Cambodia Laos Highlights Tour

The jungle covered temple of Ta Prohm is an incredible sight. There are enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers which embrace themselves in the stone foundations of this structure giving the impression of man's creation being reclaimed by the powerful forces of nature. We explore the well known Ta Prohm and some nearby temples including Banteay Kdei, Sra Srong, Ta Keo, Thommanon and Chau Say Tevado. They almost belong to the small circuit according to the archaeologists’ division. Upon leaving this area we visit various famous temples of the grand circuit such as Preah Khan, Kravan, Neak Pean, Krol Ko, Ta Som, East Mebon and Pre Rup. We round off our exciting day with a walk up to Phnom Bakheng Hill to admire the spectacular sunset over these sandstone monuments. O/N in Siem Reap.

Heading out of town we drive beyond the Angkor Complex through the Preah Dark village to the intricately carved and well preserved Banteay Srei Temple. We stroll around this beautiful landmark which was designed to leave no space undecorated. The roads begin to deteriorate but it is still fascinating to drive past the rolling mountain scenery towards Kbal Spean. This interesting site locally named the river of 1000 Lingars, has been largely reclaimed by the jungle; however it invovles a walk to catch a view over its riverbed carvings. The next stop is Banteay Samre which is adorned with striking relief depicting the scenes of Vishunu and Krishna legends. Today we also have a chance to explore the ancient Khmer civilization site of Hariharalaya which flourished in the late 9th and earlier 10th centuries. These are the earliest temples in the Angkor area and are referred to the Rolous group. O/N in Siem Reap. 

The following destination of our trip is Phnom Penh via a short flight from Siem Reap. On arrival at Po Chen Tong Airport, you are greeted by our guide and transferred to hotel. The capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh lies near the confluence of the Mekong and Tonle Sap Rivers. This riverside town still maintains considerable charm despite its recent turbulent history. We begin our city tour with the Royal Palace. The private quarters of the palace are now home to the royal family and are therefore very close to the public. At the northern area of the palace grounds is Silver Pagoda, the most sacred temple in the country. We follow it with a walk up to a small hill for an interesting visit to the legendary Wat Phnom and a fantastic view over the surrounding areas. O/N in Phnom Penh.

The painful bloody rule of the Khmer Rouge still can be seen at the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum and the notorious ‘Killing Fields’ of Choeung Ek. We include these infamous sites in a morning tour before continuing to the National Museum, exclusively dedicated to Khmer art and sculpture. The majority of the exhibits are from the Angkor period from 9th to 15th centuries, but some date from as early as the 4th century. The next stop is Psar Toul Tom Pong, also called the “Russian Market”, where anything and everything is for sales! By mid afternoon we board a short flight to Laos. On arrival at Vientiane Airport you are met by our guide and transferred to hotel. The charming and fascinating capital of Laos, Vientiane is small city conjuring up exotic images, with the curious mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French influences. You catch a your first glimpse of the town on a walking tour. O/N in Vientiane. 

Today we spend a full day in Vientiane, seeing Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple still standing in Vientiane. This amazing structure features remarkable frescoes and Buddha statues. Close to this masterwork is the former royal temple of Haw Pha Kaew which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. We see these sites before continuing to Patouxai. This imposing monument standing in Lane Xang Avenue, is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triomphe and provides stunning views of the city. We also visit the great sacred masterpiece and symbol of Laos, That Luang Stupa before we head out of town to see the giant Friendship Bridge and the impressive Buddha Park. This landmark represents a blend of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures created by mystical monk on a parkland located by the Mekong River. The perfect way to round off our day is to watch the spectacular sunset over the Mekong River from one of riverside bars. O/N in Vientiane.

The royal capital of the former Lane Xang Kingdom, Luang Prabang with its gleaming temple roofs, fading colonial architecture and stunning mountain backdrop, retains a unique charm rarely found in all Asia. Today we take a short flight over the mountainous region to Luang Prabang. There are plenty to see in this delightful town, some of which are the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun, the Srilankalese styled temple of That Marko, the shrine of Wat Aham and the five tiered roof Wat Mai. We visit these sites in a half day guided tour and embark on a climb up to Phousi Hill for a beautiful panorama view from the town center and the mighty Mekong River. There are 329 steps leading us on zigzag way past various temples to the sacred, gilded stupa of Wat Phousi at the summit. O/N in Luang Prabang.

Today we continue seeing this charming town with the famous Wat Xieng Thong, which nestles at the meeting of the Mekong and the Nam Khan River. The temple structures are decorated in various ways with gilded stuccoes ,doorways and marvellous tree life mosaic pattern on an outer wall, representing the ancient temple architecture of Luang Prabang. We board a boat for a leisurely trip on the Mekong River, stopping en route at Ban Xang Hai to visit the distillation of potent local rice wine. Upon leaving this riverside village we wave our way through the stunning mountain landscape to the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. They are crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes, all brought there by devout villagers. We explore these famous grottos and cruise back to Luang Prabang Town. On arrival we catch a short drive to Ban Phanom , a well known weaving village of the Tai Lue people who used to make royal silk weaving textiles for the Lao former royal family. O/N in Luang Prabang.

The mountainous areas around Luang Prabang Town are also home of many ethnic groups and various stunning waterfalls dispersed in secluded jungle. Today we catch a drive southwards to Phosi Market that sells a wide array of local goods and handicrafts. Upon leaving this lively market we make our way through the verdant and rugged scenery to Ban Thapene , Ban Xom and Ban Namai which are conquered by the Lao Loum, Khmu and Hmong people. They are very poor but have interesting culture and colorful history. These tribal groups have originally settled in mountain side therefore it may involve some short walks to visit their villages. We arrives at Khouang Si Fall and spend the time relaxing in marvellous setting of waterfall and lush forest. The waterfall tumbles over multi tiered limestone formations into the cool and clear pools ideal for anyone seeking an enjoyable escape. O/N in Luang Prabang.