Laos Traveller: Bangkok to Vientiane

Destinations: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Luang Prabang, Vientiane

Starts Bangkok

+ 2 Destinations Chiang Mai, Luang Prabang

Ends Vientiane

Trip overview

Many travellers just use Laos as a place to journey through on the way to somewhere else. This trip spends time in four different destinations in Laos so you'll have plenty of time to experience the country.
You'll also experience a good taste of Thailand with stops in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Chiang Khong.
This is a nofuss, nohurry holiday. Laos is one of the most relaxed countries we know, and the pace of this trip is the same, with plenty of free time to choose your own options in each destination and make the holiday your own.
Take up some of the many chances on offer to do good while you travel from visiting the Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre to eating at social enterprise restaurants like Friends International and Makphet.

Start in Bangkok and end in Vientiane, the tour Laos Traveller: Bangkok To Vientiane is a guided city sightseeing tour that takes 14 days. You will be touring through Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, Pak Beng and 4 other destinations in Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. Laos Traveller: Bangkok To Vientiane is a small group tour which will include accommodation, transport, meals and others. Please check the package includes section for more details.

In Thailand discover a country where ancient and modern collide to create the glorious chaos of Bangkok and the cultural heritage of Chiang Mai. In Laos you’ll find a land that holds to the simple traditions that have slipped away elsewhere and where the languid pace of life is eternally contagious. Explore, relax and absorb the distinct atmosphere of these two fascinating countries that sit either side of the massive Mekong River. Food, history, culture, stunning landscapes and endlessly friendly locals await on this journey through two gems of South East Asia.

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Trip Inclusion

3 stars hotels based on twin/double sharing
Meals as specified on the program
Travel in appropriate air-conditioned vehicles with experienced drivers.
Domestic Air ticket, economy class.
The services of experienced English-speaking local guides.
All entrance fees, visits, boat trip and activities mentioned on the program.
VAT and other taxes.

Trip Exclusions

Deluxe accommodation choices also available upon request.
Single supplement
International flight tickets or visas.
Beverages, gratuities and personal expenses.
Personal travel insurance.
Supplements on peak day like Xmas, New Year and public holiday

Thing To Carry

Track pants and cotton T-shirt
Extra pair of clothes
Sunscreen/cap
Rain coat/Poncho in monsoons
Moov spray, dettol solution or salt to avoid leeches

Cancellation Policy

More than 30 days prior: free cancellation
From 7 to 30 days prior: 50% of total rates.
Less than 7 days prior: 100% of total rates.
No-Show: 100% of total rates.

Confirmation Policy

The customer receives a confirmation voucher via email within 24 hours of successful booking
In case the preferred slots are unavailable, an alternate schedule of the customer’s preference will be arranged and a new confirmation voucher will be sent via email.
Alternatively, the customer may choose to cancel their booking and a full refund will be processed.

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Tour itinerary

Day 1: Bangkok (B)

Sa-wat dee! Welcome to Thailand. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm on Day 1. Please look for a note in the hotel lobby or ask the hotel reception where it will take place. Bangkok has much to offer those with time to explore. You can take a riverboat to Chinatown to sample some world-class street food, visit the Grand Palace, wander down the bustling mecca of Khao San Road or indulge in a Thai massage.

Day 2: Bangkok/Overnight Train (B)

Start the morning by jumping on a public ferry to Wat Kalayanamit and enjoy an included walking tour around the fascinating Thonburi area of Bangkok. See the mixture of cultures with Buddhist temples and Catholic Churches as you stroll around the Portuguese influenced Thonburi area. Often a spot away from the tourist trail you will experience untouched local villages living by the waterways and visit quaint local markets that have plenty of interesting snacks waiting for you to try. Finish the walking tour at Amulet market and be lured into a shopping frenzy. Enjoy free time in the afternoon for optional activities, you may want to relax with a Thai massage or visit the mysterious Jim Thompsons House. Board your overnight train this evening to Chiang Mai (approximately 13 hours). You will travel by 2nd class and your carriage is air-conditioned. Before you go, perhaps take a longtail boat trip down the Chao Phraya River to explore the famous 'khlongs' (canals) of Bangkok. Life along these canals seems a world away from the busy streets of the capital.

Day 3: Chiang Mai (B)

Wake up on the train and glimpse the northern scenery as you arrive in Chiang Mai, then transfer to your hotel. Get out and explore this 'Rose of the North', which boasts spectacular temples, delicious food, an enormous night market, a picturesque river-front and excellent shopping. Hiring a bike to get around town is a great activity, or venturing to the Doi Suthep temple 15 km out of town. There is so much to do in Chiang Mai and you have 2 full free days to do as much or little as you like.

