Luang Prabang Spotlight
Luang Prabang discovery
Explore Luang Prabang, Laos like a local.
*This tour extension was previously called: Luang Prabang Explorer Tour Extension
Experience the best of Luang Prabang with a mix of relaxation and adventure. Start with a free day or dive into the local cuisine with an evening street eats tour. Witness the serene Monks Alms ceremony and cycle through historic sites, vibrant markets, and traditional craft villages. Choose between exploring the stunning Kuang Si Waterfall and its bear sanctuary or cruising the Mekong to the sacred Pak Ou Buddha Caves. Conclude your journey with a leisurely departure after a fulfilling stay in this cultural gem.
Highlights:
- Evening Street Eats Tour: Savor local delicacies at the bustling Night Market and enjoy a DIY BBQ by the Mekong.
- Monks Alms Ceremony: Participate in or observe this iconic and revered local tradition early in the morning.
- Cycling Adventures: Explore historic temples, local markets, and traditional craft workshops by bike, including a ride to the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfall.
- Mekong River Cruises: Choose between a scenic cruise to the Pak Ou Buddha Caves, filled with thousands of Buddha statues, or a relaxing longtail boat ride combined with a visit to traditional villages.
Activities
Ride / Walk
Difficulty
Easy
Duration
4 Days / 3 Nights
Price From
US$750
Day to Day itinerary
Day 1
Meals: N/A
Welcome to Luang Prabang
Upon arrival in Luang Prabang, check into your hotel and take some time to settle in and relax. Enjoy a free day at your leisure to explore the charming town at your own pace. Stroll through the streets, visit local shops, or simply unwind at a café. In the evening, consider joining an optional street eats tour.
Optional Tour: Evening Streat Eat Tour
Evening, Experience the sights, sounds and tastes of Luang Prabang in this lip-smacking evening street eats tour. Meet at the Joma Bakery and take a guided walk to the bustling Night Market to begin this culinary journey. Sample the finest ‘Namchuen’ or fried spring rolls on the market, try ‘Kaojii Ping’ or grilled sticky rice with egg, ‘Khao Nom Khok’ or coconut pancakes and much more. Have the chance to explore narrow alleyways that positively overflow with delicious-smelling local produce before a delectable Sin Dat (DIY BBQ) overlooking the Mekong. Choose the ingredients, be instructed on how to cook and serve yourself before enjoying the creation with an ice-cold beer, bliss! The perfect way to eat like a local in Luang Prabang.
Day 2
Meals: BL
Pedal The Luang Prabang
It’s a bright and early start today as we take to the streets of Luang Prabang to catch the traditional Monks Alms ceremony. The colorful daily procession is an iconic and revered local tradition, but the one they are happy to have visitors watch or even take part in, given you observe local etiquette. Your guide will make sure you’re well-versed on the appropriate attire and conduct for this unique daily ritual. Having risen quite early, we’ll return to the hotel for breakfast before hitting the road. Taking to the bikes, we’ll pedal to Wat Xieng Thong: Luang Prabang’s royal temple and one of Laos’ most important monasteries. From there, we’ll saddle up again and cycle to the local fresh market where your guide will clue you into the interesting produce for sale that you may not recognize. We’ll refuel with a traditional Lao coffee at one of the city’s oldest coffee stalls, then continue our ride to a lesser-known temple and then along a riverside road to check out traditional ‘sa paper’ making and distillation of the country’s famous rice wine: Lao Lao. Don’t get too carried away with the sampling!
From there, we’ll board a boat that takes us down the Mekong to explore traditional pottery, then cross back to the other side of the river to see how silk is made at Ock Pop Tock. Our last stop of the day will be for a traditional lunch together. The evening is free for you to seek out whatever food you are craving in this vibrant city, with your guide happy to offer some suggestions.
Day 3
Meal: B
Luang Prabang – Kuansy Waterfall Cycling & Mekong Longtail boat Cruise or Pak Ou Buddha Cave Full Day Private Tour
Choose 1 of 2 tours below:
Luang Prabang – Kuansy Waterfall Cycling & Mekong Longtail boat Cruise
We start off by crossing the Mekong on a ferry. We ride out on a paved road to a riverside village south of town and stop here to learn about rice wine making. Then we hijack a local fishing boat and have them ferry us back to the eastern bank of the river. From here we encounter a steep but relatively short hill to bring us to Kuang Si Waterfall. You may have heard about this place, but until you jump into the aqua blue, cool waters, you won’t understand how special it is. After a dip, we can visit the Free the Bears enclosure and see these mischievous creatures at work, trying to free their lunch from the obstacles that the carers set. Then it’s time for a bite to eat, probably a barbequed river fish, before we ride the undulating road back into town. Our final afternoon and evening together will be marked by a delicious meal, which will be a familiar thing by now.
Pak Ou Buddha Cave Full Day Private Tour
Hop aboard your boat and cruise the orange coloured waters of the Mekong River. The Pak Ou Caves or known locally as Tham Ting, sit at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Ou Rivers. As you pass along the river you will see daily life. Then make a short stop to a local village to see weaving on ancient wooden looms. The Pak Ou Caves consist of two limestone caves that have become shrines to devotees of Buddhism. For hundreds of years, followers have come to the caves to pray and make merit, by leaving behind a statue of Buddha. Nowadays, the caves are jammed packed with statues big and small with more being added each year. Take a short walk from the caves to a nearby village where you will have lunch (including), before cruising downstream back to Luang Prabang early afternoon.
Day 4
Meals: B
ONTO THE NEXT ADVENTURE
If you are starting a Grasshopper Adventures tour, then your Tour Leader will meet you in the lobby. If you are starting an upstream cruise to Pak Beng and Thailand, a car will collect you and if you are going to the airport, we will have a car to take you there.
Tour inclusions
What’s Included
- 2 nights in a comfortable hotel
- 3 Breakfasts & 1 Lunch
- Departure transfer
- Transportation and licensed tour guides as specified in the itinerar
What’s not
- International flights
- Items of personal nature
- Tips
- Extra meals & drinks
- Early hotel check-in or late check-out
- Insurance
Tour Package
The tour comes with a comfortable accommodation and a great selection of activities. The tour package is US$750 p.p. for two people, and for single travelers there is a surcharge of US$240.
How to book an extension?
This package is available as an extra when booking one of our applicable tours:
If your multi-day tour is starting or ending in Luang Prabang:
When completing your booking details please select the available option.
If your multi-day tour is not starting or ending in Luang Prabang:
Please contact our team for the booking. We can also quote and arrange flights within Asia to/from Luang Prabang.
Please note: If you are traveling solo, you must also select the “Single Supplement”.
Other trip extensions
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Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) Spotlight
