Biking around Luang Prabang 4 days tour

Destination: Luang Prabang/Tad Sae/Pak Ou Caves

Highlights: Declared as a World Heritage City by UNESCO, Luang Prabang attracts many visitors because of its beauty and tranquil dream-like setting with a fusion of foreign influences and splendid landscape scenery, unspoiled and charming destination for visitors. The roads are un-crowded with little traffic, making this a perfect destination for a cycling tour.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner, G=Guide

Day 1: Luang Prabang arrival (G)

On arrival at the airport, you will be met and transferred to the hotel by our transportation. Luang Prabang is perhaps the best-preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. The tranquility and charm of this town with its splendid natural scenery and cultural sights make it one of the most delightful places to visit in Laos.

After a short rest, we begin cycling to some of the major sights in this faboulous city, including the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun, the shrine of Wat Aham and the city’s oldest temple of Wat Sene. We visit these sights as well as the magnificent Wat Xiengthong, its exterior architecture is remarkable with decorated guilded stuccoes and doorways, a “tree of life” mosaic pattern set in coloured glass on the back wall and its three tiered roofs sweeping low to the ground representing classical Laotian architecture. A visit to Luang Prabang would be incomplete without ascending 329 steps to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa and to enjoy a beautiful sunset view of the city and its glowing reflection on the Mekong River. From there we experience the hustle and bustle of the colourful Night Market where you can find a selection of traditional textiles, gifts and souvenirs made by the local people. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 2: Luang Prabang/Tad Sae (B, L, G)

After breakfast, we set off on our full day cycling tour. We head south of Luang Prabang, on route 13, passing by various local villages while enjoying splendid mountain and unspoiled forest scenery. Our biking route is approximately 18 kilometres on well-paved roads and 1 kilometre on unpaved dirt roads, to Tad Sae. On arrival, we take a small long tail motortaxi downstream on the Nam Khan River, passing stunning soft green mountains and observing the local activities at various small villages on our way. En route we stop at Tad Sae, a large beautiful waterfall which is cascaded in the forest with a cool natural swimming pool, you may refresh yourself from the sweat and humidity from cycling by immersing yourself in the cool and white waters of the spring in the big pool.

We will enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking the waterfall on a Sala terrace. After lunch, we continue our boat trip downstream to retrace the tomb of the French explorer Henri Mouhot, who stumbled across Angkor Wat in 1860, but succumbed to a malaria attack in Luang Prabang on 10th November in following year. Your bike will be ready at the local pier near Ban Phanom for our journey back to Luang Prabang. We take a alternative route back to Luang Prabang, riding through and stopping over at the well-known weaving village of Tai Lue, who used to make silk weaving textiles for the former Lao royal family. We then ride to Luang Prabang by the late evening, to enjoy a short guided cycling tour in Luang Prabang before sunset. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 3: Luang Prabang/Biking to Pak Ou Caves  (B, L, G)

This morning, we head northbound from Luang Prabang. After approximately 22 kilometres of smooth cycling and a further 3 kilometres on rough roads, we reach the village of Ban Pak Ou. After enjoying a picnic lunch surrounded by picturesque countryside, we cross the Mekong River to Pak Ou and Thamting Caves, located on the Mekong riverbank. We visit the interesting and mysterious Pak Ou Caves, which are two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by devoted pilgrims. We then embark on a traditional boat downstream the Mekong River with our bicycles. On the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where you can sample the local produce of Lao rice wine. Our next stop will be at Wat Long Khoune, a royal family temple, as well as Sakkarine Caves and Ban Xieng Mene, a traditional pottery kiln village. We then return to Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 4: Luang Prabang departure (B, G)

After breakfast this morning, we drive to Luang Prabang to visit The National Museum (closed Tuesdays) at the former Royal Palace, which displays a lovely collection of the artefacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through to the last sovereign. We also visit the Phousi Market, where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings. After lunch the tour ends and you will be transferred to the airport.