4-Day Laos Tour of Vientiane and Luang Prabang with Mekong Cruise

• Meet your tour guide at the airport and transfer to the hotel. The capital city of Laos, Vientiane still feels like a sleepy city with relaxed charm, tree-lined boulevards, interesting wats, and colorful markets.

• Tour the highlights of the city, including Pha That Luang, a gleaming golden stupa that is perhaps the most important national monument in Laos; Ho Pha Keo, the former royal temple, now a museum with beautiful examples of Buddhist sculpture; Wat Si Saket; and Patuxai, a monumental arch inspired by the Arc de Triomphe but executed with Lao motifs.

Overnight in Vientiane.

• Take a flight from Vientiane to Luang Prabang (45 minutes). Luang Prabang is an enchanting town filled with historic temples and colonial-style buildings. The entire town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

• Begin your tour with Wat Visoun (Wat Wisunalat). The oldest living temple in Luang Prabang, Wat Visoun dates back to 1513 and contains a collection of antique wooden Buddhas.

• Visit the nearby Wat Aham before continuing to Wat Xieng Thong, the crowning jewel of all the monasteries and temples in the city. Its many ornate buildings feature exquisite mosaic and gold-stenciled murals.

• From there, stroll down the main street (Wat Street) of Luang Prabang. Stop at some of the many temples that line its sides, including Wat Sibounheuang, Wat Si Moungkhoun, Wat Sop, and Wat Sene.

• Visit Mount Phousi for sunset. Climb 328 steps, starting from the entrance on the opposite side of the National Museum, or 410 steps on the other side of the Khan River, to the small temples atop Phousi.

• Visit the National Museum (Royal Palace), a modest but graceful building that combines traditional Lao and French beaux-arts motifs. This turn-of-the-century royal residence remains as it was when the royal family last lived here and provides unique insights into the history of Laos.

• Continue to Wat Mai, constructed in 1821 during the reign of King Manthatourath. It was once the residence of Phra Sangkharaj, the Patriarch of the Buddhist clergy.

• Take an excursion by boat to the Tham Pak Ou Caves and travel up the Mekong River to the steep limestone cliffs overlooking the Mekong and Nam Ou rivers, home to these extraordinary caves. They are filled with Buddha images of every style and material imaginable.

• On the return journey, stop at Ban Xand Hai Village, a local village famous for the production of lao lao, the local rice wine whisky. Visit Ban Xang Khong, a village near Luang Prabang well known for its traditional handwoven cotton and silk, as well as the production of local sa (mulberry) paper.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

• Visit Kuang Si Waterfall, located in a perfect natural setting near Luang Prabang. This multi-tiered waterfall tumbles over limestone formations into a series of turquoise pools.

• Enjoy swimming in the clear water or simply relaxing in the natural environment.

• Visit a local village (Ban Ou or Ban Na Ouane) on the way to Luang Prabang.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.