Itinerary

1. Day 1- Arrive in Bangkok

   • Meet the tour representative at the Bangkok Airport and transfer to the hotel.
   • Have some free time and meet the tour guide at 6 pm to talk you through the tour. 

   Have dinner.

2. Day 2- Explore the Highlights of Bangkok

   • Head out to explore the Royal Palace, Bangkok’s biggest attraction-with the Temple of the Emerald Buddha as its centrepiece. Just 10 minute's walk from the Palace is Wat Po, which houses the famous reclining Buddha. 

   Or

   • Take a quick spin on a bike to see what the city has to offer or try the longboats that glide through the man-made canals, its waters washing the walls of houses queuing up along their banks. Get a taste of an alternative lifestyle here – a complete antithesis to the noise and neon often associated with Bangkok. (Make sure you have eaten enough because you'll need energy.)
   • Regroup in the afternoon and go all out on a street food tour. 
   • Round off the day by boarding an overnight train to Chiang Mai.

3. Day 3- Visit the Gems of Chiang Mai

   • Arrive early in the morning at Chiang Mai. Dust yourself off from the remnants of last night's travel, freshen up at the hotel and then follow your tour leader to the old city to get your bearings and appease your stomach with some local breakfast. There’s much in Chiang Mai that’ll get your heart rate shifting up a gear or two. Primary among these is the Muay Thai experience. Find out what the fuss is all about -these boxing tournaments draw thousands to the ring, and don’t say we didn’t warn you about shouting yourself hoarse along with the locals! 
   • Space out the rest of your day between zip lining, abseiling, or white water rafting while keeping an eye out for the Elephant Nature Park or checking in to a cooking class to keep things a bit more steady and sedate. 

   Or

   • You can explore the ancient walled city, drop in to look at the 19th-century wall paintings at Wat Phra Singh or wander through some of the typically Thai open markets that spring especially alive in the evening. Feel free to rack your tour leader’s brain so that you get the best out of Chiang Mai!

4. Day 4- Meet the Locals in the Village of Chiang Mai

   • Get ready for some rural experiences as you peddle out of town and into the swaying field of rice paddies, orchards and gurgling streams, adorning the backdrop of local villages. Lift your hands in greeting and stretch your lips into a smile as the locals accost and engage with you as well. 
   • Drop by a local restaurant for lunch and then hit your stride again as you wander through the grounds of an old temple and discover the ruins of an old city. 
   • Head back to town after this and as the day wears out, strike out for the 14thcentury Phra That Doi Suthep Temple that keeps a watchful eye on the city from its elevated height.

5. Day 5- Reach Houay Xai

   • Make a pit stop at Wat Rung Khun, a temple that’s as visually startling as the contemporary twist its maker gives to ancient philosophy. Although not very old- the temple is remarkable in terms of its design and concept and increasingly makes it to the list of any architectural wonder worth its salt in Thailand. 
   • Arrive at the Laos border- linked to Thailand by a bridge over the Mekong River (around mid-afternoon). After we’re done with all the paperwork, we make our way to Houay Xai, where we spend the night. While Houay Xai is a small town and the nightlife is something that needs a little imagination, it might be a good idea to trudge down to some of the restaurants down by the waterfront to get your first taste of Beer Lao and watch the sun leaves its mark on the river as it too settles in for the night.

6. Day 6- Boat ride to Pakbeng

   • Step onto your slow boat after breakfast and drift down the Mekong as the mountains recede and the breeze gently worries your hair like a constant companion. 
   • Snuggle back in your seat, fish out that book you’ve been lugging around and relax because the journey to Pakbeng will take approximately 7 hours.

7. Day 7- See the Buddha Statues at Pak Ou Caves

   • Continue your journey down the Mekong as we head for Luang Prabang this morning. Keep an eye out for the tiny villages that dot the riverbanks as you pass by, as well as the landscape that changes with every bend in the river. 
   • Stop by the Pak Ou Caves. Its entrance is marked by steps that look like a giant white tongue from afar, rolling out from the yawning limestone cliffs. 
   • Explore a thousand statues of the Buddha with minor imperfections that call these caves their home and take away the feeling of reverence the locals have for the place.

8. Day 8- Swim at the Kuang Si Falls

   •  See the Kuang Si Falls this morning and fall head first into this idyll, with turquoise waters gently slipping over tiers of terraced outcrops, carved over centuries and with the constant gurgle of a watery conversation to keep you company. It’s quite easy to spend hours and minutes here. 
   • Slip into your bathers and lower yourself into the clear pool at the base of the fall or go higher up where the upper falls reveal themselves in different dimensions to the faithful. 
   • Try and tear yourself away from this piece of heaven and when you’ve succeeded, visit a local organic farm on your way back for some lunch and perhaps chug a cold refreshing Beer Lao while you’re at it.

9. Day 9- Rest Day (or Optional Tour)

   • Choose any from the following (options):
     • Try your hand at being a rice farmer for a few hours as you share the paddy fields with water buffaloes, or just enjoy the settings of terraced fields cradled by mountains and lush forests on all sides. 
     • Go biking, visit some of the temples around the city and learn about the stories associated with them. 
     • Hit the waters on a kayak or just relax by the pool.  
     • Test your cardio in the evening as you trace up more than 300 steps to Mount Phousi, where a spectacular sunset lurks over the Luang Prabang skyline.
   • End your stay in this laid-back town by ducking under the overhanging canopies draping its night market shops. Browse through its varied offerings and gorge on the food watching tourists and locals alike mirroring your motions.

10. Day 10- Enjoy the Scenic Views of Vang Vieng

    • Leave Luang Prabang early in the morning and journey to Vang Vieng through snaking roads, past rugged mountains that stand as custodians of the little villages that reside in its lap. 
    • Take a moment to fish out your camera and keep your finger locked on the shoot button because there's more than one photo you’ll want to frame on this route. Vang Vieng is a small town that’s as laid back as any but what makes it different from the others is the spectacular scenery and the number of adventure activities designed to widen the eye. (Consult your tour leader on what’s available and the logistics of going about it because you’ve only until the next afternoon to indulge your options.)

11. Day 11- Head to Vientiane

    • Engage in kayaking in the morning down the Nam Song River and skimming through the waters as it parts the jungle-clad landscape in half. (If you’ve still got some time on your hands, lug it across vistas of rice fields or among the many trekking routes that cut through the karst landscape.)

    Or

    • Go zip lining, chase some waterfalls or swim in the Blue Lagoon. While it may not be possible to do all of these, never say never. 
    • Catch a short ride out to Vientiane during the latter half of the day.

12. Day 12- Witness the Beauty of Vientiane

    • Explore the country’s capital. Although the typical noise and bustle of a “truly Asian” city are markedly absent in Vientiane, the city is not without its charms. Start by ascending the viewing platform of Patuxai, a war memorial influenced by French architecture but with a distinctly Laotian twist in its details. 
    • Drop in at the COPE Centre to learn about the “Secret War”, whose devastating effects still play a part in modern Lao. Bear witness to the alms-giving ceremony at the 200 years old Wat Si Saket, and later in the evening, hunker down at the Chao Anouvong Park to people watch and enjoy the shades of pink and orange as the sun sets over distant Thailand. 
    • Gather round for the last dinner with your fellow travellers and after the last farewells have been said, amble down along the riverfront to the inevitable night market to make your journey last just that bit longer.

13. Day 13- Departure

    • Bid farewell to your tour leader and new friends, but not without a backpack full of memories. (Please consult with your tour leader or the hotel desk to confirm the check out time.)