Vietnam Laos Tour 13 days: North Vietnam & Luang Prabang Border Crossing

Arriving at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel. You’ll have time to relax after your journey. At first day in Vietnam Laos Tour 13 days, the time is your own. Overnight at the hotel in Hanoi.

Today we enjoy a full day city tour starting with the Ho Chi Minh Complex. This famous site contains the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh (closed on Friday, Monday) the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts. Close to this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of city. We follow this with the Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam and the impressive Ethnologic Museum, dedicated to Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups.  Continuing to the peaceful lake of Hoan Kiem and visit Ngoc Son temple and take a cyclo tour in Hanoi old quarter. Overnight at the hotel in Hanoi

The drive from Sapa to Paso is one of the most scenic and mountainousstretches of road in the whole of Vietnam. From Sapa town, you will drive uphill to the highest pass (Heavens Gate Pass"), which is in a height of 2000 meter. If the weather is clear the views here are magnificent. There are plenty of possibilities for making photo stops.40 km more we arrive Binh Lu where inhabit of many different of minorities. You will have chance to visit some villages surrounding the market. You will have lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch the road weaves its way through the picturesque valley, past many small villages of Red and White Hmong, Kho Mu and White Thai ethnic minorities. Overnight at the hotel in Tam Duong.

Accommodation: At the hotel in Tam Duong

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

You will start the trip today by driving back toward Tam Duong for a while, before take a right turn to a dirt road, which will lead you to Sin Ho. Again, the road today is also passing through the picturesque sceneries. Moreover  you will have chance to encounter with the minorities people as Nung, White Thai, Black Dao, Dao Tien...You will then arrive in Lai Chau. From Lai Chau to Dien Bien, you will have an easy ride on the nice road. Dien Bien Phu is well known through out the world as a battle field in the first Indochina War. The city, 45 km from the Laos border, locates in Muong Thanh Valley famous for its tasty rice and Thai minority traditional dance. Check in hotel. Overnight at the hotel in Dien Bien

After breakfast, we visit the historical sites such as De Castrie’s bunker, the Dien Bien Phu museum, the A1 hill. After lunch, transfer toward Tay Trang, cross the border and meet the Laos guide

Arrival at Tay Trang border. Meet local Lao guide and driver (appointment should be around 9-9h30 at border)

Drive to Oudomxay province (~5-6h). On the way stop to visit Akha people at Pak Nam Noy, a peaceful mountainside village sits on the Phak River, set in a cool climate and surrounded by forests and nature.

Arrive and check in hotel. Time at leisure.

Lunch at local restaurant. Diner on your own. Overnight in hotel

Arrival at Tay Trang border. Meet local Lao guide and driver (appointment should be around 9-9h30 at border)

Drive to Oudomxay province (~5-6h). On the way stop to visit Akha people at Pak Nam Noy, a peaceful mountainside village sits on the Phak River, set in a cool climate and surrounded by forests and nature.

Arrive and check in hotel. Time at leisure.

Lunch at local restaurant. Diner on your own. Overnight in hotel

Breakfast at hotel

Depart to Nong Khiew (~4h). Arrival and lunch at local restaurant.

In the afternoon, embark on long tail boat and enjoy cruising (~1h) on Nam Ou river to Muang Ngoy. Visit around Muang Ngoy then and start a hiking to Ban Na village. After the first 30 minutes, a stop at Tam Khang Cave, a former sheltering cave for local villagers during Indochina war (1960-1972), will be the occasion to learn about Lao history or to refresh in the waters nearby. The hike will continue through a lush vegetation and crossing rice paddies to reach the charming village of Ban Na, after around 1 hour walk. The traditional community life revolves around the local handicrafts and the rice cultivation. After enjoying the view of the rice fields and the surrounding hills from a small terrace, the trail heading back to Muang Ngoy will reveal further beautiful natural landscapes.

Cruise back to Nong Khiew. Check in hotel and time at leisure.

Diner on your own. Overnight in hotel

Breakfast at hotel

Depart to Luang Prabang. On the way, stop to visit weaving village Ban Nayang.

Continue your journey to Ban Pak Ou village. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant before crossing Mekong River to Pak Ou Cave.  After visiting the cave, we enjoy boat trip on Mekong River to Luang Prabang. There is time to visit some of the villages along the Mekong River. We may have an opportunity to enjoy the sunset while cruising downstream. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel. 

Diner on your own. Overnight at the hotel

Wake up as the sun rises, we will prepare to join the most sacred tradition of Laos, the daily morning alms giving, which dates to the 14th century. More than 200 Buddhist monks depart from various temple to gather their daily meal from the faithful residents sitting quietly on the streets.
From there, we will visit the temporary morning market near the former Royal Palace. Just set on the ground, the local people come here to barter their day’s catch from rice, to vegetable, to fish, or chicken. This is the best chance to experience the flavor of local life
Your full day city tour begins after breakfast, with a visit to the Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts. We then enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temple of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture.

Lunch at local restaurant

We then visit Wat Visoun, dating back to 1513 during the reign of King Wisunarat (Visoun), this is Luang Prabang’s oldest temple and was once home to the Prabang Buddhas. From there we stroll around to visit Wat Aham, which was once the residence of Sangkharat, the supreme head of Lao Buddhism.

We then take a short walk around the small roads of city center, watching the life of local people, and visiting the traditional house of Heuan Chan, the Chantal wooden house dating back to 100 years old. Late afternoon, we climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a panoramic sunset view of the city and the Mekong River. 

The tour ends after a visit to the famous Night Market, where you can find a lovely selection of handmade textiles made by local and hilltribe people surrounding Luang Prabang.

Diner on your own. Overnight in Luang Prabang