Southern Laos and the Hidden City
13 days, 12 nights Photo Gallery for this trip
Introduction
Remote Asia style, this journey begins with the far Northeast and concludes in the Deep South and travels amid isolated areas as well as some of the most fantastic scenery of Laos . Learn and explore as you reach into areas off the beaten track while rewarding yourself with a memorable expedition.
Brief Itinerary
Day
1: Fly Vientiane
– Xam Neua
Day
2: Pathet Laos Caves
Tour
Day
3: Xam Neua - Nam Neun - Phonsavan Day 4: Plain of Jars Tour – Muong Khun
Day 5: Phonsavan – Thathom – Paksan
Day 6: Paksan – Na Hin – Kong Lor – Boat ride on the underground river – Na Hi
Day 7: Na Hin – Lak Sao - Gnommalath – Tha Khek
Day 8: Tha Khek – Seno - Pakse
Day 9: Pakse – Wat Phou – Tad Fane
Day 10: Tad Fane – Tad Lo – Salavan - the Katang village - Salavan
Day 11: Salavan - Sekong – Attapeu - Paam - Attapeu
Day 12: Attapeu – Paksong - Pakse
Day 13: Pakse Departure
Day
to Day Itinerary
Day 1: Fly Vientiane – Xam Neua
We take the afternoon flight to Sam Neua. On arrival, you check into your hotel and take a short walk visiting the town.
Xam
Neua, one of the country’s least visited provincial capitals of Hua Phan
Province, sets against a backdrop
of picturesque mountains, forested hills and rice fields. It is a staging
post for the road to Vieng Xai caves. The original town was obliterated
by US bombing but has since been reborn and is a thriving trading center for
northeastern Laos.
Accommodation: Guesthouse or Hotel
from out list
Transit : 1 hour flight/ short transfer airport
Meal plan: D
Day 2: Pathet Laos Caves Tour
We don’t have to wait any longer to visit the Hidden Caves City. The very scenic drive toward Lao – Vietnamese border leads us to the former Pathet Lao Revolutionary headquarters with its famous hundred limestone cliffs and caves from the Indochina War. The journey from Xam Neua is possibly one of the most picturesque in Laos, passing rice terraces, pagodas, charcoal and copper-colored karst formations, misty mountain peaks emerging from dense jungle.
We first visit Khayson Cave , the office and residence of the Pathet Lao chief with its various rooms inside. We continue to Souphanouvong Cave also called Red Prince Cave, the office and residence of royalty and Prince Souphanouvong. Our last visit before lunch is Nouhak Cave , named for Nouhak Phoumsavang who served as Lao PDR president from 1992 to 1998.
After lunch, we continue to visit Soldier Cave and Hospital Cave. The Hospital Cave is one of the deepest caves, which was used for hospital facilities. If time permits, we can visit other caves which housed weaving mills, printing press and other facilities needed by the Pathet lao to remain self-sufficient
Vieng
Xai is in a stunning setting, similar to Ha Long Bay Vietnam, Guilin
China and Vang Vieng, Laos.
Opportunities for taking photos of the landscape are many today and stops are
at your request! We return to Xam Neua for the second night
Accommodation: Guesthouse or Hotel
from out list
Transit : 1 hour
Walking time: 3 – 4 hours
Walking difficulty: Easy/moderate
Meal plan: B, L, D
Day 3: Xam Neua - Nam Neun - Phonsavan
Departing early from Phonsavan, we drive east with our first stop at Saleuy weaving village, where you may purchase handicrafts directly from the maker and keep you money in the area. We continue on to Hing Tang (Suan Hin), a collection of standing stones often compared to Stonehenge. This archaeological site remains a mystery but is believed to be related to the Plain of Jars. Our last stop is made at Tham Piew Cave . The cave was used by local people during the Second Indochina War as a bomb shelter but unfortunately became the site of where over 400 villages were killed in a US air strike against supposed insurgents from Vietnam. From the cave entry is a great view of the forest and plains below with a stream and small irrigation dam at the base of the cliff completing a stunning view.
Phonsavan
is reached by late afternoon. It is the main town of Xieng Khuang
Province, surrounded by
huge mountains, the highest of which is Phu Bia.
