3 DAYS VIENTIANE
DAY 1 ARRIVAL VIENTIANE – VIENTIANE [-]
Guests are warmly welcomed by our airport representative before being transferred to your booked accommodation in the heart of the Laotian capital. Laos’ national capital Vientiane offers a blend of French-colonial architecture and Asian spirituality, most notably the golden 16th-century Pha That Luang – the nation’s symbol of independence and sovereignty. Visitors can stroll along smart tree-lined boulevards and enjoy drinks at Fa Ngum, a pleasant road adjoining the Mekong River.
No lunch is included
The rest of the day is at leisure. Modern-day Vientiane has many surprises for the more discerned explorer. The capital does not represent your typical thought when you compare this with any other capital in South-East Asia. Built along the curve of Mekong River this endearing town simply breathes a relaxed, timeless atmosphere. Even though small in size, this French-influenced example has long been praised for its simple pleasures found in abundance; small cafes that serve excellent croissants with a good cup of coffee and colonial style buildings.
No dinner included
Overnight at your booked accommodation in Vientiane
DAY 02 VIENTIANE [B]
Breakfast is included at your booked hotel in Vientiane
After breakfast, you will meet your guide and driver for a brewing-filled morning. Laos has stayed under the radar as a coffee nation to be reckoned with. With quite a number of coffee shops, guests will head out to the “Bean Discovery”, a dedicated workshop lasting one hour that goes deeper into the art and cultivating of Laotian coffee. Guided by a local coffee professional at their own little caffeine-rich roasting establishment, guests where you will be explained about all aspects of the coffee culture and its processes. A hands-on part of coffee making is brewing your own cup in true Laotian style as your reward to confirm this authentic experience.
Continue to one of the main temples in Vientiane. Wat Si Saket is Laos’ only temple that survived the Siamese invasion in 1828 which devastated most of Vientiane. It is also the capital’s oldest Buddhist temple. Wat Si Saket has an ornate design with a five-tiered pitched roof adorned with serpents and a pretty floral ceiling in the ordination hall. A museum now resides in the cloister housing over 10,000 Buddha sculptures images with the oldest dating back to the sixteen century.
The morning ends with entering the spiritual realm of the Ho Phra Keo, also known as Haw Phra Kaew. It is one of Laos’ most highly revered temples which is surrounded by well-maintained gardens. It was built as a temple for the royals in 1565 when the capital was moved from Lan Xang Kingdom to Vientiane by King Setthathirath and enshrined the Emerald Buddha until 1779 when it was moved to Thailand. Ho Phra Keo was destroyed during Siamese invasion in 1827 and its current structure dates from 1942. Today it is a museum of Buddha images, wood carvings, Khmer inscribed stone slabs and an ancient stone jar from the Plain of Jars.
No lunch is included
After lunch, we leave the city borders of Vientiane in south-eastern direction to a unique and responsible part of the country. We start the afternoon with a visit to a responsible project. The Lao Disabled Development Centre is a non-government organization delivering free education and support to the disabled females in the Laotian society. Women from across the country are able to come, live and study here to become valuable and contributing members of the Laotian population. The whole centre is maintained through donations: contributing and visiting this centre of hope and empowerment directly contributes to the wellbeing of disabled women.
We end the day at the outskirts of Vientiane on the Mekong River. The Buddha Park is a vast manicured garden lined with trees that is home to over 200 concrete sculptures of Buddha, Hindu Gods, demons and mythological creatures of different sizes. The park’s most striking sculpture is a huge pumpkin with three levels representing earth, heaven and hell which can be explored via a staircase and at the top offers spectacular views of the park. Despite its interesting sculptures, Buddha Park is not a temple although locals regularly frequent the park to worship its religious monuments like its large reclining Buddha. After this visit, we head back to Vientiane and your hotel.
No dinner included.
Overnight at your booked accommodation in Vientiane
DAY 03 VIENTIANE – VIENTIANE DEPARTURE [B]
Breakfast is included at your booked hotel in Vientiane
Matching breakfast with your scheduled departure time from your Vientiane hotel back to Wattay International Airport, you will be leaving Vientiane. Your transfer to the airport will be without guide assistance.