Here’s our Laos itinerary plus a slide show of pictures at the end.
For journal postings from Laos, CLICK HERE.
- Nov. 17th Morning transfer to the pier at HoueiSay where we’ll board our cruise boat. Today we’ll cruise along the MekongRiver to Pakbeng. Stops will be made to observe rural life along the river. One night accommodation at LuangSay Lodge at Pakbeng.
- Nov. 18th Walk to the Pakbeng market before our cruise continues to a H’mong village. Continue to Pak Ou village at the mouth of the Nam Ou River, where we’ll visit Tam Ting “caves of a thousand Buddhas.” A stop will also be made to observe the traditional process of making rice alcohol, before arriving in Luang Prabang. This evening we’ll have a guided walking tour of the Night Market. Four nights accommodations at Ancient Luang Prabang Hotel.
- Nov. 19th Today’s highlights walking tour includes Wat Xieng Thong – which many consider to be Luang Prabang’s most beautiful wat (temple). We’ll also visit Vat Visoun, That Makmo Stupa, Vat Aham, the H’mong market, the National Museum (formerly the RoyalPalace) and Vat Mai. We’ll also climb Phou Sii Hill.
- Nov. 20th Day at leisure to explore Luang Prabang on our own.
- Nov. 21st At dawn we’ll view one of the most memorable sights in Laos as hundreds of monks move silently through the streets collecting alms. Our guide will explain the background behind this ritual and we’ll have the opportunity to make “merit.” Today we’ll cycle to Tad Kuang Sii Waterfalls. We’ll have time to swim at the falls, following a picnic lunch. Time permitting we may also visit some ethnic minority villages before returning to Luang Prabang.
- Nov. 22nd Early this morning we’ll head out for an overland trip to the Plain of Jars. The drive takes about six hours. We’ll travel through a scenic mountain area, passing many small H’mong villages. We may stop at a local market in one of the villages. One night accommodation at Vansana Plain of Jars Hotel.
- Nov. 23rd This morning we visit the local market before beginning our walking tour (approximately two hours) to the Plain of Jars site #1 and #2. This is the largest site, with stops on the hills surrounding the city. In the afternoon we’ll transfer to the Xieng Khouang airport for our short flight to Vientiane. Two nights accommodations at Beau Rivage Hotel.
- Nov. 24th Today’s full day tour includes Wat Sisaket with its frescoes and over 6,000 Buddha images, Haw Phra Kaew, Putousay, National Museum, Phra That Luang Stupa, Talaat Sao food and vegetable market, Xieng Khuan Buddha Park, Friendship Bridge and National Cultural Park.
- Nov. 25th Early morning transfer to the Vientiane airport for our flight to Pakse in southern Laos. Upon arrival we’ll be met and will head out to the Bolaven Plateau where we’ll visit a tea and coffee plantation. Continue to Tad Fane waterfall and Tad Lo waterfalls. We’ll pass minority hill tribe villages. This area is home to Kha and other Lao Thung tribes. Time permitting, we may stop at one of these villages. One night accommodation at Champa Residence Hotel.
- Nov. 26th This morning we’ll visit Wat Phou, an impressive pre-Angkorian Khmer temple ruin. This is now a World Heritage Site. We’ll then take a boat ride downstream along the MekongRiver (about two hours) through the area of Siphan Done – the 4,000 islands. Upon arrival at DonKhongIsland we’ll check in at our hotel. This afternoon we’ll take a bike ride to local villages. Sunset will be at Muang Sen. Three nights accommodations at Villa Moung Khong Hotel.
- Nov. 27th This morning we’ll take a boat ride on the Mekong River to Don Det Island and DonKhoneIsland, where we’ll visit the former French bridge and the old locomotive of the train that was used to transport supplies around the impassable waterfalls. We’ll visit Ban Khon Villages and LiiPiiFalls. We’ll then head out on a small local-style boat to try to find the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins that live just below the falls near the Cambodian border.
- Nov. 28th This morning we’ll cross the Mekong by ferry to visit the wild Khon Phapheng waterfalls, the largest in Southeast Asia. The afternoon is at leisure.
- Nov. 29th Transfer to Ban Kiet Ngong village in Xe Pian Naitonal Protected Area for a one-hour elephant ride to the rocky summit of Phou Asa. Visit the temples ruins and the view over the wetlands. This afternoon we’ll take a nature walk on the wetlands with local village guides. Two nights accommodations in at King Fisher Ecolodge.
- Nov. 30th Today’s full day trek takes you through Phou Asa and Se Pian Protected Area which is known for its many species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and large mammals. Though it’s rare to see most larger animals, the area is home to tigers, elephants, black bears, sun bears, gibbons and other mammals. We’ll have a picnic lunch in the forest before returning to our hotel.
