National Museum

At 5:30 in the morning, we witness the Tak Bat ceremony — the monks’ alms round — an ancient Buddhist religious tradition practiced with particular devotion almost exclusively in Luang Prabang. Every morning, for around 2,500 years, hundreds of monks have walked barefoot from their respective temples toward the city center. Forming a long procession, they slowly make their way through the streets to collect alms, above all sticky rice, offered by the faithful who wait in silence along the pavements, in exchange for prayers and blessings.

Afterwards, we return to the hotel for breakfast, and then begin our walking tour of the most important monuments.

We visit the National Museum: once the Royal Palace, it now houses an important collection of treasures including Buddha statues and many other objects donated by dignitaries who visited the court of Luang Prabang.

We continue along the quiet streets lined with buildings from the French colonial period, admiring their architecture and learning about their original purpose.

We then visit Wat Sene Souk Haram, or the “Temple of 100,000 Treasures“, built in 1718 using 100,000 stones extracted from the Mekong River, and Wat Xieng Thong, or the “Monastery of the Golden City“, founded in 1560 and among the most important in Luang Prabang, celebrated for the grace and elegance of its architecture.

We conclude with a visit to Wat Visoun, built in 1513, and Wat Aham, or the “Monastery of the Blooming Heart“, built in the early 19th century as a place of meditation and a meeting point between animist and Buddhist culture.

We then make our way to the Heritage House, where we take part in a hands-on experience in traditional religious floral decoration — an art form using banana leaves and local flowers from the lush surrounding jungles — learning how to create a religious offering, or Van-Cornet, to be presented to monks at a nearby temple.

Included : Tour guide, transportation, tickets and hotel

Pak Ou Caves

After breakfast, we make our way to the pier and board our boat for a river cruise to the Pak Ou Caves, better known as the “Caves of a Thousand Buddhas”. Located at the confluence of the Mekong and Ou rivers, they are one of the unmissable highlights of any journey to Laos.

The sanctuary consists of two large limestone caverns: Tham Ting, the lower cave, reached by climbing a flight of 30 steps, and Tham Theung, the upper cave, accessible via a staircase of 70 steps. For many centuries, the Pak Ou Caves have been an important place of worship for pilgrims who, upon visiting this sacred site, bring a Buddha image as an offering. As a result of this tradition, both caverns now house thousands of Buddha statues of varying sizes — from a few centimetres to around two metres — in different styles and spiritual positions (mudra), ranging from meditation to the ascent to nirvana.

During the excursion, we stop at several local villages, including Ban Muang Khan, known for its seaweed production.

On our return to Luang Prabang, we visit the villages of Ban Xang Khong and Ban Xieng Hai, renowned for their traditional craftsmanship in silk weaving and jute paper making.

Included: Tour guide, boat, entrance tickets, private transfers and hotel.

Kuang Si waterfalls

After breakfast, we transfer to Ban Long Lao to visit the Khmu ethnic villages of Ban Long Lao Nung and Ban Long Lao Song. We observe the local way of life of these two ethnic groups who, despite being culturally very different, are able to share the same environment, work and school.

We continue our journey through the rice fields toward the forest. Along the way, we have the opportunity to visit a cave used as a shelter during the Second Indochina War.

The excursion continues with a further hour of trekking to one of the many springs that feed the Kuang Si waterfalls. The natural basin upstream and a steep slope give rise to this natural wonder, which unfolds across three tiers, the uppermost of which drops some 60 metres. Downstream, several natural pools form, offering an irresistible opportunity for a refreshing swim in the turquoise waters, or simply to relax surrounded by a magnificent natural setting.

Nearby, if desired, it is also possible to visit the Bear Rescue Center.

In the late afternoon, a brief visit (approximately 40 minutes) to the Buffalo Dairy Farm offers a close-up look at a local farm (www.laosbuffalodairy.com).

Included: Tour guide, boat, entrance tickets, private transfers and hotel.

Transfer to the airport in good time for the regional flight from Luang Prabang to Siem Reap.

Upon arrival in Siem Reap, transfer to the hotel and free time at your leisure.

Inclusi : Private transfer to/from the airport

Banteay Srei temple

After breakfast, we begin our exploration of the Angkor archaeological site at the Vishnuite sanctuary temple of Prasad Kravan (921 AD), renowned for its brick sculptures found nowhere else within the complex.

We stop at the Pre Rup temple, built in the 10th century during the reign of Rajendravarman, an unmistakable example of the “Temple Mountain” architectural style.

We then proceed to Banteay Samré, erected in the late 12th century as the last Hindu temple built at Angkor, and to Banteay Srei (10th century), the “Citadel of Women”, celebrated for its exquisite and delicately carved bas-reliefs — widely regarded as one of the unmissable highlights of the entire site.

In the afternoon, we visit the Buddhist temples, the last to be built during the Khmer Kingdom.

We explore the small yet captivating Ta Som, modest in size but utterly enchanting for its atmosphere of serene quietude; the Medicine Temple of Neak Pean, a wholly atypical structure from an architectural standpoint, designed to replicate the mythical lake of Anavatapta, the sacred Himalayan lake; and the temple of Preah Khan, “The Great Sword”, built on the site of Jayavarman II’s final battle to reclaim his kingdom from the invading Champa Empire.

Included: Tour guide, private transfers, entrance tickets, hotel.

Bayon temple

After breakfast, we continue our exploration of the archaeological site at Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world, spreading across a surface area of approximately two million square metres. We then make our way to the picturesque temple of Ta Prohm, one of the most fascinating and photographed in the entire complex, still engulfed in vegetation and wrapped in the enormous roots of centuries-old banyan trees.

In the afternoon, we visit “The Great City” of Angkor Thom, a vast complex of buildings dominated by the Bayon temple, renowned for its 216 gigantic stone faces carved atop its 54 sanctuaries.

The day draws to a close with a visit to the Terrace of the Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King, and the temple of Phimeanakas.

Included: Tour guide, private transfers, entrance tickets, hotel.

Included: Tour guide, private transfers, entrance tickets, hotel.Kompong Kleang floating village

In the morning, we transfer to the village of Dom Dek. Weather permitting, we make a stop at the colourful and authentic local market. Taking a detour, we immerse ourselves in the surreal atmosphere of Kompong Kleang : a long dirt road lined with wooden stilt houses rising over ten metres high, built to shelter their inhabitants from flooding during the rainy season.

We observe the daily life of the local community engaged in a variety of traditional fishing activities that, as if frozen in time, have remained unchanged for centuries. We then board a traditional wooden boat and navigate along the canal that flows into Tonle Sap lake. Continuing further, we reach the floating village — an entire community that has lived and worked on the water for centuries. Alongside private homes, we find floating schools, shops, workshops and restaurants.

In the afternoon, we head north to visit Beng Mealea, one of the last Hindu temples predating the Buddhist religious reform. The visit is among the most captivating in the area, as the temple has undergone little restoration and remains almost entirely swallowed by the surrounding forest.

At the end of the day, we transfer to the airport in good time for the evening departure flight.

Included: Tour guide, private transportation, private boat