BEST OF LAOS & NORTHERN THAILAND

Our local representative will meet you at Chiang Mai airport and transfer you to the Rachamankha Hotel in a superior room for a 2-night stay on a bed and breakfast basis.

Overnight: Chiang Mai

After breakfast at the hotel, depart for a day out of Chiang Mai to the region of Doi Inthanon National Park where you will spend a day exploring nature, local life and culture of hilltribe people.

The full-day excursion begins at the Royal Agricultural Station Doi Inthanon, one of the royal projects initiated by King Rama IX. Wander through a beautiful garden with a wide variety of flowers and plants, as well as an agricultural farm, and learn about the entire process, from planting seeds to harvesting.

Next, arrive at Ban Phamon Village, where you’ll meet your Pga K'nyau guide, who will take you to explore an authentic taste of nature, culture, and local lifestyle. First, visit a traditional house to learn how to cook traditional food using organic ingredients. Then, enjoy a delicious lunch. After lunch, get a hands-on experience of roasting JorPa coffee the traditional way. Try grinding the coffee for the freshest and best flavor. Here, learn from a local coffee expert who was born in the area and has returned to work for his community. Enjoy a local coffee before proceeding to observe locals weaving traditional cloth.

Optional: After the coffee experience, you may have an option to embark on a hike to Dok Seaw Waterfall, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the national park. Walk along the 3.5 km trail, passing several layers of waterfalls and seeing locals working on farms. Then return to the village and enjoy a local coffee break before making your final stop to observe locals weaving traditional cloth.

After this full day of experiences, return to your hotel in Chiang Mai.

Overnight: Chiang Mai

After breakfast, check out and depart for Chiang Rai with an en-route stop at Suan Lahu Organic Coffee Farm, an organic highland coffee farm and community eco-project located in Wiang Pa Pao District, Chiang Rai Province. It’s operated with and by indigenous Lahu farmers, focusing on sustainable organic agriculture and cultural preservation. Visit the farm, witness production and processing of coffee, tea, herbs, and fruits. Homemade vegetarian lunch is served at the farm.

After lunch, continue onwards to Chiang Rai, heading towards your accommodation in Doi Mae Salong. Check in and dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Chiang Rai

After breakfast, drive higher into the hills at Doi Mae Salong to the Santikhiri Kuo Min Tang village. Hear how this village was founded in the 1960s as a refugee camp for Chinese soldiers who had been expelled from Myanmar. See how, 50 years later, the residents retain the traditions of their ancestors, speaking their own language and practicing ancient beliefs. These days the Kuo Min Tang descendants are successful farmers, growing tea and other produce. They also make their own wine from the village’s fruits.

Lunch at a local restaurant. Free at leisure in the afternoon with dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Chiang Rai

Check out after breakfast. You will be collected from the hotel lobby and transferred to Golden Triangle where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos converge. Learn about the area’s infamous past, when it was at the centre of Asia’s opium trade.

Continue for lunch at Banrai Sabaidee, located in the Golden Triangle area. After lunch, visit Chiang Saen, the site of a former Thai Kingdom. Explore the sleepy riverside town and its magnificent ancient ruins.

Then drive to your Pandaw ship in Chiang Saen or Chiang Khong around 4pm.

We cordially invite our guests to board their Pandaw vessel at Chiang Khong, a historic gateway to the Golden Triangle where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar converge. On behalf of the captain and the entire crew, we wish you a warm welcome aboard for this amazing cruise downstream to Vientiane. In the evening, enjoy a traditional Thai dance performance on the upper deck, a graceful art form characterised by slow, deliberate movements and elaborate costumes that reflect the region's rich Lanna heritage.

We take a minivan for 15 minutes to the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge for immigration formalities before transferring to the ship on the Lao side. Onboard, join a Lao language class to learn essential phrases such as "Sa-bai-dee", an integral part of local etiquette. In the afternoon, we visit Ban Pak Sit, a village home to the Khmu people, one of the oldest ethnic groups in Laos known for their intricate basket weaving and animist traditions. The evening features a screening of the documentary "The Secret of Nature" regarding Laos' natural wonders.

Our morning excursion takes us to Ban Loung Tong, a lowland Lao village, offering insight into the agricultural lifestyle and traditional stilt-house architecture typical of the region. We then arrive at the Pak Beng Elephant Camp, a rescue sanctuary dedicated to the preservation of elephants in Laos—historically known as the "Land of a Million Elephants"—and providing sustainable livelihoods for Mahouts. We moor at a riverbank for a special evening where guests are invited to fly traditional paper lanterns with the crew and enjoy a dance performance in this remote setting, followed by a BBQ.

