Best of Cambodia & Laos 8 days

DETAILED INTINERARY

Day 1: Arrive in Phnom Penh
Upon arrival in Phnom Penh, you will be greeted at the airport and transferred to your hotel. You will have free time before dinner at a local restaurant and an overnight stay in Phnom Penh.

Day 2: Phnom Penh (B/L)
There will be a city tour including the Silver Pagoda, the National Museum, the Toul Sleng Museum of Genocide, and Wat Phnom. You will then have free time until you have dinner at a local restaurant and an overnight stay in Phnom Penh.

Day 3: Phnom Penh - Siem Reap (B/D)
In the morning you will transfer to Phnom Penh Airport for departure to Siem Reap. Upon arrival in Siem Reap, you will transfer direct to the ecological site and visit the South Gate of Angkor Thom, famous Bayon, Baphoun, the Terrace of the Leper King and more. You will experience the wonder of Angkor Wat and bask in the sunset from Phnom Bakheng Hill. You will then have a dinner with an Apsara show at a local restaurant before and overnight stay in Siem Reap.

Day 4: Siem Reap (B/L)
Today you will visit fabulous Ta Prohm (embraced by the roots of enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers), Pre Rup, East Mebon and Neak Poan. In the afternoon you will visit Krovan, the Royal Bath of Srah Srang and Banteay Kdei temples before an overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 5: Siem Reap - Luang Prabang (B/D)
You will take a flight to Luang Prabang, which is perhaps the best preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. On arrival, we will transfer you to your hotel. Today you will visit Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham and Wat Mai. You then climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa, as well as viewing a beautiful and panoramic sunset over the ancient city and the Mekong River. After that, it’s off to the Night Market, where you can find a lovely selection of textiles made by the local and the hill tribe people from areas surrounding Luang Prabang.  You will stay overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 6: Pak Ou cave – Khouangsi Waterfall (B/D)
An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (often in the form of sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the ritual.

After breakfast, you will enjoy a short guided tour of the city's oldest temple, Wat Sene, and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong, with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. We then board a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which gives you a panoramic view of the tranquil countryside as well as an interesting visit to the mysterious Pak Ou Caves.  The two linked caves are crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. Along the way, you will stop at the small village of Ban Xanghai, where the local rice wine is distilled. You will return to Luang Prabang in the afternoon and on the way take a short drive to Ban Phanom, a small village well known for its hand weaving.

After lunch you continue towards the Khouangsi Waterfall, and en route visit the local villages of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay, Ban Ou, Laoloum and Ban Thapene.  You then drive to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall. Here you can take a dip in the inviting pools or walk along the forest trails surrounding the waterfall. Return to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon and continue to Ban Xangkhong, a village well known for silk hand weaving and for traditional Saa paper making. You will watch the sunset at Wat Siphouthabath and have dinner at local restaurant before and overnight stay in Luang Prabang.

Day 7: Luang Prabang – Vientiane (B/D)
The National Museum (closed Tuesdays) at the former Royal Palace, displays a lovely collection of the artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through the last sovereign. The National Museum and the Central Market are not to be missed and you will visit these sights in the morning before catching your flight back to Vientiane .

You will visit the major sights of the capital, including Wat Sisaket (with thousands of miniature Buddha statues) and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha image. On the way to the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, you can stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triomphe. You will then watch the sunset by the Mekong riverside and spend the evening here absorbing the city's nightlife. You will have dinner at a local restaurant and an overnight stay in Vientiane .

Day 8: Departure (B)
After breakfast you will visit the Morning Market and the weaving village of Ban Nong Bouathong (if time permits). Then you will transfer to Wattay Airport for your departure. Thanks for joining us at Luxury Travel!