A discreet experience in Laos

We arrive at the Vientiane Wattay International Airport and go through immigration formalities. Our English-speaking guide welcomes us there.

We head to our hotel by private car to settle in.

We have the rest of the afternoon free. We can enjoy beautiful walks to observe the majestic temples that line the main street. We also make sure to admire the beautiful colonial buildings in the city center.

At the end of the day, meet at the night market and at Chao Anouvong Park to watch the magnificent sunset over the Mekong. It is the meeting place of locals.

Dinner is on your own, but it is recommended to head to the Suntara restaurant which offers a superb view of the Mekong. It is located in a new trendy neighbourhood where the youth and jet set of Vientiane meet.

After breakfast, we meet our English-speaking guide at 9 am.

Today we discover the daily life of Vientiane by tuk tuk. To start, we stay in the heart of the city to taste kao larm, a sweet snack much appreciated by locals. This sticky rice with coconut is prepared in bamboo tubes. We can also see how this delicious specialty is made.

Then we visit a local fresh food market to appreciate the incredible diversity of Laotian cuisine. From the terrace of a traditional café, we can observe the activities on the market.

Next, we observe craftsmen at work in a family goldsmith workshop that produces complex pieces, both traditional and modern. We discover up close the process of making the pieces and how this traditional craft is passed down from generation to generation.

We enjoy lunch at a Laotian restaurant nestled in a popular residential area.

We then head back towards the city. Optionally, we can make a brief stop at COPE (Rehabilitation Centre for Bomb Victims) on the way. This place reveals to the public the effects of wars and conflicts that struck the region and the country around the 1970s. It displays the consequences that continue to affect the daily life of the local population. It provides insights into Laos's history, including the "Secret War" or "American War" also featuring Vietnam

It is now time for us to go to the temple to learn about the way traditional Laotian Buddhist offerings are made, Mak Beng and Peung pasaat, composed of banana leaves and flower wax. We then carry them to Vat Simueang, a popular temple in the city.

Free dinner. The Dyen Sabai restaurant is an excellent option to soak in a peaceful, intimate and family-friendly atmosphere. This magnificent setting is located on the opposite bank of the Nam Khan. It allows you to discover, among other things, the Sindat, the Laotian barbecue where vegetable broth and grilled meat are cooked at the same time around a metal dome.

After breakfast, we set off in a 4x4 to travel about thirty kilometers from the resort. We reach the summit of a mountain to enjoy a splendid view of the surrounding landscape. Along a 7 km route, we can observe the traditional and rural life of the villagers.

Return to the resort and lunch on your own.

Free afternoon as well. We can venture over to the floating pool or enjoy other activities offered by the hotel, such as cycling, jet skiing, water skiing, kayaking or pedal boating.

We have breakfast before starting a cycling tour of the main monuments of Luang Prabang, a city inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1995.

We start with the Royal Palace which has become the National Museum and the Vat Mai as well as the Heritage House or Heuan Chan Heritage. This allows us to better understand the policy of protection and enhancement of the city of Luang Prabang.

At Vat Xieng Mouane, we will have the opportunity to discover crafts dedicated to Buddhist art at its training center. We then walk past the façade of the French Institute of Luang Prabang, former residence of comedian Pierre Desproges.

We leave our bikes to take a tuk tuk for the rest of the day.

We have lunch at the Pha Khao Lao restaurant to taste dishes with local flavors, particularly those from Luang Prabang's culinary art.

If we feel like it, visiting an ethnology museum can occupy an afternoon (closed on Mondays). With this option, we will have the opportunity to better understand the ethnic diversity of Laos as well as its culture.

We then observe a ritual ceremony very much practiced by Hmong minorities. Namely, Laos is a country of many ethnicities with immense cultural wealth that is displayed through a multitude of behaviors, rituals, languages, clothing, beliefs, dialects... This diversity is particularly evident in the northern part of the territory. The Hmongs make up the majority of its population. They are animists who perceive life as a perpetual cycle of birth and rebirth around 2 physical worlds that exist at the same time. These beliefs encompass different types of spirits, including those of ancestors. According to them, a certain number of souls live together in the human body, and in the absence of one of these souls, humans can face illness.

To combat these ailments, the Hmongs invoke Shamans who are in contact with the Gods and spirits, by making offerings around an animal sacrifice. They believe that the souls of sacred animals are in connection with the souls of humans to protect them.

