Mekong River cruise, Laos
| country: | Laos |
| departures: | 1-3 departures per week in each direction, depending on the season. High season: November to April. Low season: May to October. |
| price: | From US $443 - US $565 (3 days) excluding flights, depending on the season. Minimum 2 persons. Price includes cruise, accommodation (2 days), meals, non-alcoholic beverages, admission fees, group insurance |
the amazing things you'll be doing
3 days cruising along the fascinating Mekong River.
From Pakse to the 'Niagara of the East', the discovery of one of the wonders of the world, the treasures of Khmer architecture.
Not far from the shores of the Mekong River in Southern Laos lie two of the regions most remarkable treasures, the mythical World Heritage site of Vat Phou and the Oun Moung Temple. The awe-inspiring pre-Angkorian Vat Phou dates back over a thousand years and is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding examples of Khemer architecture, while the Oun Moung exudes an atmosphere of a city lost in the jungle for centuries.
A boutique river-borne hotel is the setting for this journey through the timeless landscapes of Southern Laos. Here, the serenity of this vast and smooth expanse of water is accentuated by the stunning Si Phan Don the "4,000 Islands" and further down, Southeast Asia's largest waterfalls at Pha Pheng.
The leisurely cruise along the fascinating Mekong is as relaxing as it is historic and gives extraordinary insight into the ancient civilisation that once shared your path down this mighty waterway.
From Pakse to the 'Niagara of the East', the discovery of one of the wonders of the world, the treasures of Khmer architecture.
Not far from the shores of the Mekong River in Southern Laos lie two of the regions most remarkable treasures, the mythical World Heritage site of Vat Phou and the Oun Moung Temple. The awe-inspiring pre-Angkorian Vat Phou dates back over a thousand years and is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding examples of Khemer architecture, while the Oun Moung exudes an atmosphere of a city lost in the jungle for centuries.
A boutique river-borne hotel is the setting for this journey through the timeless landscapes of Southern Laos. Here, the serenity of this vast and smooth expanse of water is accentuated by the stunning Si Phan Don the "4,000 Islands" and further down, Southeast Asia's largest waterfalls at Pha Pheng.
The leisurely cruise along the fascinating Mekong is as relaxing as it is historic and gives extraordinary insight into the ancient civilisation that once shared your path down this mighty waterway.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Pakse/Champassak/Vat Phou. Early morning 10:30 a.m. departure from Pakse for Champassak, heading south aboard a local longtail riverboat, zigzagging through mild rapids and sand banks, arriving at Champassak in time for a riverside lunch, followed by a guided tour of the mysterious pre-Angkorian 10th century temple of Vat Phou, the boat’s namesake. As dusk falls board the Vat Phou for a relaxing cruise down-river, enjoying the tropical sunset on the deck, dinner is served on board, while the boat docks for the night alongside a remote Laotian village. |
| Day 2: | Huei Thamo / Oum Moung Temple / Khong Island. Breakfast on board as we set sail for the village of Huei Thamo, only a few minutes walk away from the spectacular hidden forest temple of Oum Moung. Afterwards rejoin the boat for a cruise southwards and lunch on the deck, while we continue our leisurely sail further south to the wild paradise of the “4,000 islands”, arrived in the afternoon closed to Khong Island (the birthplace of the President of the Peoples republic of Laos) at Ban Dua Tae, and visit this traditional Laotian Village where the traditional way of life has not changed in centuries. Back on board for quiet dinner, under the stars, serenaded by the songs by the songs of the buffalo toads. |
| Day 3: | Ban Veuthong/ the “Niagara of the East/ Xieng Di/ Pakse. Breakfast on the deck, while cruising to the small village of Ban Veuthong where we will board a small long-tail boat to Khone Island. After visit, take a long tail boat back to the main land for lunch amid the by-gone splendid of another age; colorful French colonial houses and an old customs post, alongside a stone quay. Take a minivan to amazingly scenic splendour of the Khong Pha Peng waterfall, “the Niagara of the East“, close to the Cambodian border. Back to “civilization, for the two hours ride to Pakse, arriving in the afternoon, about 3:50 p.m. NOTE: This itinerary also runs in reverse. |
travelling with a local operator
This holiday is operated by a company based in the holiday destination and they will be able to provide expert local knowledge. They will be able to tailor make your holiday to suit your requirements not only concerning the dates of travel but also typically the standard of accommodation, and thus price. It is rare for local operators to be able to help with the booking of your flights.how this holiday makes a difference
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We have a long term agreement with a local company who provides us the boat for this cruise, including a local captain with his crew. During the trip a local guide is taking care of the customers. Where possible, our chefs will buy local products from the communities for the meals on board the boat. All leftover food from our cruises is given to local villagers to help feed their livestock.
During our stops in the villages we help the local community by supporting the locals by buying their handicrafts. On this journey there are only local restaurants, shops and markets available, all run by Laotian people. The cruise stops in some villages on the journey. At these villages we encourage our guests to contribute money for the construction of schools, the purchase of school books and pencils, and also the purchase of sporting equipment for the children of the villages. We also donate money for these causes. In Laos, there is a tradition to feed the monks every morning. This has the two fold purpose of ‘making merit’ and also providing the monastery with food for the day. We offer meals for the temples in the areas that we travel through. In Wat Ban Dong, the company donates pipes and other material to help in the road construction in this area. Embracing the beauty and power of the Mekong and the exotic mystique of ancient Khemer ruins, this journey combines the highlights of the region. During the cruise stops we are visiting the famous Vat Phou and Oun Moung temples. With the entrance fee for each of our customers we contribute to the cultural preservation of this Khmer architecture. Culture and customs in Laos are similar to the ones in the Northeast of Thailand as it is also the case with the language (Laotian people can easily communicate with Thai’s and v.v.). English is widely spoken, but sometimes difficult to understand as this area in Southern Laos is still not fully developed! During the visit of temples an appropriate dress code is required (Women: skirts, but no see-through clothes, bare shoulders etc. Man: can wear shorts and shirts with sleeves or polo-shirts, bit no tank tops). All bottles, cans and plastics that are used during the cruise are recycled. We are committed to reducing and recycling waste in our offices. Our offices practice double-sided printing, and recycle printer cartridges, whenever possible. Our offices turn off air-conditioning units and PC’s when offices are not staffed. Much of the waste from our offices is naturally recycled (e.g. bottles and paper waste are sold, where they are re-used/ recycled). We are supporting the Green World Foundation in Thailand and will have lecturer from this foundation to conduct seminars in our office for our staff in the near future. We already started selling some environment friendly products (bags, T-shirts) on their behalf and hand over all the money and profit to them. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |