Best of Laos & Northern Thailand

After breakfast, we travel to the outskirts of town to Mae Tang area to visit a traditional Lisu Village. Our Lisu guide will take you for a guided walk through the village, observing village life as it happens. If we are lucky, we may have a chance to meet the village Shaman and learn about his traditional and spiritual healing methods.

In the afternoon, we visit Araksa Tea Garden and plantation. Your local guide and our resident plucker will lead you to the tea bushes, where they will show you how to pluck tea leaves. At the roasting station, we will demonstrate the art of making tea by hand, from kneading to roasting tea leaves. During the process, learn from your guide about the different processes and methods used to cultivate young tea plants.

Overnight at The Rachamankha
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and dinner

After breakfast, check out from the hotel and proceed to Doi Angkhang National Park. The area has a cool climate all year round, particularly from December to January. We visit Doi Angkhang Royal Agricultural Station, which is a site for planting and researching for flowering plants, temperate fruit trees, vegetables and other crops under the patronage of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej (King Rama IX).

After lunch at a local restaurant, we visit the Muser Hill tribe at Baan Khob Dong village, who believe in ghosts and spirits and still hold on to simple ways of life.The next stop will be Baan Nor Lae village, located on the Thai-Burmese border It is home to the No Lae people, who migrated from Myanmar about 15 years ago. They speak their own language and are Buddhists. From here, we continue to the villages of Baan Khum, located near the Royal Agricultural Station. It is a small community comprising of people from various races, such as Burmese, Hwa, and Thai Yai. They settled in the area and run souvenir shops and restaurants.

In the late afternoon, transfer to Mae Chan and check in to your hotel.

Overnight at Katiliya Mountain Resort & Spa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and dinner

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before we head to an Akha hill tribe village called Ban Lorcha. This community-based tourism (CBT) project at Ban Lorcha was established in the mid-1990s and ensures that money from tourism activities is distributed evenly throughout the village. Lunch is at a local restaurant before we drive uphill to visit the Doi Tung Royal Project, the Hall of Inspiration, and Mae Fah Luang Garden. Doi Tung Royal Project is a sustainable project founded by Princess Mother of King Rama IX, aiming to support communities in Chiang Rai.

Overnight at Katiliya Mountain Resort & Spa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and dinner

After breakfast. Check out and drive to Chiang Saen, a small crossroads town on the banks of the Mekong. Scattered throughout the town are the ruins of the Chiang Saen Kingdom, founded in 1325, including chedis, images of the Buddha, and earthen city ramparts. Continue to visit the Golden Triangle, where the Ruak river empties into the Mekong River, bringing together the boundaries of Thailand, Burma and Laos. next visit is to the Hall of Opium, which was built to educate people about the dangers of the drug through an entertaining exhibition which traces opium’s history from its first use 5,000 years ago to current issues of drug abuse and addiction.

Lunch will be provided at Baan Rai Sabai Dee (or something similar). Continue to Chiang Khong to embark on Pandaw Cruise.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch (dinner aboard your Pandaw)

Embark your ship by 16.00 and enjoy welcome drinks on the sundeck with traditional Thai dancing.

Pass through immigration formalities at the Thai/Laos border and re-join the ship. Set sail downstream on the beautiful Upper Mekong River. Morning presentation on the Lao language. After lunch, if time allows, go sightseeing on foot in Pak Sith.

Morning walk at Ban Luang Tong Lao Lowland village. Laos is known as ‘the land of a million elephants, and after lunch, we will visit a rescue sanctuary that is helping to preserve the elephants of Laos and provide sustainable alternative employment for Mahouts, who once trained and rode these beautiful creatures. In the evening, we moor at a sandbank for a special riverside barbecue and cocktail party. Light paper lanterns with the crew and enjoy a dance in remote Laos.

Today, we discover the Khmu minority group and learn about their remote way of life. In the morning, we will visit Ban Bor village, home to the Lao & Khummu people. We will have the opportunity to support locally produced handicrafts and walk through the Khummu village of Yoi Haoi in the afternoon.

Continue cruising downstream to Pak Ou, sightseeing by local boat and exploring the unique Pak Ou Caves, a Buddhist sanctuary with spectacular limestone cliff faces. See the production of local Laos whisky at the Whisky Village and shop for locally produced handicrafts before sailing into the World Heritage City of Luang Prabang. Moor overnight in central Luang Prabang.

Today we explore the various handicrafts of Laos in more detail. We start with a morning walk up the 228 steps to Phousi Temple, where the best views of Luang Prabang can be found. After lunch aboard the ship, we visit Ock Pop Tok, a social enterprise providing sustainable employment and training for the women of local weaving villages. We then head to TAEC (Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre) to understand more about Laos musical instruments. Cocktail hour is accompanied by a traditional Bacci ceremony onboard, highlighting some of the instruments seen in the afternoon.

Early morning walking tour to observe the morning alms offered by local people to the hundreds of monks who walk around the city every morning. We continue after breakfast to the morning market before taking tuktuks for a city tour of this well-preserved and unique world heritage site with its many Buddhist temples, libraries, and royal palace. The afternoon is free to explore the beauty and unique atmosphere of Luang Prabang.

After breakfast, sail downstream to Ban Chan, where we take part in a pottery demonstration at the local pottery workshop. After lunch, we moor at Ban Mouang Khai and take a short drive to see the deep jungle pools at the Khaung Si Waterfall, where you can swim in the crystal-clear waters. We then stop at the Laos Buffalo Farm, a social enterprise utilising the abundant buffalo in Laos, before rejoining the ship. We sail downstream for a sunset cruise and moor overnight at Ban Na San.

Morning walk through Ban Na San Hmong Village. In the afternoon, we pass through the Xayabouri Hydroelectric Dam and take an inside look at the workings of this somewhat controversial attraction as we pass through the locks. Afternoon walk to Ban Khok Fark and moor overnight.

Explore Ban Pak Yun Mixed-race tribe in the morning, a rural local village, before setting sail to Pak Lay, our final destination. Enjoy a tour of your Pandaw ship and fruit carving demonstration on the sundeck in the afternoon before farewell cocktails and dinner in the evening.

Disembark at 8:30 a.m., followed by a local long-tail boat expedition downstream to Vientiane. Lunch and drinks will be provided on the local boat by your Pandaw chef and bar staff. Arrival to Vientiane is around 17:30.

Check in to your hotel after your disembarkation transfer from the ship.

Meals: none.

Depart with your local guide for a full-day city tour exploring Laos' French colonial capital. Visit Talaat Sao, Vientiane's Morning Market, Wat Sisaket, Haw Phra Kaew and Putousay, the victory gate inspired by the Arc of Triumph in Paris. After lunch at a local restaurant, head out of town to visit one of Laos' slightly stranger attractions, Xieng Khuan Buddha Park.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Check out of your hotel and our driver will transfer you to the airport for your onward flight.

Meals: Breakfast