Central and Southern Laos 10 Days

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Highlights: Vientiane – Kong Lor Cave –Budda Cave - Savannakhet- Pakse – Tad Fane – 4000 Islands

Tour is started from: Vientiane

Tour is finished from: Don Daeng

Tour duration: 10 Days

Price from: $615

Please note that: Prices will depend on travel date, hotel choice, room categories, numbers of people traveling and all our itineraries are flexible and can be altered to suit your requirements.

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Full Itinerary

Brief Itinerary

Day 1. Arrival – Vientiane

Day 2. Vientiane – Prabaht Ponsan – Sala Hin Boun

Day 3. Sala Hin Boun – Kong Lor Cave

Day 4. Sala Hin Boun – Thakek

Day 5. Thakek – Buddha Cave

Day 6. Thakek – Savannakhet – Pakse

Day 7. Pakse – Tadlo

Day 8. Tadlo – Pakse – Wat Phou – Don Daeng

Day 9. Don Daeng – 4000 Islands and surrounding

Day 10. Don Daeng – Pakse – Departure

 

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1. Arrival – Vientiane

Upon arrival at Wattay International Airport, you will be met by your Local Guide and transferred to your hotel.

Central and Southern Laos

That Luang Stupa – Vientiane
Central and Southern Laos

Patuxay Monument – Vientiane

Time permitting (depending on your arrival time) your half day city tour enables you to see the major temples of Vientiane including the oldest, Wat Sisaket, with it’s thousands of miniature Buddha statues, and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. We also visit the national icon of Laos, That Luang Stupa, stopping along the way to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph. 

Overnight in Vientiane (B)

 

Day 2. Vientiane – Prabaht Ponsan – Sala Hin Boun

You will be picked up from your Vientiane Hotel this morning and travel south along Highway 13.  En route we stop at Prabaht Ponsan, an Ancient stupa dating back to the 15th Century.  It is also home to the ‘Budhha’s footprint’, discovered in 1933 and now an important religious site in Laos.

Central and Southern Laos

Khoun Kham View Point – Vientiane
Central and Southern Laos

Sala Hin Boun

Following lunch we continue on into Khammoune Province and climbing into the mountains we will stop at Khoun Kham View Point overlooking breathtaking views over the valley below. Reaching Ban Naphouak and then Sala Hinboun with it’s stunning limestone karst scenery we will reach your accommodation at Sala Hin Boun Resort in the late afternoon.  You have the evening free to relax and enjoy the beauty of the surrounding area.

Overnight at Sala Hin Boun (B, L)

 

Day 3. Sala Hin Boun – Kong Lor Cave

Central and Southern Laos

Kong Lor Cave – Sala Hin Boun
Central and Southern Laos

Sala Hinboun Hotel Overview

After breakfast we board our boat for the journey upriver to Kong Lor village, where you will have time to explore before boarding a smaller boat and venturing into the famous Kong Lor Cave. Navigating through the 7km cave with it’s rock formations and spectacular 100m high cavern you will emerge on the remote side of the cave for a picnic lunch and short trekking option.

We return to Sala Hin Boun before sunset.

Overnight at Sala Hin Boun (B, L)

 

Day 4. Sala Hin Boun – Thakek

Central and Southern Laos

Lao Loum Village – Luang Prabang
Central and Southern Laos

Buddha Cave – Thakek

Following an early breakfast we set off to Ban Naphouak to board our boat for the journey south through some of the most spectacular gorges found in Southeast Asia. Along the way we stop for lunch at a picturesque Lao Loum village where we transfer to road transport and arrive in Thakek by late afternoon.

Overnight in Thakek (B,L)

 

Day 5. Thakek – Buddha Cave

Departing Thakek by tuk-tuk we follow the old French railway track that was destined for Vietnam but was never finished. Continuing through impressive scenery, you arrive in Ban Nakhang Xang and meet your village guides who will escort you on your trek.

Central and Southern Laos

Buddha Cave – Thakek
Central and Southern Laos

Nong Thao Lake

Passing through secondary forest your guide will point out forest products that form an important part of local people’s food resources. Going through a cave, you enter a striking valley with towering cliffs and forests. The trail follows the shoreline of Nong Thao Lake where you can see local fishermen at work.