Then we return to the hotel for an immersion in the art of dining in Laos, through a cooking class organized by the renowned Tamarind restaurant. Lao cuisine requires many fresh products, especially herbs.

After preparing the dishes, we sit down to enjoy these delicacies carefully prepared (drinks not included).

After breakfast, we head to the famous Kuang Si Falls. These waterfalls are located 32 km from Luang Prabang. The road leading there is lined with splendid rice field landscapes. On site, we enjoy its pools of crystal-clear waters. We will visit its small permanent exhibition focused on the preservation of Southeast Asian black bears threatened with extinction.

Apart from the waterfalls which are a major attraction in the region, we have the opportunity to swim in natural pools with turquoise and crystal-clear waters.

Before returning to the city, we will take a short half-hour detour to the buffalo farm "Lao Buffalo Dairy". There we will receive information about the situation of this animal in Laos and the care given to them.

We can also get close to a few and bottle-feed the young ones. At the end of the visit, we will enjoy artisanal ice creams made from buffalo milk. Available flavors: fruits, sesame, lemongrass (depending on the season).

It should be noted that this animal is emblematic of the countryside in Asian countries. Yet this bovine species is facing extinction despite its importance. The neonatal mortality rate is around 50% because at this stage, buffalo calves do not have access to sufficient nutrients. With this in mind, the Laotian government has organized itself to increase its herds with prevention and breeding projects. This is how the Buffalo Farm in Luang Prabang expanded by coupling these programs with local breeders. This farm is also focusing on the dairy and cheese industry.

At the end of the visit, we taste ice creams made from buffalo milk which are flavored differently depending on the season: fruits, sesame, lemongrass…

In the afternoon, we head to Nahm Dong Park to spend an authentic moment to the sound of waterfalls with magnificent views overlooking the Luang Prabang valley. Various activities await us there, including hiking through the jungle and suspension bridges, zip-lining…

At the end of the day, we return to Luang Prabang where we have the opportunity to participate in a game of pétanque with the locals, a unique moment filled with joy and laughter to share. It should be noted that Laotians are excellent players.

Dinner is free, but the small Restaurant Bamboo Tree Lao is recommended. Chef Linda awaits us there with her refined and very fresh local cuisine. This place overlooks the Nam Kan river, in the heart of the old town.

We wake up at dawn to participate in the alms-giving ceremony to the monks of the city. This takes place between 5:30 and 6:00 in the morning.

Before returning to the hotel, we can make a detour to the morning market.

With our guide, we leave our accommodation at 8:30 a.m. to head towards the Nam Khan river valley. We will go down to the elephant camp.

On site, we are given a brief introduction to the camp and its elephants before starting the visit. In particular, we are told about their living conditions: veterinary care, food, well-being, etc. We will have the chance to walk alongside one of these Asian giants through the forest.

We can explore the Tad Sae waterfalls, especially from July to December when the pools are full of water.

We then return to the camp to have lunch in the form of a buffet.

In the afternoon, we return to Luang Prabang to learn more about the secrets of bamboo, an important element in Laotian culture. An experienced weaver first teaches us how to weave bamboos. Then a few activities introduce us to the usefulness of bamboo products in daily life (fishing equipment, hunting gear, musical instruments, etc.).

Subsequently, we are given a cooking class on the theme of bamboo-based specialties. We therefore participate in the preparation of dishes that we will taste at dinner in the sala overlooking a magnificent landscape.

We start the day with a delicious breakfast before visiting Vat Xieng Thong located at the confluence of the Mekong River and the Nam Khan river. It is an emblematic temple of the city that stands out for its typically local architecture. Countless devotees consider it a major pilgrimage site.

We take a shared boat to head to the Pak Ou caves. We stop at the village of Ban Xang Hai which is known for its rice alcohol production. The alcohol content varies from 25 to 40 degrees, so it should be used with great caution.

Lunch on board during the return journey.

In the afternoon, we are invited to enjoy a traditional Laotian massage in Luang Prabang.

After some free time at our own pace, we can do some shopping at the city's galleries. Among many others, the beautiful Bounnachanh craft and textile gallery is worth a visit. It is nestled in an old character house near the Villa Chitdara hotel.

Optionally, we can make a little detour to Ock Pop Tok: this center is dedicated to promoting products from traditional textile craftsmanship of Laos.

We have one last "farewell drink" with a view of the Mekong (beer, fresh coconut milk, fruit shake or others).

We are transferred to the airport to catch the return flight.