We explore Ban Bor Village, a unique settlement where Lao and Khummu people coexist, demonstrating the harmonious blend of different ethnic customs and farming practices. Onboard, we screen the documentary "Luang Prabang Timeless" . In the afternoon, we visit Ban Huay Khae, a village inhabited by Khummu and Hmong people; the Hmong are renowned for their vibrant textiles and distinct cultural heritage originating from the mountainous regions of Southern China.

We transfer to a local boat to visit the extraordinary Pak Ou Buddha Caves, a sacred Buddhist sanctuary set within limestone cliffs containing thousands of Buddha statues left by pilgrims over centuries. Afterward, we sail downstream to visit Ban Xang Hai, locally known as the "Whisky Village," to observe the production of Lao-Lao (rice whisky) and traditional handicrafts Upon arrival in Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site celebrated for its fusion of traditional Lao architecture and European colonial structures, join your guide for an orientation walk to familiarise yourself with the local area.

We take Tuk Tuks to visit the National Museum (the former Royal Palace), which houses the sacred Phra Bang Buddha image, and the Buddhist temples of Wat Mai and Wat Xieng Thong, a masterpiece of Lao temple architecture featuring intricate glass mosaics. In the afternoon, we climb the 328 steps to the top of Mount Phou Si, the spiritual heart of the city offering panoramic views of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. The evening features a traditional Lao Baci Ceremony followed by a performance of Pha Lak Pha Lam (Ramayana), a dance-drama that is integral to Lao culture.

We depart on foot to observe the morning Alms Offering (Tak Bat), a sacred ritual where locals offer food to hundreds of monks processing through the streets. Later, we take a Tuk Tuk to visit Ock Pop Tok, a social enterprise preserving traditional Lao textile techniques, and the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC), dedicated to the diverse ethnic cultures of Laos. In the afternoon, we take a Tuk Tuk to visit Ban Xang Khong, a village famous for its traditional Saa paper making and silk weaving.

We visit the Ban Chan Pottery House to witness a demonstration of traditional pottery techniques that have been passed down through generations. We then travel by minivan to visit the Laos Buffalo Dairy Farm, a sustainable enterprise supporting local farmers, and the dramatic Kuang Si Waterfall, a 15-minute drive away, where turquoise waters cascade over limestone formations. In the evening, we present the movie "Mekong River" by Sue Perkins.

Our morning excursion visits Ban Na San Village to meet the Hmong people, an ethnic group historically known for shifting cultivation and distinctive silver jewelry. Onboard, our guide gives a presentation on Laos. We arrive at the Xayaburi Dam, a controversial yet impressive hydroelectric engineering project, and pass through the lock. Our chef demonstrates how to prepare famous Lao dishes such as Tum Som (Green Papaya Salad). Later, we visit Ban Khok Fark to observe the lifestyle of the Lao Loum (Lowland Lao), the dominant ethnic group in the country. The evening concludes with a screening of the "Pandaw History" documentary.

We visit Ban Pak Yun, a village known for its mix of minority groups living together, offering a unique perspective on ethnic integration in rural Laos. Back onboard, guests can enjoy a napkin folding demonstration and a guided tour of the vessel, including the galley and engine room. In the afternoon, we walk through Pak Lai, a former French administrative town featuring colonial buildings and bustling local shops that reflect its history as a commercial outpost. The captain and crew present a farewell gathering on the upper deck.

We disembark at Pak Lai and transfer by local long-tail boat downstream to Vientiane, the charming capital city known for its French colonial architecture and Buddhist temples.

After your disembarkation transfer from the ship, check in to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure. We suggest heading to the riverside and exploring the night market.

Meals: none

Depart with your local guide for a full day city tour exploring Laos' French colonial capital. Visit Talaat Sao - Vientiane's Morning Market, Wat Sisaket, Haw Phra Kaew and Putousay, the victory gate inspired by the Arc of Triumph in Paris. After lunch at a local restaurant, head out of town to visit one of Laos' slightly stranger attractions - Xieng Khuan Buddha Park which is home to over 200 statues including a 40-metre reclining Buddha.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Check out of your hotel and our driver will transfer you to the airport for your onward flight.

Meals: Breakfast