SLIDE SHOW HINT: If you’ve already seen the earlier pictures in the slide show, use the dot placemarks below the slides to jump around.
Our slow boat (modified barge) along the Mekong River 
The hills along the Mekong 
Tribal villages interacting with the outside world 
Child in tribal village along the Mekong 
Gathering and threshing rice at a Mekong village 
Sunset on the Mekong at Pakbeng 
Morning fog on the rainforested hills of the Mekong 
Hills of the Mekong 
Fisherman from an old way of life 
View of the Mekong 
Confluence of the Nam Ou River and the Mekong 
Pak Ou cave of the thousand Buddhas 
Some of the Buddhas in the Pak Ou caves 
New friends from England and Switzerland 
At the oldest and most revered Lao temple,with the brooding hen rooves 
French colonial style in Luang Prabang 
Sunset from the top of Phou Si hill in Luang Prabang 
Bamboo bridge over the Khan River at the confluence with the Me Khong 
View of green and inviting Luang Prabang 
The Lao Buddha in front of the Thai Buddha, from behind since otherwise obscured 
Unmeritorious tourists handing out sticky rice to Buddhist monks 
At the daytime market 
Selecting your fish from the lively ones at the daytime market 
Can’t resist the sweet cherry tomatoes at the market 
Dinner at the night market buffet – fill your plate! only $1.25! 
The big upper falls at Kouang Si 
The place to swim at the Kouang Si waterfalls 
Tiered pools at Kouang Si falls 
Fog shrouded hills of Northern Laos on the road to Plain of Jars 
On the road to the Plain of Jars 
Village children at the mini-mart in Northern Laos 
Sunflowers adorning the hills of Northern Laos 
The daily market with flowers to eat on the road to Plain of Jars 
Cooking our noodle soup on the way to Plain of Jars 
Organic silk worm coccoons at the silk factory in Laos 
Organic dyed silk drying at the factory in Laos 
Plain of Jars 
Plain of Jars 
Plain of Jars 
Hills surrounding Plain of Jars 
Nature overpowering man-made jar in Plain of Jars 
Unexploded bombs removed from the Plain of Jars 
Wat Sisaket’s Lao style sloping roof architecture in Vientiane 
Buddhas on display at Wat Sisaket 
Wat Haw Phra Kaew in Vientiane, once home of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok 
Patouxai, Vientiane’s Arc de Triomphe 
Phra That Luang Stupa, Laos’ national symbol, relics of the Buddha inside 
Buddha Park, Vientiane 
Three headed elephant at Buddha Park in Vientiane 
Giant eating the moon at Buddha Park in Vientiane 
Coffee beans grown organically on the Bolaven Plateau 
Tad Fane waterfall at Bolaven Plateau 
Tad Lo waterfall at the Bolaven Plateau 
Tad Lo waterfall at Bolaven Plateau 
Sow crossing the road in middle of a Lao village 
Winnowing grains in a Lao village 
The plain lying at the bottom of the mountain at Wat Phou 
Ceremonial hall at Wat Phou, lower terrace 
The royal causeway from the middle terrace at Wat Phou 
Climbing the 77 steps to the temple at Wat Phou 
The elaborately decorated temple at the highest level of Wat Phou 
Rhythmic and fanciful bas-relief of Hindu god on 3-headed elephant on temple at Wat Phou 
Elephant carved into rock at Wat Phou 
Symbol of Laos, the Champa flower 
Long boat on the Mekong 
The Mekong River in southern Laos 
Toward the horizon on the Mekong in southern Laos 
Views on the Mekong River in southern Laos 
Lazing down the Mekong 
Village fisherman in search of dinner on the Mekong 
Precarious living on the banks of the Mekong 
Lii Pii Falls at the rocks of the Si Phan Don at southern tip of Laos 
The Mekong again quiet after the falls for the Irawaddy Dolphins 
Young paddlers building their skills in a race upstream 
Water buffalo cooling in the mud in front of tourists biking in the sun 
Wildflower field of Don Khong Island in Si Phan Don, the Mekong 
La vache qui rit, en Laos 
Khon Phapheng falls just before the Mekong drops into Cambodia 
Our room at Kingfisher Ecolodge, viewed from the hammock 
Vista over the wetlands and forest of Xe Pian 
Cows and calves 
A banyan tree worth saving at Xe Pian 
Hiking through the forest at Xe Pian 
Hacking off vines that threaten to choke the big trees 
Elephants in the wetlands of Xe Pian 
Champa flower at Phou Asa, Xe Pian Protected Forest
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Hi Barry and Nancy,
This is so interesting. You are really having an adventure! I had no idea what your travels would be like. I plan to keep up with you where ever you go. Thanks for including me.
Jane