14 Days in Laos
Trip Overview
This 14-day route runs north to south through Laos, stitching temple dawn ceremonies to limestone caverns and slow-boat Mekong sunsets to midnight noodle bowls. You rise at 5:30 am to watch saffron-robed monks glide past French-colonial shutters, spend afternoons kayaking teal rivers beneath karst cliffs, and finish evenings with Beerlao at riverside bamboo bars. Travel keeps the deliberate Lao tempo, long bus rides give way to scenic boats, leaving space to taste steamed river weed, hear gibbon calls echo through jungle, and feel cool cave air on sun-warmed skin.
Pace
Moderate
Daily Budget
$45-70 per day
Best Seasons
November, March for dry, cool Laos weather; April shoulder for fewer crowds
Ideal For
First-time visitors to Laos, Slow-travel backpackers, Photography lovers, Adventure-seekers, Food-focused travelers
Day-by-Day Itinerary
A complete plan for every day of your trip
1
Monks & Markets in Luang Prabang
Start Laos gently: sunrise alms ceremony, temple wanderings, and a night market feast.
Morning
Tak Bat alms ceremony & Royal Palace Museum
Walk the quiet main street at dawn. Bare feet pad on damp pavement, incense mingles with frangipani, and sticky-rice baskets rustle softly. After the monks pass, the palace opens for murals of colonial-era court life.
Lunch
Nang Tao Oyster Bar
Afternoon
Mount Phousi sunset climb
Climb 328 steps for 360° views over red-tiled roofs and the slow brown Mekong. Sandstone warms under palms, cicadas swell, bats flit above temple stupas.
Evening
Handicraft Night Market
Browse indigo-dyed skirts, snack on grilled buffalo skin, then grab coconut pancakes under strings of yellow bulbs.
Where to Stay Tonight
Ban Aphay peninsula (Villa Chitdara Boutique Hotel)
Walkable to temples and night market, quiet at bedtime
See all Laos accommodation options →Carry small-denomination kip for alms. Women keep heads below monk level.
Day 1 Budget: $50
2
Kuang Si Waterfalls & Butterfly Wings
Turquoise pools, rescued bears, and a riverside Lao cooking class.
Morning
Shared minivan to Kuang Si Falls
Ride 30 km past rice terraces. Dive into three-tiered pools of pale jade, feel cold spray on sun-hot skin, smell pine needles crushed underfoot.
Leave by 8:30 am to beat crowds.
Lunch
Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre café
Afternoon
Tamarind Cooking Class
Pound lemongrass, galangal, and sticky purple rice into jeow dips. Steam fish in banana leaves while the cook explains why Laos food balances bitter, sour, salty, sweet.
Book one day ahead at their Sisavangvong Road office.
Evening
Hive Bar for Laos nightlife
Sip Lao-lao mojitos under paper lanterns. Live folk guitar sets start at 9 pm.
Where to Stay Tonight
Ban Aphay (Villa Chitdara)
Already settled, saves repacking
See all Laos accommodation options →Bring quick-dry shorts and reef-safe sunscreen for the falls.
Day 2 Budget: $55
3
Pak Ou Caves by Slow Boat
Luang Prabang → Pak Ou → Nong Khiaw
Two-hour Mekong journey to 4,000 Buddha statues, then transfer to limestone-clad Nong Khiaw.
Morning
Slow boat to Tham Ting & Tham Theung caves
Reclining on teak planks, watch water buffalo wade and hear the longtail engine fade to paddle splash. Inside the lower cave, torchlight flickers over green-tinged Buddhas coated in river dust.
Boat tickets sold at the pier by 8:30 am; bring cash.
Lunch
Mekong riverside restaurant in Ban Pak Ou
Afternoon
Minivan to Nong Khiaw
Three hours on a winding mountain road, limestone karsts rising like dragon teeth. Woodsmoke drifts from Hmong villages and the air cools with altitude.
Tickets at Luang Prabang South Bus Station.
Evening
Sunset at Nong Khiaw Viewpoint
Climb 1.5 hours for golden hour over the Nam Ou river bend, then dinner at Coco Bar.
Where to Stay Tonight
Nam Ou riverbank (Sunrise Bungalows)
Balconies over water, hammocks included
See all Laos accommodation options →Pack a headlamp. Village power cuts after 10 pm.
