Luang Prabang: A Family Journey

Welcome to Luang Prabang, the spiritual capital of Laos. Your guide and driver will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel for check-in. Depending on your arrival time, set out for an afternoon introduction tour of the town, or visit the vibrant night market, with a local guide sharing the story of this UNESCO World Heritage town along the way. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Explore Luang Prabang's UNESCO-listed old town in a fun, interactive way this morning, working through a list of photo challenges and missions as a family, travelling by tuk tuk, bicycle or on foot. It's a playful way to discover the town's history and culture while meeting local people along the way. Stop for lunch at Ock Pop Tok, with Lao fusion or Western dishes made from locally sourced ingredients and views over the Mekong, then explore the on-site weaving centre to see traditional Lao textiles and craftsmanship up close. In the afternoon, head to the Bamboo Experience Plantation and Pavilion to learn about bamboo's traditional and modern uses in Lao culture, trying your hand at bamboo weaving, a Kamu bamboo dance and crossbow shooting, and making khao tom, a traditional sticky rice dessert. As evening falls, join a Baci ceremony, a Lao tradition marking important occasions with blessings tied to the wrist in cotton thread, followed by a bamboo-themed dinner featuring the khao tom dessert. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Spend the morning as an organic farmer at a community-run farm, a stilted wooden farmhouse set among lush rice paddies, established to support sustainable agriculture and educate other farmers. Take a guided walk through the vegetable garden, see basket weaving, noodle making and sugarcane juicing in action, then get hands-on in the fields with ploughing, planting, harvesting or threshing, depending on the season, before enjoying rice-based snacks. The farm supports the education and medical needs of children from local farming families. In the afternoon, drive through the countryside to Kuang Si Waterfalls, a cascading series of forest pools perfect for a swim, with an optional trek to the top for the more adventurous. Nearby, stop at a sanctuary for endangered Asiatic black bears rescued from poachers, and learn about the work being done to protect them and their natural habitat. The rest of the day is free at leisure, with the option to add a sunset cruise on the Mekong or an evening of petanque and a traditional Sindat dinner. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Set out this morning for the village of Xieng Lom, where a guide shares insights into elephant behaviour over a cup of coffee or tea before a short river crossing to meet the elephants themselves. Feed them healthy snacks and watch as they bond with their mahouts during bathtime in the river. Then trek through lush Lao gardens and a jungle-covered stream, walking alongside the elephants rather than riding them, for a closer, more respectful appreciation of these gentle giants. Afterward, enjoy a freshly prepared Lao meal made from organic ingredients on a veranda overlooking the river and misty mountains, before returning to Luang Prabang. In the early evening, visit a charming colonial house turned cosy theatre for Garavek traditional storytelling, an hour-long show bringing Lao myths, legends and folk tales to life with a Khaen player and an animated English-language storyteller. The rest of the evening is free at leisure. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

If time allows, spend the morning visiting the UXO Museum, exploring a pottery workshop, or cycling through nearby villages. Transfer to Luang Prabang International Airport for your onward flight.