Day 4: Chiang Mai (B)

Adventure seekers, ask your leader about white-water rafting or fly like a bird via the Jungle Flight zipline. Today is a free day and there is many optional activities your leader can help you organise. You could participate in a Thai cooking course or see those amazing Asian Elephants in a visit to the Elephant Nature Park.

Day 5: Chiang Khong (B)

Take a private minivan to Chiang Khong (approximately 5 hours). Explore this quiet town that sits on the Thai side of the Thai-Lao border. Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Luang are both well worth a visit while you are here. Perhaps rent a bicycle to explore the surrounding countryside and the banks of the Mekong. Your accommodation tonight is a basic guesthouse.

Day 6: Mekong River - Pak Beng (B)

This morning you will complete border formalities at Huay Xai before boarding a private boat with your group to begin your two-day journey down the Mekong River (6–7 hours today). While the boat is basic, the journey is relaxed, a lovely way to experience the slow pace of village life and gorgeous scenery along the river. Dock at the small trading port of Pak Beng in the late afternoon and spend the night in a basic guesthouse.

Day 7: Mekong River - Luang Prabang (B)

Board the boat again and cruise downriver at a leisurely pace to Luang Prabang (6–7 hours). Arriving late afternoon, you'll have time to hit the highly recommended night market food stalls, a great place to mingle with the locals and enjoy a meal with fellow travellers. With temples and French colonial villas lining the Mekong under blazing orange skies, you can see why this city has a reputation for exotic beauty.

Day 8: Luang Prabang (B)

Join your guide for a walk around the local area, learning more about Lao culture at the temple of Wat Phra Mahathat. Today and tomorrow are then yours to spend as you please. Take the time to explore the local market by day, where the textiles made by local women will amaze. You can also make the steep climb up Mount Phousi, the spiritual and geographical heart of the city and a prime location to see the sunset over the Mekong.

Day 9-9: Luang Prabang (B)

Your leader can help you organise many optional activities today. Kuang Si Falls, a spectacular spot to swim, is well worth a visit. Also at the gate entrance to the waterfalls you will have the chance to stop by the Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre where you can see the wonderful work this center is doing to rescue bears from poachers and provide them with a home. If you want to learn more about the local cuisine you can enjoy a cooking demonstration in the heart of town. Perhaps you want to see Laos gentle giants by visiting Mandalao Elephant Conservation. Here you can choose to do a variety of tours that get you close to these magnificent elephants. Your leader can help you to organise one of these special excursions.

Day 10: Vang Vieng (B)

Take a private mini bus through dusty villages and winding mountain roads to Vang Vieng (approximately 7 hours). The mountain scenery en route is as impressive as that of your destination. Situated on the Nam Song River, Vang Vieng is surrounded by towering limestone karsts. The standard of accommodation in Vang Vieng is basic but comfortable.

Day 11: Vang Vieng (B)

Vang Vieng is known as an adventure town, thanks to its unique and varied surrounding country. Its many local caves are easily accessible and make for great day trips or half-day trips. Notably, Tham Chang, with its beautiful cavern fed by a natural spring, is an interesting swimming hole. Those looking to relax or perhaps learn more about local niche industry can visit the organic mulberry farm just outside town and enjoy a meal there (guided tours of the farm are available).

Day 12: Vientiane (B)

Take a beautiful local bus ride through roadside villages to Vientiane (approximately 4 hours). Enjoy the slow pace of what is possibly Asia's most laid-back capital city. On a guided walk you will visit the key Buddhist sites Wat Si Saket and Haw Phra Kaew, and continue on to Patuxai (Victory Gate) for unsurpassed views over the city. You will also visit COPE, an organisation dedicated to assisting those who have been injured by the multitude of unexploded ordnance across the country.

Day 13: Vientiane (B)

Today is a free day. Be sure to sample some of the top-quality cuisine on offer here, from French to Laotian and everything in between. Follow tracks along the river to find villages full of friendly children, dogs and chickens. Or perhaps hone your newfound Lao language skills at the morning market, which is in fact open all day and is full of local treasures. A further option is a tuk-tuk journey to Buddha Park.

Day 14: Vientiane (B)

Your trip ends after breakfast today and you are free to depart at any time.

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Price from USD $1.215

Trip code BT0549

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