On arrival at Tham Nong Paseum cave more adventurous swimmers can explore the cave. The cave is 400 metres long and contains dramatic stalactites and stalagmites. Back in daylight, the trip continues onto Khammouane’s famous Buddha cave for a traditional Lao lunch of Mekong fish, sticky rice and spicy papaya salad.

After lunch we visit Tham Pa Fa or Buddha cave, which was rediscovered in April 2004. The cave contains 229 bronze Buddha images that are said to be over 300 years old! Time permitting you will also be able to travel by local canoe into the water cave below.

Your guide will escort you back to the village following a different route through the forest, and you will return to Thakek in the late afternoon.

Overnight in Thakek (B,L)

 

Day 6. Thakek – Savannakhet – Pakse

Central and Southern Laos

Savannakhet
Central and Southern Laos

Pakse

This morning we are back on the road heading south to Pakse.  En route we stop to visit the town of Savannakhet, famous for its French Colonial buildings and the sacred stupa of That Inhang.  We have ample time to explore the town before reaching Pakse in the early evening.

Overnight in Pakse (B)

 

Day 7. Pakse – Tad Lo

This morning we head for the refreshing mountain climate on the Bolevan Plateau.  The area is famous for its many waterfalls and we will visit two of the best, Tad Fan, with it’s impressive twin falls cascading over 100 metres to the valley floor below and Tad Ngeuan, with it’s prisitine pools for taking a refreshing dip and coffee shop and plantation where you can sample some real Lao coffee. 

Central and Southern Laos

Bolevan Plateau – Tad Lo
Central and Southern Laos

Tad Ngeuan – Tad Lo

Along the way you will see the rich soils of the region being cultivated for coffee, tea, cardamom, bananas, and other crops before we arrive at Tad Lo, home to another scenic waterfall and numerous ethnic minority groups. We visit the villages of Alak, Nge, and Katu before overnighting in Tad Lo.

Overnight in Tad Lo (B)

 

Day 8. Tad Lo – Pakse – Wat Phou – Don Daeng

After an early breakfast, we head down the montains towards Champasak and the 4000 islands area. Passing through Pakse town we cross the Mekong River by ferry to visit the fascinating pre-Angkorian ruins of Wat Phu, one of Southeast Asia’s most dramatically situated mountain top temples.

Central and Southern Laos

Wat Phu
Central and Southern Laos

Champasak

Following lunch we continue our journey by car and ferry to Don Daeng Island with it’s pristine beaches and laidback island lifestyle. Your eveing is free to explore the island or relax with a drink and watch the sunset over the Mekong River.

Overnight on Don Daeng (B)

 

Day 9. Don Daeng – 4000 Islands and surrounding

Following breakfast we enjoy a visit to the surrounding countryside embarking on a long tail boat tour of the Don Khone area visiting the remnamts of the French colonial era and Liphi Waterfall or “the Corridor of the Devil”.

Central and Southern Laos

Liphi Waterfall – Champasak
Central and Southern Laos

Khone Phapheng

We return to the mainland at the fishing village of Ban Nakasang and drive further south to visit Khone Phapheng, considered the largest waterfall by volume in South East Asia.

Overnight on Don Daeng (B)

 

Day 10. Don Daeng – Pakse – Departure

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your departing flight (B)

 

Included in above prices:

  • Private, Airconditioned Transport
  • Boat trips as stated in the itinerary
  • English speaking guide
  • Admission fees to sites stated in the itinerary
  • Meals: daily breakfast at hotel
  • Gov’t taxs and service charges
  • Luggage handling
  • Drinking water

 

Exclusive of above prices:

  • Accommodation on a twin shared basis (quote separately)
  • Visas and Immigration fees on arrival
  • Domestic airticket
  • Int’l air tickets to/from Laos
  • Travel and/or Medical Insurance
  • Lunch or dinner unless stated in the itinerary
  • Single room accommodation (quoted separately)
  • Child or adult in triple share accommodation
  • Foreign language guides other than English
  • Peak Season or Special Events Surcharges
  • Tip, drinks and other personal expenses

Central and Southern Laos

Central and South Laos Tour

Travel to central and south Laos

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