Laos Revealed 2024
Pak Ou Caves
Pak Ou Caves
| Start | End | Ship | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12. Feb 2025 | 17. Feb 2025 | Mekong Sun | check rate & cabin |
| 14. Mar 2025 | 19. Mar 2025 | Mekong Pearl | check rate & cabin |
| Start | End | Ship | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7. Oct 2024 | 12. Oct 2024 | Mekong Pearl | check rate & cabin |
| 31. Oct 2024 | 5. Nov 2024 | Mekong Pearl | check rate & cabin |
| 12. Nov 2024 | 17. Nov 2024 | Mekong Sun | check rate & cabin |
| 4. Feb 2025 | 9. Feb 2025 | Mekong Sun | check rate & cabin |
Downstream: Golden Triangle – Huay Xai – Pak Tha – Pak Ou – Luang Prabang
Upstream: Luang Prabang – Pak Ou – Pak Tha – Huay Xai – Golden Triangle
Relax aboard your exclusive river vessel and enjoy the unspoiled nature along the mighty upper Mekong. The upper Mekong is one of the most difficult rivers in the world to navigate, with fluctuating water levels. Your comfortable cruise vessel masters tight gorges, negotiates labyrinths of sandbanks, and clears churning rapids. Along this part of the Mekong, tranquil stretches of the river combine with striking shore scenery of lush green mountains, impressive rock formations, and secluded villages. The upper Mekong is considered one of the world’s most spectacular rivers navigable by a cruise vessel.
You are picked up from Chiang Rai Airport or at your hotel within city limits between 8 – 9 am and brought to the once-notorious Golden Triangle region. Your sightseeing tour today includes a visit to the Golden Buddha of Sop Ruak and the Hall of Opium. This fascinating museum, sponsored by the royal family of Thailand, provides an in-depth look at history and politics of the opium trade and health impact of opium use. Afterwards it is time to board your exclusive river vessel. The Mekong Pearl and Mekong Sun, under joint German-Laotian ownership, are unique boutique vessels. Settle into your comfortable cabin and unpack for an 11-day cruise. In the evening enjoy the spacious decks, the onboard lounge, and attend a dinnertime welcome reception.
Overnight: All overnights aboard your boutique river cruise ship. Meals included: Dinner (D)
This morning your grand voyage on the mighty Mekong River really gets underway, with your de-parture from the Golden Triangle region, where Myanmar (Burma), Laos and Thailand meet. To-day’s destination is the nearby Laotian town of Huay Xay on the Laotian-Thai border, where you will officially enter the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos. Your voyage then takes you into northern Laos amid stunning scenery and on to the small village of Pak Tha. Here you take a long-tail boat excursion on the Namtha River to visit a local village of the ethnic minority Khmu. You will visit a small village school sponsored by guests of Mekong River Cruises. You then continue downstream aboard your cruise ship and anchor at a sand or riverbank.
Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner (BLD).
The river traffic increases as you pass through a densely populated region accessible only by water. Here you will discover some of this still-untamed river’s most beautiful landscapes: hills covered with tropical vegetation, dramatic rock formations, and a fascinating mixture of fast currents and more placid stretches of river. The power of the mighty Mekong lends your cruise the feeling of a real expedition. Relax on deck, in your cabin, or in the lounge as you absorb the remoteness of these spectacular surroundings. On the way you will visit a remote village.
Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner (BLD).
After a relaxing morning onboard, we stop at a small riverside village for a visit of the famous Pak Ou Caves, with thousands of small Buddha statues inside the caverns. From here, you can optional-ly go on a short jungle trek through the forest to a local village to see their local distillery. Alterna-tively, you can reach the village comfortably by boat as well. Nearby you can see elephants in action (unless they are employed elsewhere at the time of your visit). This evening we enjoy our famous Mekong River Cruises BBQ dinner in a beautiful riverside location.
Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner (BLD).
Today you reach Luang Prabang, the former royal capital of Laos, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Begin with a city walk to the famous Wat Xieng Thong temple with its Golden tiled roofs will surely leave you in awe. Explore other highlights during this full day excursion through Luang Pra-bang. In the evening walk up Phou Si-hill, which offers a spectacular view over the Mekong as well as the Khan River and the surrounding mountains, enjoy strolling along the Mekong promenade or visiting the colorful night market of the local Hmong minority. As Luang Prabang offers many oppor-tunities for fine dining, tonight you are free to choose from the numerous offerings in town or along the Mekong River.
Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast and lunch (BL).
In the early morning you can visit the traditional giving of alms in the streets of Luang Prabang and explore the traditional morning market. After breakfast you will say goodbye to your Laotian crew. Check-out and disembark. Your memorable river journey ends with your transfer to the airport or to your hotel (within city limits).
Meals included: breakfast (B).
Before lunch, from 11 am, you will embark on your comfortable Laotian cruise ship. These unique vessels are the first German-Laotian owned river ships with cabins on the upper Mekong. Settle into your accommodating cabin and unpack for a six-day cruise. After having lunch onboard, you explore the charming town of Luang Prabang. Back on board you are celebrating this evening with a local dancing performance and a traditional Lao Baci-friendship ceremony.
Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner (LD)
During breakfast, your cruise takes you upstream until your boutique ship stops at the famous Pak Ou Caves, within which thousands of small Buddha statues dwell. From there, you can go on a short jungle trek through the forest to a small riverside village and visit their distillery. Alternatively, you can reach the village comfortably by boat. Nearby you can see work elephants in action unless they are employed elsewhere at the time of your visit. In the afternoon, your ship continues cruising upstream towards Oudomxay Province. Overnight on board.
Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner (BLD)
The river traffic thins out as you proceed upstream, and you can enjoy the fantastic landscapes surrounding you. You can relax on deck, in your comfortable cabin or in the lounge and soak up the sun as the gorgeous landscape becomes more and more spectacular: hills covered with tropical vegetation, awe-inspiring rock formations along the riverbanks, and a diverse array of rapid cur-rents and slow rivulets. The power of the mighty Mekong gives your cruise the feeling of a real ex-pedition. Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner (BLD)
Today you relax on deck, enjoying astonishingly diverse landscapes and the tranquility of northern Laos—a real retreat from the hustle and bustle of daily life back home. As you cruise along the green hills, you start heading toward the small village of Pak Tha. You can join a long-tail boat excur-sion on the Namtha River, which takes you to a nearby Khmu village, whose school has been sup-ported by donations from Mekong River Cruises guests for many years. In the evening, you enjoy our famous Mekong River Cruises barbecue dinner in a beautiful riverside location.
Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner (BLD)
Soak in the scenery and the purely natural landscape, which is only broken by the seldom sights of small villages and local herds of cattle. In the afternoon, you proceed to the Thailand–Laos border at Chiang Khong, Thailand, and Ban Huay Xay, Laos. In the evening, you enjoy your last dinner on the Mekong.
Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner (BLD)
After breakfast you say goodbye to your Laotian crew. You check out and disembark your boutique ship before transferring to the airport or your local hotel. Depending on season and water level the check-out will either be at Chiang Saen or Chiang Khong.
Meals included: breakfast (B)
Journey Highlights
Tour Prices Include
Not Included
+856 20 55660402
lukas@cruisemekong.com
22/2 Sakkarine Rd, Ban Xieng Thong,
Luang Prabang, Lao P.D.R.