Hidden Cultural Gems of Laos

A charming city, spend your time relaxing and soaking up the culture. Visit temples, trek through virgin rainforest to beautiful waterfalls and give alms to the monks. We can arrange a special and unique time in Luang Prabang.

Explore the UNESCO -protected city centre to appreciate its unspoiled Laotian-colonial fusion architecture, taking in notable Buddhist temples. Visit the Royal Palace Museum, Wat Xiengthong, with its traditional roofs sweeping low to the ground, the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun, Wat Sene, the city’s oldest temple, and the shrines of Wat Aham and Wat Mai.

Depart in early evening from your hotel and head to Luang Prabang's famous night market. Walk through the market and head towards the small streets which are dedicated to local food. Enjoy the sights, sounds and smells and your guide can help explain the different foods shown. After looking and trying some local specialities, head to a famous restaurant for a traditional sindad BBQ, a type of personal 'BBQ at your table' that is very popular with the locals. The guide will help you to order a variety of different dishes for you to try. After a tasty dinner, head back to your hotel.

Wake up before dawn to witness and participate in offering alms to hundreds of saffron-robed monks. This early morning ritual dates back generations in Laos and is awe-inspiring sight. Rising early also gives you an opportunity to wander through the fresh market on the way back to the hotel for breakfast.

Please keep an appropriate distance and observe the ritual in silence and dress appropriately – shoulders, chest and legs should be covered.

For 120 years, the Buddhist monks of Luang Prabang have been photographing each other, documenting monastic ceremonies, meditation and pilgrimages. These photographs have survived agitated times thanks to a great abbot of Luang Prabang, Phra Khamchan Virachitta Maha Thera, who for 70 years collected and protected them.

The digitalization of the original photographs found in Luang Prabang was supported by the British Library’s Endangered Archives Programme and since 2006, over 35,000 photographs have been discovered in 21 monasteries. Today you will have the unique opportunity to visit the Sala Thammiviharn at Wat Khili where most of the original photographs (prints and negatives) are now stored in specially designed wooden archive cabinets. An expert from the Buddhist Archive of Photography will be able to give you a deeper insight into the project. This truly is a fascinating experience, especially as the archives are normally not accessible by the public. Afterwards enjoy the opportunity to sit down for a cup of tea and the chance to ask more questions about the project.

Included in this tour is a donation to support the Buddhist Archive of Photography and a copy of the ‘Treasures from the Buddhist Archive of Photography’ book for you to take home with.

In late afternoon today, head to the Suan Phao Petanque playground and enjoy some spare time in Luang Prabang like many of the locals do by playing a quiet round of Petanque. The French game's objective is to throw or roll a small heavy ball as close as possible to a target ball and has been played on courts here since the colonial period. Watch the locals and try to understand their technique and then try your hand as well. Your guide will help you get started and maybe you can team up with a local for a match.

Enjoy a very relaxing and richly authentic stay here at the Muang La Resort and days exploring the sleepy and tropical countryside of rural Laos' Oudomxay province. A large menu of activities and outdoor pursuits are there to entertain you and immerse you in Laotian culture.

Follow a picturesque route along the banks of the River Nam Pak, to visit two villages of the Ikhos people. The Ikhos are one of the most isolated communities in Laos and originate from Tibet and Yunnan Province in China. In their mountain village with houses built from bamboo and wood, you will learn about their way of life, their belief in the spirit world which affects everything they do and their unique method of dyeing their clothes using extracts from the plants of the forest.

Cycle along the banks of the River Nam Pak where many Khamu villages are found. Pass by beautiful scenery and meet working villagers, harvesting vegetables on the riverbank. Stop in one of the villages to learn about its daily life and traditional beliefs such as respect of the village elders' wisdom, the innocence of youth and the communal spirit of the village. After around eleven kilometers you will reach the village of Tad Muan, where you can learn how the traditional houses are built and the different ways the villagers hunt. You will then cycle back to the resort.

Today you will experience a Baci ceremony which is are an integral part of Lao culture. Held to celebrate a special event, marriage, a homecoming, or a departure, it is based on an ancient belief that the human being is a union of 32 organs and the “kwan” (or soul) watches over each of them. The Baci ceremony is said to re-align the kwan and the body. A village elder will wrap a white cotton thread, white is Laos' colour of peace, good fortune and warmth, around your wrist while chanting an invocation to strengthen the power of the blessing. Enjoy this authentic experience in a local house and feel refreshed and enlightened with this ancient practice. The ceremony will be followed by a meal in one of the local houses and washed down with a local cider, Lao Hay.

Return to Luang Prabang at the end of your trip, and enjoy this charming cultural and historical city in style.

Drive out to the beautiful waterfalls of Tat Khouangsi. Below the 90m drop of the main cascade are a series of pools, connected by smaller falls and cascades. At low water levels, the water is an unbelievable turquoise, and swimming in the lower pools is a great way to cool off. On the walk through the forest to the falls, you will also pass the Free the Bears project – home to a group of rescued Asiatic Black (Moon) Bears and one Malayan Sun Bear. They are often searching for food hidden in their enriched environment enclosures, or simply sleeping. The route home offers the chance to stop at the villages of Ban Ou, Ban Ouay and Ban Thapene, home to some of the different Lao ethnic groups.