Day 3 Budget: $45
4
100 Waterfalls Trek
Jungle trek to a chain of cascades, swimming in clear pools, and homestay dinner.
Morning
Guided 100 Waterfalls hike
Cross Nam Ou by longtail, then follow buffalo trails into bamboo forest. Wade ankle-deep through cool streams, taste wild raspberries, listen to cicadas drumming overhead.
Book at Tiger Trail office the evening before.
Lunch
Banana-leaf sticky rice cooked on trail
Afternoon
Kayak return to Nong Khiaw
Paddle downstream between limestone cliffs mirrored in still water. Sun warms shoulders, kingfishers flash turquoise.
Guide arranges kayaks after hike.
Evening
Dinner at Deen Restaurant
Indian-Lao curry with river weed chips, then stargazing from your bungalow deck
Where to Stay Tonight
Nam Ou riverbank (Sunrise Bungalows)
Same spot, no luggage shuffle
See all Laos accommodation options →Wear river shoes. Rocks are slippery with algae.
Day 4 Budget: $50
5
Riverboat to Muang Ngoi
45-minute scenic ride to car-free village, riverside cave hike, and hammock time.
Morning
Public longtail to Muang Ngoi Neua
Sit cross-legged among rice sacks and laughing children. Diesel mingles with river mist, fishermen cast circular nets.
Boats leave when full, usually 9 am.
Lunch
Lattanavongsa Restaurant
Afternoon
Tham Kang cave & village loop
Walk dusty paths past water buffalo. Inside the cave cool damp air greets you, bats squeak, and you emerge to emerald paddy fields glowing in the light.
Hire village kid guide for $2 to point out hidden Buddha statues.
Evening
Riverside Beerlao at sunset
Sit on a bamboo deck, feet skimming the Nam Ou. Watch sky turn peach while fireflies blink.
Where to Stay Tonight
Main village lane (Nicksa's Place Bungalow)
Hammocks over water, mosquito nets in place
See all Laos accommodation options →No ATMs, bring enough kip for your stay.
Day 5 Budget: $35
6
Rice Paddies & Herbal Sauna
Guided walk to remote Ban Na village, lunch with a family, and sunset herbal steam.
Morning
Ban Na village trek
Slip through narrow irrigation paths. Sticky rice stalks brush calves, buffalo dung dries in the sun, distant rooster calls echo against cliffs.
Arrange at Nicksa's the night before.
Lunch
Family home in Ban Na
Afternoon
Herbal sauna & massage
Steam in a eucalyptus-scented bamboo hut, then oil massage overlooking rice terraces. Menthol leaves tingle on skin, muscles loosen after trekking.
Sign up at Chaleunsouk Massage by 3 pm.
Evening
Family-style barbecue
Join tables at a riverside restaurant, share grilled pork neck and lao-lao shots with other travelers.
Where to Stay Tonight
Main lane (Nicksa's Place)
Still the same peaceful spot
See all Laos accommodation options →Bring small gifts, pens or candy, for village kids.
Day 6 Budget: $45
7
Return South to Vang Vieng
River and road combo back to Luang Prabang, then VIP bus to the limestone adventure hub.
Morning
Boat and bus to Vang Vieng
Longtail back to Nong Khiaw, minivan to Luang Prabang, then air-con VIP bus south. Wind through misty mountains, woodsmoke drifts from stilt villages, sticky rice bought through the bus window is still warm.
VIP bus tickets sold at Luang Prabang South Bus Station. Grab seats up front for less motion.
Lunch
Bus-station khao soi stall
Afternoon
Arrive & tubing briefing
Check in, rent a dry bag and sturdy tube. Reggae drifts across the Nam Song, limestone cliffs glow gold in late light.
Evening
Sunset at Kangaroo Sunset Bar
Two-for-one cocktails, watch tubing stragglers float past orange water
Where to Stay Tonight
Ban Sabai riverside strip (Vang Vieng Boutique Hotel)
Pool for washing off river dust, 5-minute walk to tubing start
See all Laos accommodation options →No need to pre-book bus combo. Buy each leg as you go.
