This ultimate Laos itinerary to pack as much as you can into one week. Laos really took us by surprise with its scenic beauty. We only had limited time in Laos so we decided to spend one week exploring the north. It is not easy to travel between the north and the south due to the poor infrastructure, so unless you plan to spend a while in Laos, I would recommend choosing to explore one or the other.
Northern Laos is now a part of the well-trodden “Banana Pancake Trail” which makes it way around Southeast Asia. Whilst the northern region is characterised by stunning landscapes, mountainous terrain and traditional hill tribes, it’s unfortunately mostly known among backpackers for it’s infamous ‘tipsy tubing’ which involves floating down the Nam Song River and stopping at numerous bars along the way.
How to get to Laos
The most popular way for backpackers to get into Laos is to take the famous slow boat from Hauy Xai to Luang Prabang which is an experience in itself. You can find out everything you need to know about the journey along the Mekong River here.
If you prefer to take a flight and avoid the slow boat, the easiest way is probably to fly to Bangkok and take a $60 flight to Vientiane.
Luang Prabang – 3 nights
Luang Prabang is a UNESCO world heritage site with unique blend of Laos and French influences. We fell in love with how picturesque the town is, it’s vibrant markets and the French colonial architecture. With the number of cafes and bakerys you will find it hard to resist the delicious pastries!
Day 1 – Kung Si Waterfalls and Phousi Hill
Spend the first day visiting Kung Si Waterfalls. We booked a tour through our hostel where we paid 300,000 Laos Kip each to get to and from the waterfall in a minivan. However, I will warn you that they like to pack the minivan full in Laos. There were people sitting in the aisle on a solid box and they tried multiple times to squeeze four people onto three seats. An overcrowded van with little air con bumping through the potholes all the way to the Waterfall did not make for a pleasant journey. Alternatively, if this doesn’t sound appealing to you, you can take a tuktuk. It might be more expensive but I can guarantee it is likely to be a nicer journey.
We paid 25,000 Kip entrance fee and had about 2 1/2 hours to explore the waterfalls before the minivan took us back. Make sure you start at the bottom of the waterfalls and work your way up to the main one. Once you have reached the main waterfall, there is the option to keep on going up to the top of the waterfall – make sure you do this as there is a really nice area to go for a swim!
We found that the time we were given was not enough if you do want to spend time swimming in the different waterfalls. We actually ended up sprinting back to the minivan because the time went so quick! If you do want more time to explore the waterfalls, I suggest renting a motorbike or finding a way there which lets you stay for as long as you wish.
In the evening, hike up the steps to the top of Phousi Hill to watch the sunset. The view won’t disappoint you, however, the number of tourists might. We found it difficult to enjoy the view simply because of the number of tourists trying to take the perfect picture. If you’re not fussed about seeing the sunset, maybe visit earlier in the day when it’s less busy.
Day 2 – Mandalao Elephant Conservation Camp
Spend your second day visiting Mandalao Elephant Conversation Camp. Whilst most people choose to do this in Thailand, we held off as we wanted to support an elephant camp in a country where conservation is fairly new. In Laos, it is still common to find elephant riding camps which we now know to be extremely unethical.
On our half-day tour with Mandalao, they gave us a small presentation on the history of elephants in Laos. We learnt that the number of elephants has dwindled significantly over the past 100 years as a result of unethical elephant camps, in which elephants are either ridden or bathed continuously all day by different groups of tourists. At Mandalao, we walked through the jungle with the elephants and observed them in their natural environment. At no point were the elephants forced to do anything that they didn’t want to do and they looked so much happier for it. It was such an unforgettable experience and I can’t recommend Mandalao enough. You can read more about our half-day tour here.
Spend the evening wandering through the Night Market, try the local food and admire the locals artwork.
Due to the amount that elephants eat in a day, a lot of the locals give food which they have farmed to the elephant conservation camps and in return the camps give the locals the elephant dung which they use for their artwork. So, a lot of the artwork you see in the Night Market is painted on paper made from elephant dung.
Where to stay in Luang Prabang:
- Downtown Hostel. Located a 5 minute walk from the Night Market and offered a complimentary freshly made breakfast every morning.
- Mad Monkey Luang Prabang
- The Jam Hostel
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Getting from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng
You can get from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng by train or by bus. You can take the bus which is 6 hours and costs around 350,000LAK ($17). I absolutely don’t recommend taking the bus as the infrastructure in Laos is awful. They fill the minibus with far too many people and the roads are terrible so the journey often takes far longer and is extremely uncomfortable.
