Thailand & Laos

Welcome to Bangkok, the capital and biggest city in Thailand! After clearing customs and retrieving your luggage, please make your way to the arrival hall, where you will find your local experienced tour guide holding a welcome board. After a warm greeting, a comfortable transfer will take you to the hotel. You will be free for the reminder of the day.

Accommodation: Movenpick Bangkok Sukhumvit 15

Today's sightseeing will start with Wat Pho, where you will have a chance to watch the monks doing early Morning Prayer. As the oldest and largest temple in Bangkok, Wat Pho holds more than one thousand Buddha statues, including the impressive 45-meter (148-feet) reclining Buddha. We will then proceed to the Grand Palace complex, which covers the famous Wat Phra Kaew (the Temple of the Emerald Buddha). You will be astonished by its colorful and ornate buildings and your guide will introduce you to the history and culture behind them.

After having lunch at a local restaurant, you will be escorted to board a private long-tail boat onto Klong Bang Luang. As the boat sails slowly along the waterway, you will be immersed in the stunning natural scenery. En route, you will also observe the fancy shops as well as some local temples. Afterwards, we will stop at Baan Silapin, an inspiring art gallery. Here you can either make crafts in an art workshop or take some time to walk around the neighborhood. A traditional Thai puppet performance will come next (if available). On the way back to the hotel, we will visit Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn), which is one of the city's most eye-catching landmarks. The exterior of this temple is beautifully decorated with ceramic pieces donated by local people.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, we'll set out for a day trip to Ayutthaya, which is about 72 kilometers (45 miles) north of Bangkok. As an ancient capital of Thailand, Ayutthaya had prospered for several centuries, and the city has retained numerous historical relics and sites. En route, we will visit Bang Pa-In Royal Palace, the country's biggest and most beautiful summer retreat for the royal family since Ayutthaya Period (135 – 1767). Then continue our visit to Wat Niwet Thammaprawat, which was built in distinctive gothic style. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. The afternoon will be devoted to the most important temples in the historical park of Ayutthaya. In the late afternoon, you will be transferred back to Bangkok.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, bid farewell to Bangkok and fly to Chiang Mai, where your local guide will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to the hotel. After a short break, we will drive to the attractive Meo Hill Tribe Village to meet the friendly local people and learn about their lifestyle. We will then take a scenic drive to WatPhra That DoiSuthep. In addition to admiring the stunning temple on the hilltop, we will also get a breathtaking view of Chiang Mai.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: The Rim

A fun-filled and relaxing day awaits you! Today we will have a join-in tour to the Elephant Nature Park, which is a natural home and sanctuary for elephants, buffalos, dogs, cats, birds and many other rescued animals. Here you can get close to these intelligent creatures, and be amazed by their various abilities. A sumptuous and varied buffet of Asian and International dishes will be served at around noon. In the afternoon, you will be transferred back to the hotel in Chiang Mai and enjoy the remainder of the day on your own.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, we will leave for Chiang Rai. En route, we will first make a relaxing stopover at a hot spring and then have a brief break at the Mae Sai Border (the migration fee of THB500 for one day crossing to Myanmar will be at your own expense). Later we will visit the Golden Triangle in Chiang Sean, where Myanmar, Laos and Thailand meet. Then follows by a visit to Akha and Yao hill tribal villages, where people still live their traditional way of life, such as living in the dwelling houses and wearing the ethnic dressing. Afterwards, continue to drive to Chiang Khong which is the Thai counterpart to the Lao border town of Huay Xai, for overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Chiangkhong Teak Garden Riverfront Hotel

We will leave for the Thai-Lao border in Chiang Khong early this morning. The Laos representative from Luang Say Cruise will meet you at the border, help you get a shuttle bus to cross the bridge, and assist you in Laos visa application (Laos Visa fee will be on your own). After finishing Laos immigration formalities, you will be transferred to the pier together with other group members to embark on the Luang Say Cruise boat, which leaves at around 09:30 am down the Mekong River (If you prefer to take a private boat, please ask your travel consultant for details). After about an hour, the boat will stop at a traditional village, from where you can get an up-close view of the ethnic minorities as well as the country life. Then return to the boat and enjoy a buffet lunch onboard. The boat will arrive at Pakbeng in the late afternoon. Enjoy a Laotian dinner and appreciate the sunset scene over the Mekong River. Stay overnight at Luang Say Lodge. 

Note: Luang Say cruise does not leave every day, only two or three times a week according to the season. In case the date doesn't fit your schedule, the itinerary may be adjusted.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Luang Say Lodge

If you are an early bird, you can ramble around Pakbeng's morning market for an authentic Lao experience. At 08:00 am, your boat trip will continue on to Ban Baw village, where you can observe the making of local traditional rice wine. A buffet lunch will be served on board. The next shore excursion will be the Pak Ou Caves, where you can see hundreds of Buddha statues in different sizes and styles. The boat will dock at Luang Prabang after about two hours. On arrival, your private guide and driver will greet you at the pier and escort you to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Victoria Xiengthong Palace

In the early morning, you will be guided to see the monks receiving morning alms, followed by a visit to Phousi Market. Then return to the hotel to have breakfast and afterwards, we will head to Wat Sene, a Thai-style temple founded in 1718, Wat Xieng Thong, the city's most beautiful temple -, and Wat Wisunalat, the city's holiest temple. We will also pay a visit to the neighboring Wat Aham. After that, we will go to Wat Mai, which is the most ornately decorated temple in the city. Just next to Wat Mai is the Royal Palace Museum, where you can get a glimpse into the history of the Lao Royal Family. We will then climb up to the top of Mount Phousi to take in the 360-degree panorama of LuangPrabang at sunset.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

We will shift gears and do something different this morning. Right after breakfast, we will leave for Kuang Si Falls, which boast stunning, naturally beautiful gorgeous waterfalls, bright turquoise pools and lush jungles. On the way, stop off in Ban Ouay to observe life in a Lao ethnic minority village. Upon arrival, in addition to admiring the intoxicating landscape, you can also swim or splash in the water. After that, you will be taken to LuangPrabang Airport to board a flight to Vientiane, the capital of Lao. On arriving, your guide will pick you up and transfer you to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Lao Poet Hotel

Following breakfast at your hotel, we will head for Wat Si Saket, which is the oldest and most beautiful temple in Vientiane. There are thousands of statues of Buddha, large and small, carved on its perimeter walls. We will then go to Wat Ho Phakeo, which once was a royal temple, and now is a Buddhist museum. On our way to the Great Sacred Stupa (Pha That Luang), we will pass the impressive Patuxay, which is similar to the Arc de Triumph in Paris. In the afternoon, we will visit Buddha Park to see hundreds of interesting Buddhist and Hindu statues. We will round off the day viewing the Mekong River at sunset.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

You will be free this morning until you're transferred to the airport for your outbound flight. We hope you have had a pleasant experience and wish you a nice trip home!

Meals: Breakfast