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Asia Tour Packages 'Mix
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Home > SE Asia Package Tours > Undiscovered Laos (5-9 days) Tourists have yet to take full advantage of this beautiful, largely mountainous country, which makes it all the more attractive as a remote getaway. The kingdom of Lane Xang was founded in these mountains around the 13th Century. The name means "Million Elephants," which was meant as a warning to would-be invaders. In more modern times, the original culture, with its Theravada Buddhist, traditions, has been heavily influenced by the neighboring kingdom of Siam and by the colonial rule of the French. Its two historic capitals, Luang Prabang and Vientiane, are located along the Mekong River, as it descends from the land of Tibet. Day
1 : Vientiane
Day
2 : Vientiane to Vang Vieng (Road option) Day
3 : Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang Once in Luang Prabang, you may want to take a short rest before setting out to explore the town. To cap the day's adventure, you can climb the stone stairway up to the summit of Phu Si and the dramatic spires of Wat Chomsi, which is also an excellent vantage point to enjoy the sunset over the city and the Mekong. Day
4 : Around Luang Prabang
In the afternoon, you're invited to take a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, visiting the Pak Ou caves, which shelter thousands of gilded statues of the Buddha. (The caves can also be reached by car or tuk-tuk.) Along the way, we'll stop at the village of Ban Xang Hai, where they make a fine rice liquor. As on option on this or the next day, you may be interested in a short drive to Ban Phanom, known for its hand weaving. Day
5 : Luang Prabang - waterfall excursion Day
6 : Pakse and Wat Phu (Optional Side Trip) The ancient Khmer temple of Wat Phu is located about 46 km (30 miles) south of Pakse along the Mekong River. Originally a Hindu sanctuary at the northernmost reaches of Cambodia’s Khmer Empire, it has subsequently become a Buddhist place of worship. On the full moon of the third lunar month, which usually falls sometime in February, Champassak celebrates the traditional Wat Phu festival at the ruins. Festivities include elephant races, cockfights, and traditional performances of Lao music and dance. Return to Pakse or continue on to Don Khong one of the "4,000 Islands" of the Mekong near the Laos-Cambodia border. Day
7 : Don Khong or Paksong (Optional Side Trip) On the other hand, if you returned to Pakse, you may want to drive east to the Bolaven Plateau, home to ethnic minority communities like the Alak and Katu. This is a highland jaunt that takes you from the basin of the Mekong River to over 1000 metres in altitude, passing coffee, tea, and teak plantations, and durrian, peach, and pear orchards. On the plateau is the serene Tat Lo waterfall and resort, where visitors can enjoy unspoiled nature and elephant ride through the forest. Several waterfalls drop over this escarpment. One of the most spectacular is Tat Phan with height of 120 metres. Day
8 : Return to Pakse from Done Khone or Paksong (Optional Side Trip) Day
9: Leave Laos
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Your tour guide will meet you at the Wattay airport and
take you to your hotel. After you've had a chance to settle in, the
Laos tour begins with the major sights of the capital, including the
oldest Wat Sisaket, with thousands of miniature Buddha statues, and
the former royal temple of Wat PraKeo, which once housed the famous
Emerald Buddha Image. 
King
Setthathirat moved the capital to Vientiane (Vieng Chan) in 1563, as
the kingdom's population shifted southward. The two most important
Wats of Vientiane, Wat That Luang and Wat Phra Kaeo date back
to that time. Other sites of interest include the That Luang stupa (right)
and the Patuxai monument, which is referred to as Vientiane's "Arc
de Triomphe," a vestige of the French colonial government. After
dinner, enjoy the sunset on the banks of the Mekong River. 
Many
tourists take the short flight from Vientiane up to Luang Prabang. That's
certainly an option if you're in a hurry, but we encourage our guests
to take a car and enjoy the landscape. On the way to the town of Vang
Vieng, you'll also have a chance to stop at the archeological site of
Vang Xang, which dates back to the 11th century. At Vang Vieng, on the
Nam Song River, you'll have the option to take a short trek through
the beautiful mountain landscape to Tam None, Tam Chang caves and some
hill villages. The overnight stop is at Vang Vieng, where you'll have
a fine view of the sunset on the Nam Song River, a tributaryof the Mekong.
To
get oriented, you may want to begin with the National Museum, which
was the Royal Palace of colonial times. The Museum houses an impressive
collection of artifacts through the reign of the last king, Sisavang
Vong (1904-1909). Your guided tour includes the magnificent Wat Xieng
Thong temple and monastery, originally founded in 1560 for royal ceremonies.
Though it is best known as the oldest surviving temple, the temple complex
also has some remarkable glass mosaics that were only added in 1957.
In addition, there are many smaller temples in the town and on the far
bank of the river--your guide can explain each of their unique attributes.
Most
tours of Laos go to Vientiane and Luang Prabang, and leave it at that.
But there's more to see, particularly to the south, where you'll find
the scenic waterfalls of the Mekong and the World Heritage site of Wat
Phu. It's a quick flight to the provincial capital of Pakse, which was
founded as an administrative outpost by the French in 1905. The Champassak
Historical Heritage Museum offers a good introduction to Lao culture,
history and art. 
Just
below Don Khong Island, you can visit the tumbling waterfalls of the
Mekong, which include some of the largest in Southeast Asia. At the
bottom of the falls is Don Khone Island and the spawning ground for
the rare Irrawaddy freshwater dolphins. (The dolphins come to spawn
in January-March, and the best time to see them is around 5-7 PM on
a day with no wind.) The Mekong Dophin Conservation Center is located
on Don Khone Island and can be reached by boat from Ban Veun Kham, the
last village on the Mekong before it flows in to Cambodia (20 minute
boat ride). 