OVERVIEWS:
Welcome to Pakse town derives from old legend, meaning “Mouth Of The River” It gets this name because it sits on directly at two rivers confluence where the Xedon(Se) river meet mighty Mekong river in the southern of Laos. Pakse is majority capital town of Champasak Province has been inhabited since ancient times, being benefited from the Mekong River and its tributaries. People here has cultivated rice,coffee,tea in the largest plain in the lao country, and fostered rich arts and culture. Champasak Province was under influence of the Champa Kingdom from 7th to 10th century, followed by the Khmer Kingdom until 13th century. Until in 1893 during Indochina war that Chamsak kingdom was under french conial).
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:
Day 1: BKK- PAKSE-(No Flight BKK-PKZ Tuesday,Thurstday,Friday )
Sabaidee…..Welcome to Pakse! Arrival to Pakse Airport ( QV224 BKK-VTE at 12:50 -14:20 hrs – arrival flight is not included) and after customs & immigration formalities, you will meet your local guide and transferred to your hotel for check-in. Remain of evening is your leisure and welcome dinner will be served at the hotel.
Meals included : Dinner
Accommodation : Champasak Grand Hotel,Anthina Hotel,ST Central Hotel
Day 2:PAKSE -TEA & COFFEE PLATATIONS ON BOLAVEN PLATEAU-TAD FANE & TAD LO WATER FALLS-PAKSE
After your breakfast at 08:00 AM,depart with your local guide to drive to outskirt of Pakse town to explore around Bolovens Plateau. This area is an extinct volcano with a high enough altitude to be notably cool and very fertile soils to grow numerous of fruit trees, cardamom, cassava, sweet potato, sugar apple, durian and include Lao green tea and coffee. The first stop to visit Coffee and Tea plantations that you will seek for secret local farmers how they hard work to grow, harvest and stirring their tea for production process. It is your prime time by local farmer will be pleased to offer to taste hot green tea to take part of your traditional medicine to threat your diet chest.
Afterwards continue to visit Tad Fane waterfall; thin ribbons of water plunging hundreds of feet into a ravine. Local hill people recount a story of local hunters ambushing a deer at the falls, thus giving its name (Tad = Waterfall, Fane = Deer). And then continue your journey to the wide, roiling and thundering Tad Lo falls. Enjoy your lunch at Local Restaurant on the small river side where you be impressive the of the landscape. After enjoy your lunch visiting Minority Village that we call Mon-Khmer or Upland people ethnic group which they were original inhabitants living in laos for more than 2,000 years. This is good experience to explore the friendly local villagers where they are farmers, gardeners and fishermen.
Afterwards return to the hotel to relax and refresh up.
This evening enjoy dinner at a local restaurant in Pakse town.
Meals included : Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Accommodation : Champasak Grand Hotel,Anthina Hotel,ST Central Hotel
Day3: PAKSE-WAT PHOU-DON KHONG-AROUND 400 ISLAND(SI PHAN DON)
After your breakfast at 08:00 AM, depart with your local guide for the overland drive to Don Khong(The journey is approximately 166 KM/ 2 and half hours drive by private mini van but it is depending on our activity along the road which is passing small villages along the Scenic of road and it passes vegetable garden and sticky rice field of farmer with picturesque minority and areas of spectacular plantation scenery).The first stop to Wat Phou which is considered one of the oldest archaeological sites in Laos. One of Hindu Khmer temple in the site was constructed around the 5th century but most buildings found in the complex are from the 11th to 13th centuries. Like other notable Khmer architecture in Southeast Asia, it was constructed using sandstone, late rite and bricks that date back to Iron age. Among many of the outstanding carvings there are the Indra, the Hindu god of war, storms, and rainfall, riding a three-headed elephant and Vishnu riding on a garuda, an eagle. Wat Phu has been an active temple for Buddhist religious practice for quite some time because Buddhism replaced Hinduism in Laos in the mid13th century.
Continue on journey to visit Wat ToMo(Wat OupMoung) is part of complexes of Wat Phou temple in Champasak which it is a tale of a legend Mon khmer sanctuary swallowed by Laotian jungle. It was located on the east side of the Mekong river bank and it was built by King Yasovarman I in the late 9th century to offer as an important religious outpost which connected to the border Wat Phou. Enjoy your lunch at Local Restaurant, after enjoy your lunch continue on your journey to visit Ban Nongbueng that is one of Mon khmer minority wood carving village and it is very attractive to explore some the woodwork sculptures. And they have done for more than hundred years which they will show you much selection of items ect: wood carving elephant, Lion, Naga, Buddha, Hindu god and goddess statues including the mask of their ancestors.
