Karst Peaks and Golden Stupas

We board the afternoon train from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng, a small town known for its dramatic limestone peaks, scenic cliffs and the Nam Song River running through its centre. On arrival, we transfer to the accommodation. The rest of the day is yours to spend at leisure.

At 8 am, we set off by tuk-tuk with our guide for the roughly 40-minute drive out of town, then continue on foot through rice paddies on the far side of the river, passing rich fields on the way to Ban Vieng Sa Mai, a Khamu ethnic minority village.

In the village, we have the chance to meet an elderly craftsman still producing knives using techniques passed down through generations, and to visit a Khamu family for a welcome of the local rice wine, Lao Hai. The afternoon is free for you to spend at your own leisure, and you overnight again in Vang Vieng.

We take the mid-day train to Vientiane, arriving around an hour later, and head into Laos' capital city. On arrival, we take a short drive to the city centre and stop at That Luang, the most revered shrine in Laos, its golden stupa built in the shape of a banana flower.

We then continue to Patuxay, or 'Victory Gate', a monumental concrete arch with a wide avenue leading to it, similar in style to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Built in the 1960s, it stands as a memorial to those who died serving their country in several wars.

From here, we visit Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple in the city still in its original form. Built in 1820 near the Royal Palace by King Anouvong, the last king of Vientiane, it is one of the few temples to survive the Siamese army's looting and burning of the city in 1827. We finish the day on the banks of the Mekong River to watch the sunset, before transferring to the accommodation.

After breakfast, you have time to relax or explore the city independently until pickup, before the transfer to the airport for your onward flight.