Day 1: Luang Prabang Arrival
Upon arrival you are met and transferred to your hotel. Rest of the day is at leisure.
Day 2: City Tour and Pak Ou Cave
Explore many of the former royal capital’s cultural highlights. You’ll visit Wat Xieng Thong, one of the largest and most decorative temples, and Wat Mai, with its beautiful gilded façade. Then continue on to the former Royal Palace, a commanding structure in the center of town that until 1946 was the heart of the Lang Xang Kingdom. Today it serves as the National Museum, containing rare religious and cultural artifacts.
Next, climb 328 steps to the top of Mount Phousi and enjoy panoramic views of the city.Travel by boat up the orange colored waters of the Mekong River to the sacred Pak Ou Caves, long considered a holy spot for the Lao people. The caves are home to hundreds of statues of Buddha, big and small, that have been left by devotees. You’ll be amazed to see how many are crammed in! Along the way you will stop at a riverside village to see weavers working on ancient looms before returning to town later in the afternoon.Please note: The tour will end around 4:00 pm.
Day 3: Luang Prabang – Kuang Si Waterfall & Street Eat By Night
Today travel south to the Kuang Si Waterfall. Admire the crystal water cascading into idyllic turquoise pools. Bring a bathing suit if you would like to swim. Return back to Luang Prabang in the early afternoon. Note: Kuang Si Waterfall has less water from February to May.
In the evening at 05: 00 pm pick up from your hotel then take on a new experience with Luang Prabang street eat by night. Begin walk to the bustling Night Market to begin this culinary journey. Sample the finest ‘Namchuen,’ fried spring rolls, ‘Kaojii Ping,’ grilled sticky rice with egg, ‘Khao Nom Khok,’ coconut pancakes, and much more. Explore the narrow alleyways overflowing with delicious-smelling local produce before trying delectable ‘Sin Dat,’ traditional barbecue, overlooking the Mekong. Choose the ingredients and learn how to cook and serve everything yourself. End the tour by enjoying your creation with an ice-cold beer
Day 4: Luang Prabang – Alms Giving, local cooking class and Baci Ceremony
Rise early to the sound of the temple gong to witness Luang Prabang’s mystical ritual.
Walk downtown to watch the daily procession of about three hundred young monks who silently walk and collect sticky rice and other food in their bronze bowls. The ritual is linked to a Buddhist tradition where monks beg for their daily food as a way to demonstrate humility. If you would like to be involved in the offering of food, your guide will be more than happy to show you the respectful way to interact with monks. Feel free to take photos, however, please use discretion and refrain from using your flash.
Enjoy the rest of your morning with a stroll through Luang Prabang’s morning market where you will see the locals haggling for fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables.Next, you will head off for a unique and intimate experience meeting a true Local Legend, Mrs. Chouny. Your private transfer will take you to her beautiful home set on the banks of the Mekong valley, and here you will take a master class learning to cook Local, home cooked Laotian dishes with Mrs. Chouny and her family.
Upon arrival you will be met and welcomed by her and her family members. After you will take a walk together to a nearby local market to buy fresh ingredients for your cooking class, such as vegetables, fish, and meat, then you will return and start the cooking. Mrs. Chouny will guide you through every step from start to finish. Today’s menu will be Noung Khao (steamed sticky rice) followed by Bamboo shoot soup (Keang Nor Mai), Steamed fish in banana leaves (Mok Pa), Luang Prabang stew (Ork Lam) and Eggplant sauce (Jeo Mak Kheua). You will learn to cook this using the traditional home family style using a fire stove.The cooking activity will finish by around midday when you will sit down and enjoy your hard work for lunch with the family this will also be a wonderful experience as they will share the inspiring stories of how they came to welcome guests into their beautiful home to learn about local Laos food.
In the afternoon, cross the mighty Mekong with your bicycle on a short ferry ride to visit the stunning pagoda located on the hilltop called Wat Chom Phet, an ancient pagoda built in 1888 offering a brilliant panoramic view of the surrounding hills, Mekong River and Luang Prabang Town. Here you will witness the ancient Baci ceremony which celebrates important events and occasions such as births and marriages, entering the monkhood, and beginning a new year. The ritual of the Baci involves tying strings around a person’s wrist to preserve good luck and has become a national custom. After the ceremony, bask in the glow of your feeling of peace and enjoy the sparkling sunset over the Mekong while cycling back to Luang Prabang.
Day 5: Luang Prabang – Living Land Half Day Tour
Travel from Luang Prabang to the Living Land Farm, a community project in Pong Van Village.
In response to the destructive use of chemicals and pesticides, several farming families combined their land and adopted alternative methods to grow organic rice, vegetable, and herbs. The farm now sells their produce to restaurants and hotels, and also supports the local community through a range of projects, including education for underprivileged children.Spend the morning in the beautiful rice fields where farmers plough, plant, and harvest without the aid of machinery. Get knee deep in the mud to help plant rice and to help steer a water buffalo to plough the field. Pick fragrant herbs and colorful vegetables and learn to husk rice the traditional way. There is plenty to do on a farm, so the local farmers always appreciate the help. However, it is not compulsory to join in the fields. If you would prefer, relax on the veranda and watch from afar.
Day 6: Luang Prabang Depart
At leisure till you are transferred to the airport for your flight.