On arrival in Don Khong Island “Si Phan Don”(4000 Island),transfer to hotel for check in and refresh up
This evening enjoy dinner at a local restaurant in Don Khong Island
Meals included : Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Accommodation : Senesothxeune Hotel,Pon Arena Hotel
Day 4:DON KONG-BOAT CRUISE-AROUND 4000 ISLAND(SI PHAN DON)-KHON PHAPHENG-LIPHI WATERFALLS-MEKONG RIVER DOPHINS-COLONIAL BRIDGE
After your breakfast at 08:00 AM,depart with your local guide and enjoy your private boat cruise along mighty Mekong river to explore around 4000 Islands( The journey is approximately 32 KM/1 and half hours but it is depending on our activity along the river which is passing small villages along the Scenic of Mekong river which it passes vegetable garden and sticky rice field of farmer with picturesque minority and areas of spectacular plantation scenery).The first stop to visit Li Phi Falls by taking a boat trip across Mekong river to get on local Tutuk Or Songthaew like pick up car to visit Li Phi Falls, Its the major obstacles which thwarted the French in their efforts to open the Mekong River to navigation. Afterwards transfer to the edge of the island to the border Laos-Cambodia to seek for attractive Irrawaddi (freshwater) dolphins(Note:This is depending on good condition of the weather that you will realize to see or unseen them! ).
Continue to visit small gauge railway that you find out old locomotive and Colonial Bridge built by the French to circumscribe the falls during french colonial indochina in 1893.Enjoy your lunch at Local Restaurant,after enjoy your lunch return to your Tuktuk and transfer to the pier and board on the boat to across the Mekong river to Ban Nakasang. Afterwards transfer by your private mini van to visit Khone Phapeng which local people called Negara waterfall by worshiped of water element spirit. This is the most spectacular and largest waterfall in Laos where many of visitors would like to seek for the mysterious about it.
Afterwards return to hotel to relax and refresh up
This evening enjoy dinner at a local restaurant in Don Khong Island
Meals included : Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Accommodation : Senesothxeune Hotel,Pon Arena Hotel
Day5:DON KHONG(4000 ISLAND)-BAN KHIET NGONG-PAKSE
After your breakfast at 08:00 AM, depart with your local guide for the overland drive back to Pakse( The journey is approximately 166 KM/ 2 and half hours drive by private mini van but it is depending on our activity along the road which is passing small villages along the Scenic of road and it passes vegetable garden and sticky rice field of farmer with picturesque minority and areas of spectacular plantation scenery)The first stop to visit Ban KhietNgong to explore around Xe Pian National Protected Area. It is missive wetland and tropical forest more than 320 recorded birds species and it will offer you prime time for seeking extraordinary of birds by taking a small boat paddle on a beautiful lake for 2 hours. And besides that you still be impressive about thousand of water buffaloes and cows cool up and sun bath their body on the muddy in the rice fields around the lake. Enjoy your lunch at Local Restaurant, after enjoy your lunch continue on journey to Pakse town.
On arrival in Pakse Town, transfer to hotel for check in and refresh up.
This evening enjoy dinner at a local restaurant in Pakse Town
Meals included : Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Accommodation : Champasak Grand Hotel,Anthina Hotel,ST Central Hotel
Day6:PAKSE-DEPARTURE
After your breakfast, relax or explore the charming town on your own until time to transfer out to Pakse Airport for your departure flight to PKZ-VTE by flight QV306 at 09:40-10:40 AM.(Please note that hotel check-out time is usually 12 noon, Please ask your local guide to get late check out from hotel but Normally check-in time for international flights is normally 2 hours prior to departure).
Meals: Breakfast
LAOS Tour Prices Included:
+Accommodation at your selected hotel with breakfast daily
+Meals as indicated in the itinerary (food only)
+Transfer and included sightseeing as specified on a private basis
+Private boat cruise along the mighty Mekong river
+Service of English speaking local guide for included sightseeing and transfers
+Domestic flight from PKZ-VTE( Pakse flight to Vientiane Capital city )
+Entrance fees to all included sites visited
+Service charge, room tax and baggage handling
+NTA and Laos Government Tax
+Bottled water provided on transport during transfers.
NOT Included:
-Meals and other services than those mentioned in above inclusion
-Any optional sightseeing excursions or additional visits not outlined in itinerary
-Laotian visa fee (Laos visa on arrival presently US$ 30-35 for passport holders, plus 1 passport sized photo. Often an extra US$ 1 or so will be charged on weekends or holidays as an overtime fee).
-International arrival flight to/from Laos and airport departure tax
-Excess Baggage fees or charges levied by Airlines
-Drinks, tips and other personal expenditures (e.g. telephone, laundry, souvenirs and etc…)
-Personal Travel Insurance
-Tips/Gratuities to guides/drivers/boat man