Laos ~ Walking and Culture

Laos stands out from its neighbours in former French Indochina by its slow and cautious approach to tourism, retaining an unhurried traditional lifestyle which is underpinned by the Buddhist philosophy and reflected in the welcoming, gentle manners of its people.

In the remote north of Laos we walk in forested hills to encounter the Akha tribal culture in villages where exquisite textiles are handwoven; we explore the enigmatic Plain of Jars and take a private boat trip along the Mekong river; walk with specialist guides in search of epiphytic orchids; and observe the daily rituals of the numerous monasteries and gilded temples.

We stay in comfortable eco-lodges and elegant colonial era hotels and taste both French-influenced food and wines in Vientiane and traditional, delicious, Laotian cuisine in the former Royal capital of Luang Prabang.

TRIP ITINERARY

DAY 1

L, D included

We meet by 10 am at Chiang Rai airport in northern Thailand and have a short road transfer to our peaceful boutique hotel, set high in the forest. There is time for a dip in the pool or a massage in the spa before dinner overlooking the mountain valley.

DAY 2

B, L, D included

We leave Thailand (1.5 hour rural drive) and take a very small ferry (longtail) across the Mekong to enter Laos territory at Houei Xai - once the border formalities are completed we enjoy a local Lao lunch, then have a scenic drive (4 hours) through the mountains to Luang Nam Tha province, close to the Chinese border. En route we pause beside the rice fields to watch the harvesting and take a short stroll through a minority village, then settle into our eco-lodge, built in traditional style on the banks of the Namtha river.

DAY 3

B, L, D included

Songthews, local pickups, deliver us (50 mins. on a spectacular dirt road) up to the village of Ban Nam Yang to start our walk (4 hours) in the higher levels of the Nam Ha National Protected Area. We picnic and cross streams in the forest as we descend to visit an Akha tribal village where an Akha family explain their traditional way of life. Proceeds from today and tomorrow's walks are contributed directly to the villagers as part of a well-established responsible tourism project.

DAY 4

B, L, D included

We have an early start for a 30 minute transfer by songthew, then a local specialist guide accompanies us on a 6 hour walk gradually up into the hills through a forest reserve and onto a ridge with expansive views of the often mist-shrouded mountains. After a picnic in a bamboo grove we descend to a remote valley and visit an isolated village belonging to the Sida tribe, a Tibeto-Burman group, and learn about their way of life. We can sample locally made Lao Whisky this evening, a good aperitif for the excellent northern Laos food served in the verandah restaurant of our eco-lodge.

DAY 5

B, L, D included

A visit to the large local market introduces us to the exotic vegetables and street food of south east Asia (everything from dried buffalo meat to silkworms), a good opportunity to take photographs (discreetly) and have a bowl of noodle soup from the busy food stalls. Mountain roads take us south to Muang La (4 hours, with a picnic en route) where an afternoon walk by the river (1.5 hours) takes us by salt pans, grazing water buffaloes and a typical village built on stilts. We cross the river by bamboo raft and settle into our elegant boutique lodge.

DAY 6

B, L, D included

A day to relax and explore the local area on foot, following narrow trails through the rice fields and over small streams, then slowly ascending through primary forest up to a hilltop Khamu village (2.5 hours). After lunch our walk continues to a waterfall, then we visit the sacred pilgrimage temple of Chiao Pha Kham Sing before returning to our hotel with time to enjoy a traditional massage (herbs and steam) or a soak in the hot spring fed jacuzzi pool overlooking the river.

DAY 7

B, L, D included

Continuing by road (1.5 hours) through the mountains to Muang Khua, we board a private boat to travel down the Nam Ou river and picnic on a sandbank. We go ashore for a walk around the coconut tree-shaded village of Muang Ngoi, at the foot of Mount Phaboom, then rejoin our boat and admire the karst scenery as we travel on down the river to our simple, spacious lodge, built of wood and set high above the river at Nong Khiaw.

DAY 8

B, L, D included

After breakfast we board our private boat again to continue down the Nam Ou river, observing the fishermen throwing their nets, many water buffaloes, and local people using the river to transport their goods. We disembark at Pak Ou to visit the famous caves with their thousands of gold covered wood and stone statues of Buddha, then continue down river past the confluence with the Mekong. Our river journey ends in Luang Prabang, the former Royal capital of Laos and now a captivating World Heritage site where we stay for three nights in a beautifully appointed colonial style hotel (with a small swimming pool).