Day 7 Budget: $55
8
Blue Lagoon & Cave Kayak
Morning lagoons and zip lines, afternoon kayak through limestone caves.
Morning
Blue Lagoon 1 & Tham Phu Kham cave
Ride rented bicycle 7 km west. Leap from a tree into jade water, taste mineral coolness, hear shrieks echo off cliffs. Inside the cave, dripstone is damp under fingers, a reclining golden Buddha rests in the shadows.
Leave by 8 am to dodge crowds.
Lunch
Organic Mulberry Farm
Afternoon
Kayak & Tham None cave
Paddle Nam Song downstream, steer into a dark river cave. Torch beams catch stalactites like melted candles, cool air rushes past your face, bats flutter overhead.
Book morning of at Easy Go tour desk.
Evening
Sakura Bar for Laos nightlife
Buckets of lao-lao cocktails, dance barefoot on sand until 2 am
Where to Stay Tonight
Ban Sabai (Vang Vieng Boutique Hotel)
Laundry service for damp swimwear
See all Laos accommodation options →Bring a dry bag for phone and cash in the kayak.
Day 8 Budget: $50
9
Hot Air Balloon at Dawn
Sunrise balloon over karst towers, then cycle to lesser-known lagoons and a local market.
Morning
Balloon flight over Vang Vieng
Lift off in a wicker basket at 6 am. Watch the river snake silver below, feel burner heat on cheeks, limestone needles blush pink in early light.
Reserve at Vang Vieng Balloons office. Flights capped at 8 people.
Lunch
Il Tavolo Italian
Afternoon
Cycle to Blue Lagoon 3 & local market
Pedal dusty back roads past waving kids. Lagoon 3 is smaller and quieter, a rope swing arcs into turquoise. The market sells fried insects, crunchy, nutty, and jars of pungent padaek sauce.
Evening
Movie in a rice-barn theatre
Beanbags, free popcorn, Friends episodes projected on barn wall
Where to Stay Tonight
Ban Sabai (Vang Vieng Boutique Hotel)
Third night discount kicks in
See all Laos accommodation options →Bring passport for balloon check-in.
Day 9 Budget: $115
10
VIP Bus to Capital City Vientiane
Four-hour ride south, afternoon temple stroll, sunset over the Mekong.
Morning
Morning bus to Vientiane
VIP coach with reclining seats and air-con blasting cool. Roadside stands sell sticky rice in banana leaf, grilled-chicken aroma drifts through open doors.
Tickets sold at Malany Transport. Choose 9 am for daylight views.
Lunch
Vientiane Center food court
Afternoon
Pha That Luang & Patuxai
Gold-leaf stupa gleams under midday sun. Inside Patuxai climb spiral stairs, concrete sweats under palms, city sprawl reaches toward the muddy Mekong.
Evening
Mekong sunset promenade
Grilled Mekong catfish from night stalls, Beerlao in hand, watch crimson sky fade over Thailand across the river.
Where to Stay Tonight
Ban Mixay (Landmark Mekong Riverside Hotel)
Pool to fight Vientiane heat, 5-minute tuk-tuk to night market
See all Laos accommodation options →Tuk-tuks from bus station to center cost $2, agree before boarding.
Day 10 Budget: $60
11
Buddha Park & Lao Beer Tour
Morning giant Buddhas and Hindu sculptures, afternoon brewery tour, craft-beer sunset.
Morning
Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan)
Ride local bus #14; walk among 200 concrete statues, 60-m reclining Buddha, three-headed elephant. Sun-hot stone warms fingertips, incense coils scent the air, wind whistles through hollow skull sculptures.
Bus departs Talat Sao at:15 past the hour.
Lunch
Kua Lao Restaurant
Afternoon
Beerlao Brewery tour
Guided walk through fermenting tanks, malted barley fills the air, unfiltered brew flows straight from the vat. The gift shop stocks bottle-opener keychains.
Register online day before; ID required.
Evening
Senglao Craft Beer rooftop
Passion-fruit wheat ale, fairy lights, skyline view
Where to Stay Tonight
Ban Mixay (Landmark Mekong Riverside)
Same comfort base
See all Laos accommodation options →Combine Buddha Park with Friendship Bridge border if you carry a Thai visa.
