From Luang Prabang, visit for 3 days / 2 nights (or more) a really preserved area, well known for its untouched nature, its calm atmosphere, and the authentic villages around.
Beginning your journey with a minivan, you will explorer handicraft villages specialized in silk, cotton and mulberry paper. You will reach Muang Ngoy, where you will spend 2 days, before coming back to Luang Prabang on a private boat for a little exclusive cruise. Recommendation : stay more and do a 2-day trek (or even 3-day trek !) in the natural, preserved area of Muang Ngoi "the old".
Day 1. Luang Prabang - Nong Khiaw - Muang Ngoi (.../.../...)
Early morning, your minivan with chauffeur and guide will pick you up at your hotel. Destination, Nong Khiaw, where a boat is waiting for you to go up to Muang Ngoi, a small fishermen village, in a beautiful nature.
On the way, we will stop in Ban Nagnane, a Tai Lu village specialized in indigo, producing handicrafts based on cotton locally cultivated.
Free lunch in Nong Khiaw
After lunch, we will have a 1h30 cruise on one of the most beautiful rivers in Laos, with a majestic karst mountains landscape covered by a dense jungle. Possible stops in villages. Recommended stop at the waterfall on the way.
Arrival in Muang Ngoi before the Sunset.
Night in Muang Ngoi
Day 2. Muang Ngoi (B /... /...)
Free Day.
Optional proposals :
- 1-day trekking : beginning early morning, when the sun is relatively mild, for 1 hour of very easy walk to the first village, Ban Na, the village of rice fields. We then can reach a couple of villages, depending on your wishes : Hmong village, Kamou village...
You will cross rice paddies, go through jungle, in a karst landscape which rise rocky peaks. You will also have the opportunity to visit one of the many caves where the inhabitants where living for ten years during the "secret war". - 1-day kayaking (or tubing) : we will go by boat further up the river (about 1 hour cruise) for an exploration of two villages : Ban Ban Sopcham and Atsapeui. You will then go down the river with your kayak or tubing on a very quiet river (2 to 4 hours). You will be followed all the way by the boat that carry material, food, etc. Level : easy. Beginners welcomed.
- 1-day fishing : spend one day with a fisherman, barbecue on one of the sand beach with the catch of the day. Visit of the 2 villages of Atsapeui and Sopcham.
- 2-day trekking (B/L/D - B/L) : the journey is 1 day extended and become a 4D/3N. The trek is a loop from Muang Ngoi, with an overnight in homestay in one ethnic group village (Hmong or Kamou). Back to Muang Ngoi mid-afternoon.
Day 3. Muang Ngoi - Pak Ou Caves - Luang Prabang (B/ L /...)
After breakfast, a boat will be chartered for about 2 hours cruise, down the Nam Ou River. You will stop at Ban Ngeun, where the new dam stop us. The minivan will await you to finish the journey by road.
Stop a the mouth when the Nam Ou goes on the Mekong ; there stand the 2 holy caves of Pak Ou, hosting thousands of Buddha images. These representation are left by the believers who come here to pray and seek guidance from spirits.
Before reaching Luang Prabang, we can stop at Ban Xieng Khong village, a weaving village producing from cotton, silk, and Saa paper.
We can have also a stop in Wat Phon Pao, the singular Buddhist octagonal temple welcoming a lot of women.
Back to Luang Prabang before sunset at your hotel.