VL11 Taste of Laos ( 5 days/ 4 nights )

Luang Prabang

Day 1 Arrival – Luang Prabang 
On arrival at the airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Free at leisure.

Overnight in Luang Prabang. 

Day 2 Luang Prabang – Banana Boat
This trip first takes you across the river to the steps of Long Khoune Temple, over 200 years old. It has shady grounds and interesting architectural details and paintings. Next to this temple is a cave, depending on how much you like caves depends on how far you'll venture inside this labyrinth of interesting relics and formations. From the cave you walk back through the temple grounds to a track that leads to the steps of Chomphet Temple. Climb the steps for a panoramic view of Luang Prabang. The boat awaits you at the steps to take you downstream, past mountains of lush vegetation to a small village, Ban Thin Som. Get off at this village and the captain will organize local transport for you to get to Kuangsi Waterfalls. Take the path to the waterfall and on the way visit the Bear Rescue Area and swim in the natural pools. Your driver will be waiting to take you back to the boat where you can relax with drinks and snacks and enjoy the late afternoon light on the Mekong.

Overnight in Luang Prabang. [Breakfast]

Day 3 Luang Prabang – Living Land Farm - Artisans du Mekong 
This morning we will drive to Ban Phong Van, 5km outside Luang Prabang, to visit the Living Land Farm where they grow organic vegetables, greens, herbs and rice and supply some of the leading restaurants and hotels in Luang Prabang. Coming here you will be shown how rice is grown on the farm, experience the life of a farmer and try your hand at some of the activities. Or just view it all from the comfort of our traditional Lao rice house balcony, which is surrounded by rice terraces and an organic vegetable farm. Have a local lunch at the Living Land Farm before proceeding to Artisans du Mekong in Ban Nong Xai which produces traditional mulberry paper and textiles. Artisans du Mekong was created to support local families who are able to show clients their skills with weaving or making mulberry saa paper. This beautiful place with two traditional houses shows to the clients the final products like saa paper albums, different textiles and rattan baskets. Transfer back to Luang Prabang.

Overnight in Luang Prabang. [Breakfast, Lunch]

Day 4 Luang Prabang – Lao Cooking Class - City tour 
Daytime cooking class: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.:
We’ll start with a visit to the major food market, explaining the local produce and what it is used for. Then we’ll take you to Tamarind Gardens to cook and eat:

+ Varieties of jeow: the fundamental Lao spicy dipping sauces

+ Mok Pa, a popular dish of fish steamed with herbs in banana leaves

+ Tamarind’s speciality: lemongrass stuffed with chicken & herbs

+ Orlarm, Luang Prabang’s eggplant based speciality: delicious & unusual

+ Dessert: a surprise!

+ And of course you’ll learn the art of perfecting sticky rice and how to eat it properly.

After that, we will visit to the Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artefacts.  We then head to the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roof sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Lao architecture. We also have time to visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrines of Wat Aham and Wat Mai. 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 hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang.

Overnight in Luang Prabang. [Breakfast]

Day 5 Luang Prabang – Departure 
Depending on your flight, you may have leisure time before you will be transferred to the airport in time for your departing flight.

[Breakfast]