Luang Prabang and Southern Laos in 8 Days: Temples, Coffee Hills and River Islands

Begin at the Royal Palace Museum, built in 1904 for King Sisavang Vong. Then cruise up the Mekong to the Pak Ou Caves, two caves in a limestone cliff filled with thousands of Buddha images, stopping at Ban Xang Hai, a village known for rice wine. Back in town, visit Wat Sene and the beautiful Wat Xieng Thong, with its low sweeping roofs and glass-mosaic tree of life. At the Heuan Chan heritage house, learn about Lao customs over a cup of local coffee or tea. Watch sunset at Wat Phabath, then wander the night market.

Overnight: Luang Prabang · Meals: B

Wake before sunrise to watch monks walk barefoot through the streets collecting alms, with your guide explaining how to observe respectfully. Browse the morning market, then return for breakfast. Climb Phousi Hill for a view over the town and rivers; if it is a weekday, you can also visit the UXO Visitor Center. Then drive to Kuang Si Falls to swim in the blue pools or walk to the quieter falls near Ban Thapene. On the way back, stop at Ock Pop Tock to see weavers at work by the Mekong.

Overnight: Luang Prabang · Meals: B

Take a morning flight south to Pakse and drive east onto the Bolaven Plateau, where the air is cooler and the hills are covered in coffee and tea. Stop at a tea plantation, then see Tad Fane, twin waterfalls plunging into a forested gorge. Visit Ban Lak 17, where villagers forge knives, and Ban Lak 30, known for bamboo baskets. If time allows, swim at the foot of Tad Yuang. Finish at a coffee plantation to learn how the local beans are grown and roasted.

Overnight: Bolaven Plateau · Meals: B

Start at the Tha Teng market, where minority families sell produce from the hills. Visit Ban Bong Neua, an Alak village with a carved ceremonial post, and Ban Kokphung, a Katu village with its own traditions. In the afternoon, explore Wat Phou, a Khmer temple complex begun in the 5th century, long before Angkor Wat, and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Climb the stone stairway to the sanctuary for a view across the plain. Then continue to Don Khong for a peaceful evening by the Mekong.

Overnight: Don Khong · Meals: B

Board a long-tail boat for a 1.5-hour ride through Si Phan Don, where the Mekong spreads to its widest around countless islands and sandbanks. Land on Don Khone and walk past old colonial buildings and the remains of the first railway in Laos, including its old locomotive. Continue by tuk tuk to Li Phi Falls, also known as Tad Somphamit, near the Cambodian border, and visit a village temple. Later, stroll through the village or rent a bicycle for a sunset ride around the island.

Overnight: Don Khone · Meals: B

Return to the mainland at Ban Nakasang and drive to Khone Phapheng, a wide, roaring series of cascades and the largest waterfall by volume in Southeast Asia. Then head north to Pakse, a riverside town founded by the French in 1905. In the afternoon, visit the stone carvers of Ban Khoh and walk to nearby Wat Chomphet, home to a large seated Buddha. As evening falls, drive up to Wat Phou Salao for a view over the town and the Mekong.

Overnight: Pakse · Meals: B

After breakfast, your driver takes you across the Chongmek border to Ubon Ratchathani in Thailand for your flight to Bangkok and onward home. Allow about three hours, including the border crossing. You can also fly out of Pakse instead, with connections to Bangkok, Vientiane, Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City. If your flight leaves late, your guide can suggest a final coffee stop or a short visit in Pakse before you set off.

Meals: B