Essential Laos

The rest of the day is at leisure. Explore the town, with its lively night market and many restaurants, or just rest off the jet lag!

When you're ready, set off with your guide on a tour of Luang Prabang, taking in the former Royal Palace, a unique blend of French and Lao design that dates back to 1904; the Wat Sen temple, notable for its giant standing Buddha; and Wat Xieng Thong, perhaps the most famous temple in all of Laos, built in the mid-16th century, during which time Luang Prabang served as the capital of the Lao kingdom.

In the afternoon, leave Luang Prabang to visit a nearby weaving village. Explore the village and learn more about the local silk craft, before returning to town in time to catch the sunset view from Mount Phousi.

Luang Prabang's most prominent landmark, Mount Phousi is a 100m high stupa-crowned hill that dominates the town skyline. It's a short, steep climb to the top, but worth it for the marvellous view. You can guarantee that you won't be the only person making the climb. Phousi is always busy with travellers and locals alike—in the evening, it can often feel like the whole of Luang Prabang has gathered together to watch the sunset!

Small, cramped, and barely visible at a distance, the Pak Ou Caves appear unremarkable as you approach them. That is, until you step inside and see the many hundreds of Buddha images that line the cavern walls, many of them centuries old. Look closely and you'll notice that many are also damaged, for the caves are not a shrine as is sometimes assumed, but rather a repository for old Buddha images no longer fit for the altar due to damage or age. The statues have not been entirely abandoned, however. Each New Year they are removed from the caves and bathed in the Mekong in a ceremony that attracts boatloads of pilgrims!

After exploring the caves, walk to a nearby village for lunch. While here, you might like to sample the local rice whisky, or “lao lao”, a specialty of the region, before returning to Luang Prabang by car.

Laos is of course famous for its traditional crafts, so this morning you'll also have the chance to visit a number of Khmu and Hmong villages – at Ban Ouay, Laoloum and Ban Thapene – where you can explore workshops and learn more about the local economy. Then, later in the morning, continue to the beautiful Khouang Si Falls for a dip in the water followed by a walk in the forest.

Returning to town, stop at Wat Siphoutthabat Thippharam, which offers a high vantage point from which to watch the sunset. The school, which doesn’t attract the bustle of Mount Phousi, offers a superb vantage point for sunset views of the Mekong River.

After you've checked into your hotel, lunched and rested, enjoy a guided tour of the Buddha Park, a collection of hundreds of Buddhist and Hindu statues and sculptures set in a beautiful location on the banks of the Mekong, just outside the capital. Many of the statues at the Buddha Park are over 500 years old, and much larger in scale than those at the Pak Ou Caves. Collectively, they form a stunning spectacle.

Watch the sun set over the park before returning to your hotel in Vientiane.

In the afternoon visit Laos' national monument and holiest site, Pha That Luang, a huge gold-plated stupa located in the centre of town, and the Patuxai, or independence monument.