The train from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng is around 400,000LAK ($18) and only takes 50 minutes. The Luang Prabang train station is bigger than you would expect and you have to go through security and have your bags checked before being allowed through. It is forbidden to take aerosols onto the train so make sure to get rid of your deodorant or any sprays you might have beforehand! Once you arrive at Vang Vieng train station, there are public buses which will take you straight to your hotel or hostel at a small price.
If you do take the train, make sure to book your tickets in advance as they sell out quickly. We book all our transport on 12Go which is super helpful – it shows you all the available transport options and their prices so you can easily compare and book your selected tickets.
Vang Vieng – 3 nights
Vang Vieng is known for its stunning natural landscapes. It’s surrounded by limestone mountains, caves and greenery so there is plenty to explore!
Day 1 – Explore Vang Vieng on foot or by scooter
Once you arrive at your hotel/hostel, spend some time strolling around the small town of Vang Vieng as the surrounding scenery is stunning.
Visit Happy Mango Thai Restaurant for dinner but keep in mind it’s very popular and can get busy so you might need to wait for a table!
Day 2 – Blue Lagoons and Nam Xay Viewpoint
Vang Vieng has stunning mountain landscapes and one of the things we enjoyed the most was simply driving around on a scooter. There isn’t much to do in the town itself so your best bet is to hire a scooter/ATV to explore the surrounding countryside. I highly recommend an ATV because the roads tend to be covered in pot holes which makes for a very uncomfortable scooter journey. We made the mistake of hiring a scooter and learnt the hard way! You can also take a tuktuk but often they only give you a few hours at the Lagoon whilst they wait around.
Once you’ve got your method of transport sorted, spend the day visiting the Blue Lagoons. Since Lagoon 1 is the most known and closest to the centre of Vang Vieng we found it to be the most crowded so we didn’t stay long.
We visited Blue Lagoon 3 next, which was 7km away from 1 and took about 15-20minutes on a scooter. It was a lot less crowded and had a couple rope swings, inflatable rings and a bamboo raft to mess about on. There is also a small basic restaurant so you can order food and drinks whilst you’re there. We had so much fun here that we didn’t even make it to Blue Lagoon 2!
On your way back to Vang Vieng, stop at Nam Xay Viewpoint for a breathtaking view of the Laos countryside. It costs 20,000 KIP and the hike to the top is about 30 minutes. However, I wouldn’t say the hike is easy so wear appropriate shoes and bring lots of water. If you want to get to the top for sunset, I suggest making your way down before it gets dark as it’s not an easy path to get down!
In the evening visit Gary’s Irish Pub for great food and a cold beer after an action packed day.
Day 3 – Tipsy tubing
Vang Vieng is well known for it’s tipsy tubing where you float down the Mekong River on an inflatable tube and stop at different bars on the way down. However, it’s not quite as crazy as what it used to be. The combination of alcohol, rapids and shallow water resulted in a number of deaths over the years which forced Laos to put more health and safety guidelines in place. A lot of the bars have closed but a few remain open. Often you can book tipsy tubing through your hostel – try to get a group together from your hostel to make it cheaper!
Tipsy tubing is still a great way to enjoy the views but make sure to bring sun cream! I also recommend taking a waterproof bag to keep your belongings safe.
Alternatively, if tipsy tubing isn’t for you then consider taking a hot air balloon ride. Vang Vieng is known for having the cheapest hot air balloon rides in the world. Whilst we didn’t do the hot air ballon ride ourselves, I’ve heard that Above Laos is one the best air balloon companies in Vang Vieng. It costs $135 per person and is arguably the best way to explore Vang Vieng’s natural beauty.
Where to stay in Vang Vieng:
We recommend Vang Vieng Freedom View hostel which provided complementary freshly cooked breakfast each morning. It also had a pool and offered scooter rental for a reasonable price.
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Getting from Vang Vieng to Vientiane
The journey from Vang Vieng to Vientiane is around 1 hour by train or 4 hours by minivan. The train costs around 420,000LAK (£15) for second class and around 575,000LAK (£21) for first class. If you’re on a budget, taking the minivan is probably the best option for around 180,000LAK (£6).
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Vientiane – 1 night
We only stayed a night in Vientiane as there really is not loads to do here. Whilst it is the capital of Laos, don’t expect a big city. We only stayed 1 night so that we could get the sleeper bus to Hanoi the next day. However, it is a nice place to rest and relax after an activity filled week.
If you do still want to explore spend the afternoon visiting Wat Si Saket, one of the oldest temples in Vientiane, known for it’s thousands of Buddha statues. Next, visit Patuxai, which is Laos’ version of the Arc de Triomphe. Climb to the top to see the panoramic views of the city.
Spend the evening exploring Vientiane’s night market.
Where to stay in Vientiane
We stayed in Nana Backpacker hostel. It cost £8 a night for a bed and was perfect for a one night stay!