Essential Laos

Arrive in Luang Prabang, where a guide and driver will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at leisure, whether relaxing at the hotel or exploring the town independently. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Begin at Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang's most photographed temple, before boarding a private longtail boat for a Mekong cruise to the Pak Ou Caves, known locally as Tam Ting and filled with thousands of gold-lacquered Buddha statues in a wide range of sizes. Along the way, take in the daily rhythms of river life, from fishermen to villagers going about their day on a waterway that remains one of the region's main means of transport and commerce. Cruise back to Luang Prabang, with an optional stop at Ban Xang Hay, a village known for rice wine, before lunch at Tamarind, one of the town's most celebrated restaurants. In the afternoon, tour the former Royal Palace, now the National Museum, Wat Mai, known for its golden bas-relief, Wat Sensoukharam, built in 1718 with a dazzling golden facade, and the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre, dedicated to the country's ethnic minorities. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Early risers can witness the dawn alms-giving ceremony, as monks leave their pagodas to receive food offerings from residents, before returning to the hotel for breakfast. Afterward, visit Wat Visoun, the holiest temple in the city, and Wat Aham and Wat That, resting place of King Sisavang Vong's ashes. Drive out to Kuang Si Waterfalls, swimming in its turquoise pools or trekking to the top for sweeping views, with a picnic lunch beside the falls. On the way back, make an optional stop at a sanctuary caring for Asiatic black bears rescued from poaching, and the Lao Buffalo Dairy Farm, a social enterprise producing sustainable cheese alongside a menagerie of playful animals, finishing with a homemade ice cream. Back in town, climb the 328 steps of Mount Phousi in time for sunset, with panoramic views over Luang Prabang from the summit, before browsing the evening hill tribe market on the way back to the hotel. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Fly or take the train to the capital, Vientiane. On arrival, drive out to Buddha Park, also known as Xieng Khuan, a park filled with more than 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues built in 1958 by a Lao shaman, set in a tranquil spot along the Mekong. On the drive back, stop at the Lao Disabled Women Development Centre, which brings practical skills to disabled women toward greater self-sufficiency, with a chance to see their handicraft work, including handmade paper. The rest of the day is free at leisure, best spent along the riverside promenade with local snacks and souvenirs. Overnight in Vientiane.

Visit the serene Wat Sisaket, one of the capital's most beautiful temples, and nearby Wat Phra Keo, now a religious museum housing Lao and Khmer art, close to the Presidential Palace, a reminder of Vientiane's colonial past. Continue to Wat Simuang, the city's most venerated temple and considered the guardian of its spirit, and the nearby Black Stupa of That Dam, once covered in gold before it was taken during a Thai invasion in 1828, then wander Pangkham Street and the Nam Phou Fountain, where tradition and modernity sit side by side. After a Lao-style lunch, visit the COPE Centre, an organisation supporting landmine and UXO survivors, offering an in-depth look at the lasting impact of unexploded ordnance in Laos and the efforts underway to clear it. Continue to the sixteenth-century That Luang, the holiest site in the country, and the Patuxai monument, Laos's answer to the Arc de Triomphe, with panoramic views from the top. Overnight in Vientiane.

Fly to Pakse, where your guide and driver meet you for lunch at a local restaurant. Afterward, drive an hour to Wat Phou, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed pre-Angkorian temple set among the rice fields and waterways of southern Laos. Built across three levels, from a water reservoir and promenade at the base to carved galleries and a sanctuary at the summit, the temple once served as the region's most important economic and political centre and remains one of the most revered sites in Laos. Transfer to nearby Champasak, checking in with time to enjoy a beautiful sunset over the Mekong. Overnight in Champasak.

Spend the day exploring Si Phan Don, the 4,000 Islands, where the Mekong stretches fourteen kilometres wide. Drive around two hours to Ban Nakasang, then take a local boat to the peaceful island of Don Khone, home to small villages and plantations, best explored by bicycle or tuk tuk. Visit the impressive Liphi Falls, close to the Cambodian border, then take in the remnants of French colonial rule, including a railway and bridge once built to span the islands' waterfalls, a laid-back scene that has changed little over the years. Lunch is at a local restaurant, before returning to the mainland by boat and back to the hotel in time for sunset. Overnight in Champasak.

Transfer back to Pakse for your onward flight, bringing your journey through Laos's essentials to a close.