Day 11 Budget: $55
12
Fly South to Pakse & Bolaven Plateau
Morning flight, coffee-plantation tour, misty waterfall swim.
Morning
Flight to Pakse on Lao Airlines
Prop plane skims over brown Mekong braids. Cloud shadows ripple across jungle canopy. Land in the hotter south, frangipani thick in the air.
Book online for advance seats; carry-on weight checked strictly.
Lunch
Pakse Hotel rooftop
Afternoon
Shared truck to Tad Lo waterfalls
Bumpy 2-hour ride onto Bolaven Plateau. Stop at Jhai Coffee House for single-origin brew, roasting beans perfume the breeze, cool plateau air kisses skin.
Trucks leave Pakse southern market when full. Last at 3 pm.
Evening
Dinner at Tad Lo Lodge
BBQ pork neck, fireflies over the falls, geckos chirping
Where to Stay Tonight
Tad Lo village (Tad Lo Lodge)
Bungalows steps from the falls, early-morning mist photos
See all Laos accommodation options →Pack warm layer. Plateau nights dip cooler than Vientiane.
Day 12 Budget: $90
13
4000 Islands Slow Life
Bolaven → Don Det, Si Phan Don
Scenic drive and boat to hammock great destination, sunset river float.
Morning
Bus and boat to Don Det
Minivan south through rubber plantations, latex sharp in hot air. At Ban Nakasang a longtail crosses the chocolate-brown Mekong to Don Det. Water buffalo graze on grassy banks.
Buy combined ticket at Tad Lo tour desk.
Lunch
Mama Tan Restaurant
Afternoon
Bicycle exploration of Don Det & Don Khon
Ride the single-track beneath coconut palms, greeting kids who cannonball from shaky bridges, sipping roadside coconut hacked open for 5,000 kip while surf slaps the old French railway ties.
Evening
Sunset float on Don Khon
Kayak to Liphi Falls, watch Irrawaddy dolphins surface, then riverside BBQ
Where to Stay Tonight
Sunset side, Don Det north (Little Eden Bungalows)
Hammocks face west for nightly show, mosquito nets intact
See all Laos accommodation options →Cash only, ATM is 20 km away in Ban Nakasang.
Day 13 Budget: $40
14
Dolphins & Departure
Don Det → Pakse → onward
Early dolphin spotting, afternoon bus to Pakse for night departure flights.
Morning
Irrawaddy dolphin boat trip
Throttle the longtail toward the Cambodia border. Watch ripples for grey rounded backs slicing the surface, engine dying to silence as diesel mingles with river mist.
Set off at 7 am when dolphins feed near Don Khon.
Lunch
Coco Restaurant
Afternoon
Return to Pakse airport
Boat then bus back. Doze in the minivan laced with jasmine garlands, rolling into Pakse with two hours spare before the evening flights.
Book minivan at Don Det pier 11 am departure.
Where to Stay Tonight
Airport (Onward flight)
Itinerary ends here
See all Laos accommodation options →Stamp guesthouse bill as proof of onward travel if asked.
Day 14 Budget: $40
Practical Information
Everything you need to know before you go
Getting Around
Book Ahead
Luang Prabang balloon flight, Vang Vieng balloon, domestic flights, Don Khon dolphin boat (dry season).
Packing Essentials
Pack quick-dry shirts, a rain jacket for Laos weather curveballs, headlamp for caves, reef-safe sunscreen, insect repellent, refillable bottle (water refill stations common), warm layer for Bolaven Plateau.
Total Budget
Plan on $1,000, 1,200 for 14 days excluding international flights and Laos travel insurance.
Customize Your Trip
Adapt this itinerary to your travel style
Budget Version
Trade flights for overnight buses, crash in dorms, devour street khao piak ($1.50 bowls), skip balloons, daily spend drops to about $30.
Luxury Upgrade
Level up to Luang Prabang Satri House, Vang Vieng Amari, Bolaven Plateau Kingfisher Eco-lodge; add a private driver and spa afternoons. Budget climbs to $150, 200 per day.
Family-Friendly
Reserve adjoining bungalows with pools, trim trekking legs, hire private minivans with seatbelts, drop by Luang Prabang bear sanctuary and Vientiane COPE museum, adventure that still feels safe for kids.
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