DAY 9

B, L, D included

On foot, we explore Luang Prabang’s heritage of golden temples and stupas, seeing the dazzling façade of Wat Senssoukarahm, the Wat Xieng Thong temple built by order of King Setthathirat in 1560 and the Watermelon stupa. After a light lunch in a French café we visit the National Museum in the former Royal Palace and the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre and cross a bamboo bridge to explore a weaving and papermaking village.

DAY 10

B, L, D included

We are up before dawn (optionally) to witness the long lines of orange-robed monks leaving their pagodas to receive offerings of food from the residents of Luang Prabang. We then have a choice of activities - either visiting the market to select spices (lemongrass, chillies, ginger and tamarind) and vegetables, learning the secrets of Laos cooking from a local chef and preparing dishes such as spiced meat in a banana leaf and Laos sticky rice - or a 45 min drive to start a 4 hour walk through Hmong villages, along a wide agricultural valley with papaya tress, then steeply down through jungle to emerge at a waterfall.

DAY 11

B, L, D included

Leaving Luang Prabang we head into the mountains on a scenic 7 hour drive, including stops en route to bargain for raw silk scarves and take photographs. The landscape gradually softens into low hills and grasslands as we approach the mysterious Plain of Jars, an enormous archaeological complex covered with 2,000 year old stone jars up to 4 metres high. We have a guided tour of site 1 on foot and learn about the research and the various hypotheses as to their origin and function, then check into our comfortable hillside Auberge.

DAY 12

B, L, D included

A short drive brings us to archaeological Site 2 which we explore before a 1.5 hour walk, following a ridge with fine views across the Plain and leading to our third atmospheric site. We visit MAG (HQ of the mine clearance agency) and see a fascinating film about the Secret War before lunch. An internal flight delivers us to the capital, Vientiane, where we transfer along tree-lined boulevards to our hotel, the superb Settha Palace with its French colonial décor and beautiful tropical gardens and pool.

DAY 13

B, L, D included

We set off early in the morning for the 1.5 hour drive to the Phou Khao Kway (Buffalo Horn Mountain) National Park where a local specialist guide takes us on an orchid trek, an eco-tourism project which supports village development and forest conservation. We walk through both dry evergreen and bamboo forest, see several fine waterfalls (where we picnic and can have a swim) and hope to encounter wild elephants and many butterflies as well as orchids and other tropical flowers.

DAY 14

B, L, D included

Vientiane (‘the city of sandalwood’) is small and still quiet despite new development, and is ideal for exploring on foot. We stroll gently from one Wat to another, seeing the beautiful Wat Sisaket with its thousands of miniature statues of Buddha, the Wat Phra Keo which displays Lao and Khmer art, the morning market and the Presidential Palace (formerly the French Governor’s Palace) - and enjoy a delicious Laos lunch in a restaurant run by, and for the benefit of, street children. Returning to our hotel we relax in the pool before our farewell dinner in one of Vientiane’s best restaurants.

DAY 15

B included

We have time for last minute shopping or photographic forays before we depart for the airport.

Price includes:

All accommodation for Days 1 through 15 on a double shared basis

All meals with local beer at lunch and dinner as listed (beer is far more appropriate with Laotian food and the tropical climate, and wine is often spoiled by inadequate storage), except in Luang Prabang and Vientiane where French or Australian wines are served with dinner

Internal flight between Xieng Khouang and Vientiane

All land transportation in a private airconditioned vehicle as described except during free periods

Jeep/pickup transfers and river crossings on local ferries as described

2 day private boat trip on the Nam Ou and Mekong rivers

Cooking class in Luang Prabang

All entrance and sightseeing fees except during free periods

Camera and video camera fees where applicable

Tips for porters, boatmen, restaurant & hotel staff

Services of expert local naturalist guides, tribal trekking guides and a driver (plus our Kudu Travel tour leader)

Visa and Health Requirements

All visitors require a valid passport and a visa for entry to Laos. 30 day Tourist visas are issued at the border in Houei Xai on arrival from Thailand - costs are between US$30 and US$42 depending on nationality.

Note that citizens of the EU, USA, Canada, Australia & New Zealand require a valid passport but not a visa to enter Thailand for up to 30 days.

Immunisation/boosters against Hepatitis A, Japanese encephalitis, Rabies, Tetanus, Typhoid and Polio are usually recommended - please consult your doctor in good time about this (at least 6 weeks before departure) and also the latest situation on essential malaria prophylaxis and anything else they recommend. A dental check up is also a good idea. You may also wish to check the advice given to travellers by the Department of Health and the FCO.