Accommodation:
Guesthouse or Hotel from out lis
Transit: 6 - 7 hours
Walking time: 1 hour
Walking difficulty: Easy
Meal plan: B, L, D
Day 4: Plain of Jars Tour – Muong Khun
After breakfast, we drive to Site 1 of Plain of Jars for a visit. We continue by car to Site 2 and hike to Site 3 (hiking is difficult in the rainy season from June to September). The sites are covering an area of around 1000 square kilometers, at an altitude of 1000 metres. It gets its name from the hundreds of stone jars scattered across the landscape, ranging in site from 1-2.5 meters in height. There is considerable speculation as to the origin of the jars.
After exploring 3 sites with interesting stories about the Indochina War, we drive to Muong Khoun for lunch. Muong Khoun was once the capital of Xieng Khoang Province. There is time to visit temples such as Wat Chom Phet and Wat That Phoun which were built the same time as That Luang in Vientiane. We can also visit some colonial building and old Lao Military Base that was seriously damaged by American bombs.
On the way back to Phonsavan, we can stop by village where local people collect scrap metals which are partly from UXO and bomb shell.
Accommodation:
Guesthouse or Hotel from out list
Transit: 2 hour
Walking time: 3 hours
Walking difficulty: Easy
Meal plan: B, L
Day 5: Phonsavan – Thathom – Paksan
An early departure will be needed. The tough road is taking us through remote and forested areas where villagers still live with very minor impact by modernization. The entire area is inhabited by Hmong ethnic minority. There are several river crossings with no bridges and are sometimes difficult in wet season – or impassable.
We’ll
have a simple lunch in Thathom. Thathom locates at the mid point between
Phonsavan and Paksan via dirt road No 10. This remote village has never been an
attraction on a tourist map. That’s why we are here! It’s a rugged drive and
when we meet paved road at Paksan, we stop for the night
Accommodation: Guesthouse or Hotel
from out list
Transit : 2 hour
Walking time : 3 hours
Walking difficulty: Easy
Meal plan: B, L
Day 6: Paksan – Na Hin – Kong Lor – Boat ride on the underground river – Na Hin
We continue our journey to one of the most amazing cave and underground river of Laos. We first drive to Ban Nahin through a large kart mountain area. From Na Hin, we continue through the beautiful karst landscape to Konglor Village, and then take boat ride on an underground river through the 7km long Konglor Cave . We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch at the mouth of the cave.
The
cave is a truly one of the natural wonders of Laos. You can rest and swim in the
beautiful blue lagoon at the mouth of the cave while our guides prepare you for
a cave exploration upstream through the other side of this long cave. After
exploring the cave, we return to Na Hin for the night. Ban Na Hin sits in lush
valley surrounded by tall karst peaks. The town is small and not much to
do. Most people retire early here, this is a sleepy little town in Laos.
Accommodation: Guesthouse or Hotel
from out list
Transit : 3 hour by car/1 and 1/2 hour long tail boat
Walking time : 1 hour
Walking difficulty: Easy-moderate
Meal plan: B, L, D
Day 7: Na Hin – Lak Sao Gnommalath – Tha Khek
We
first ride toward Lak Sao where the Ho Chi Minh Trail enters Laos . You can spend some time visiting
the market. On the way, you’ll also see the bomb boat (boat made out of the
petrol talk of American aircraft). The ride is on and off the trail taking
though dense jungle. We have time to visit a local village. Lunch stop will be
a great surprise! A massive hydro electric project is underway and we’ll stop
along several times to view the construction. If there is time, we can visit Buddha Cave
before we arrive in Thakhek. We deserve a cold dink over sunset on the Mekong! On arrival in Thakhek, you check into your hotel
and take a little walk the surviving Franco-Chinese architecture around the
fountain.
Accommodation: Guesthouse or Hotel
from out list
Transit : 6 hour by car
Walking time : 1 hour
Walking difficulty: Easy-moderate
Meal plan: B, L, D
Day 8: Tha Khek – Seno – Pakse
After breakfast, we depart for Pakse. The drive is flat and comfortable along the highway 13. We stop halfway at Seno for a simple lunch. Seno is a small crossroads town becoming bigger all the time as it is a mid point for transit between Thailand and Vietnam on highway 13 in Laos. We then continue on to Pakse. Our arrival in Pakse is late afternoon. We check into the hotel and refresh.
