfortable.

Our train journey rolls past lush rice paddies, across a patchwork of farmers' fields and small villages as we whoosh by towards Vientiane.



We then set off to explore the low-built, red-roofed capital, with a French feel and a relaxed atmosphere. We explore some of the best sights including Victory Gate which is a Triumphal Arch with good views of the town, That Luang Stupa which is said to contain a hair of the Buddha, and Wat Sisaket, a beautiful temple packed with fine Buddha images.

We fly south today to the small city of Pakse, from where we then drive on to Champasak and the incredible Wat Phu Temple. Wat Phu is an impressive Khmer temple dating back to the 6th century and considered to be one of the archaeological wonders of Laos. Originally built at the base of a sacred mountain - a symbol of Shiva to Hindus - Wat Phu became a Buddhist shrine in later centuries. Every February pilgrims from Thailand and Laos travel here in their thousands to celebrate the full moon festival and participate in various local competitions. At this time Wat Phu becomes decorated by offerings left to appease the earth spirit of Champassak.



After lunch we continue our journey into the heart of the Bolaven Plateau. Here the soil is very fertile and so cultivation of Arabica and Robusta coffee and tea is the most important trade, which is complimented by the small scale agriculture of fruit, vegetables, cardamom and rattan.



We plan to arrive at the hotel in the late afternoon, with some free time to relax or swim in the natural pools by the waterfall.

After breakfast, we transfer shortly to the impressive twin chute Tad Fan Waterfalls. Marvel at the magnificent falls which are formed by two separate rivers. We then meet a local guide, with who we will head-out for a challenging trek. We climb down and follow a jungle-trail for approximatively two hours, which will bring us to Tad Yuang, a picture-perfect 40 metres high waterfall. Enjoy the vistas of this beautiful waterfall by following a path to the bottom of the gorge, where you can go for a swim if you like. It is nearby local tea and coffee plantations. We then continue to Pakxong where we visit JingJhai Coffee House. This philanthropic coffee roaster buys from the source and reinvests all profit back into the region. Meet the roasters who will teach you to cup coffee. Learn the differences of taste and aroma of a variety of coffees, during a 30-minute coffee cupping session. We then return to your resort, arriving back by mid afternoon.\i0

We drive back towards the Mekong this morning, before boarding a boat to take us to Don Khong - the largest of the 4,000 Islands. It is here, almost on the Cambodian border that the Mekong splits to create a maze of channels and islets and also where the great river reaches its widest point. Exploring by boat and on foot through a landscape that changes remarkably throughout the year according to the river water level, we visit some traditional villages of the Lao Loum to witness the daily life of these people. Lunch is included in a small locally-run restaurant on Don Duong Island, before we catch a boat across to Oup Muong Temple, an Khmer temple with an atmospheric setting inside the forest. We end the day on Don Khong island, our base for the next two nights.

We board our private boat today for a further exploration of this water-dominated landscape. We stop on Don Khone island where we have some time to explore the island by bicycle on a leisurely cycle, tracing the route on an old abandoned French railway; built at the turn of the century to avoid the treacherous rapids caused by the many channels. We will be able to admire some of the old French colonial buildings as well as the rough rapids of the Li Phi waterfalls.

We head back to Don Khong island where the remainder of the afternoon has been left free to relax.

We start this morning by catching a boat back to the mainland and then driving on to Khone Phapheng Falls - the largest and most powerful falls in Southeast Asia. We then make the short 30km drive to the border to cross into the Kingdom of Cambodia where we meet our Cambodian guide and change vehicles. We then drive on to the town of Preah Vihear on a journey of around 4 hours. This area of Cambodia has a scattering of relics from the Angkor age, but receives few tourists in comparison to the main Angkor temples. As we drive along the red-earth rural roads of northern Cambodia, we'll likely see remnants of temples nestled in the jungle and children waving at us as we travel past.

Travelling into the jungle in 4WD vehicles this morning, we make our way to the temple of Preah Vihear. This Khmer temple, dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva is dramatically perched atop a cliff in the sacred Dangrek mountain range, and affords breathtaking views over the expansive plains below, stretching all the way to the Thai border. We have some time to explore the UNESCO-listed temple, before continuing to Siem Reap, the gateway of Angkor. En route we stop at Koh Ker, located around 120 kms north-east of Siem Reap and therefore not often visited by most day-trippers. This temple contains a striking seven-tiered pyramid centrepiece and much of the complex has only been recently been uncovered, with much of this area having been covered in land mines from the civil war.

After discovering this remote temple we continue to Siem Reap, where we should arrive in the late afternoon. The total driving time today will be around six hours including stops.

We start the day's exploration with a visit to the temples of King Jayavarman Vll, reputedly Angkor's greatest king. The fortified city of Angkor Thom, which he built at the end of the 12th century, is enclosed by a wall with five monumental gates decorated with stone elephant trunks. Originally, crocodiles inhabited the moat and huge statues of 54 different gods protected each gate. The city contains another of Angkor's true gems - Bayon Temple. Although not as impressive as Angkor Wat from a distance, Bayon is nevertheless incredible for its maze of corridors, gothic style towers and magical central temples. We'll explore The Terrace of the Elephants and the Leper King, the Baphuon and Phimeanakas, and the 'Tomb Raider' temple of Ta Phrom which has been quite literally consumed by nature.

We leave the best known and most breath taking of all the sights, Angkor Wat, to the end. Originally built as a funerary temple for Suryavarman ll in honour of Vishnu, the temple is unique as it faces west - symbolically the direction of death. It is an immensely grand and imposing structure with an extensive and intricately carved bas relief that stretches throughout the galleries and inner temples. We stay here until after sunset to really appreciate the beauty of the temple in the changing light.

This morning we will explore the 11th century temple of Banteay Srei, with its stunningly preserved bas reliefs. The so-called 'Citadel of Beauty' is considered by some as one of the finest examples of classical Khmer architecture as a result of its intricate decorative carvings.

This afternoon we leave the dusty red roads behind as we head out on the great Tonle Sap Lake by boat. We visit one of the many fascinating floating villages, where we witness the everyday life of locals plying their trade on the lake.

For most of the year the lake is relatively shallow, with depths of just one metre in some places. However, after the monsoon rains the water billows into the lake from the Mekong, reversing the flow of the Tonle Sap river and causing the Lake to swell by up to 10 metres and flood nearby fields and forests. This natural process and the resulting eco-system is very important to local livelihoods as it is these floodplains that provide the perfect breeding ground for freshwater fish. The fish from Tonle Sap make up 75% of Cambodia's freshwater fish catch.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Siem Reap.

There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Siem Reap at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you need to depart from Siem Reap International Airport (SAI), which is approximately 60-80 minutes from the hotel.

If you have time you may choose to browse the old market for some last minute bargains, visit a fish spa or enjoy afternoon tea at the Foreign Correspondent's Club.