Pakse,
the capital of Champasak Province, is the biggest city of southern Laos sitting at the confluence of the Mekong River
and the Se Don River. The town has gone quickly and
here we can travel to Si Phan Don in
the far south or to the Bolaven Plateau and the remote provinces to the east.
We’ll go east!
Accommodation: Guesthouse or Hotel
from out list
Transit : 7 hour by car
Meal plan: B, L
Day 9: Pakse – Wat Phou – Tad Fane
In the morning, we’ll visit Wat Phou, occupying a dramatic mountainside site over looking the Mekong valley. The wat is divided into lower and upper parts and is joined by a steep stairway .After visiting Wat Phou, we stop for lunch at the boat restaurant.
After
lunch, we continue to Tad Fane Resort for check in. You can take a walk around
the Tad Fane Resort located on top of the thickly forested gorge with stunning
view of the tall Tad Fane Waterfall far below, this is a truly idyllic place
for relaxing. Tad Fane is the most spectacular waterfalls in Laos, with
parallel streams from Huay Bang Liang plugging out of dense forest and down
more than 120m.
Accommodation: Guesthouse or Hotel
from out list
Transit : 2 hours by car
Walking time : 2 - 3 hours
Walking difficulty: Easy
Meal plan: B, L
Day 10: Tad Fane – Tad Lo – Salavan - the Katang village - Salavan
Following breakfast, we start traveling deeper into the Bolaven Plateau getting well-and-truly off the beaten track. Our today destination is Salavan. Like Sekong and Attapeu (our next destinations in the next few days), Salavan is notable for its remoteness, natural forest that cover half of the province as well as its ethnic diversity.
On
the way, we’ll stop at Tad Lo for lunch and relax. The large pool at its base
is suitable for swimming. We arrive in Salavan in early afternoon and head out
to the Katang village
of Tumlan . The village
is famous for its weavings. We then return to Salavan for the night.
Accommodation: Guesthouse or Hotel
from out list
Transit : 7 hours by car
Walking time : limited
Walking difficulty: Easy
Meal plan: B, L, D
Day 11: Salavan - Sekong – Paam - Attapeu
We
leave for Attapeu by continuing on the less traveled
road via Sekong. We stop in Sekong for a simple lunch. After lunch, we continue
driving along the Sekong River , a waterway that Northern Vietnamese used to
transport supplies to the Southern Vietnam
during the Vietnam War. We drive thru Atapeu to Paam, a Alak village for a
visit. Here, you can see a Russian surface-to-air missile that has been left
next to the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Take a walk around the village, you may be able
to watch women weaving in their homes. Alax textiles can be bought in this
shady village. We then return to Attapeu for the night.
Accommodation:
Guesthouse or Hotel from out list
Transit : 7 hours by car
Walking time : limited
Walking difficulty: Easy
Meal plan: B, L, D
Day 12: Attapeu – Paksong - Pakse
Today we make our journey back to Pakse through the Bolaven Plateau. We’ll stop at Paksong, Laos’s coffee capital . You spend sometime visiting the market. For coffee lovers, you can definitely spend longer time. We’ll pass by many coffee plantations. A stop for a visit is on request. On arrival in Pakse, you check into your hotel and relax.
Accommodation:
Guesthouse or Hotel from out list
Transit : 6 hours by car
Walking time : 1 hours
Walking difficulty: Easy
Meal plan: B, L, D
Day 13: Pakse Departure
After
breakfast, you are free until the transfer to the airport
Transit: 6 hours by car
Meal plan: B, L, D
Our trip includes
English
speaking guide
Accommodation
as indicated
Meals
as indicated
Transfer
and pickup airport
Transportation
by car, minivan or 4x4
Tour
as indicated
Entrance
fee
One
way flight Vientiane XamNuea
Our
trip excludes
Other
domestic and international flights
Visa
& visa arrangement
Meals
not indicated
Drinking
water, soft drink and alcohol
Tips
& personal expenses
Prices contact info@remoteasia.com
