Caves & Capital Round Trip – A Four Day Tour
This will be an experience of contrasts. We rev up to the new, modern Laos – and dive down into the natural wonders of caves, rivers and the Blue Lagoon.
As always, this inteniary is only my suggestion. I will be happy to tailor it to your needs.
Day One – Speed Train, Caves and Blue Lagoon.
Chinese speed train (Photo: Dominik Landwehr, CC-BY-SA-4.0)
All aboard the speed train from Luang Prabang! Like many new facilities in Laos, this train line is built by the Chinese. After one hour we are in our first stop enroute – Vang Vieng. This town is a bustling eldorado for hiking, paddling and other outdoor activities.
We will check in at our hotel and have lunch. Then, we are ready for today's experiences.
Tham Jang cave (Photo: Tango7174, GNU Free Documentation License)
The Tham Jang cave lies on a high point with a nice view of Vang Vieng. We will cross a bridge and descend stairs onto the well-lit cave. At the bottom, crystal clear waters run out of the mountain to join the Nam Song River.
Blue Lagoon (Photo: Gonzo Gooner, CC-BY-3.0)
Then, we will go to Blue Lagoon 1 – one of several blue lagoons in Vang Vieng. Here, you can dive into the pleasantly cool waters, a joy when the noonday sun has heated you up.
Tham Phu Kham cave (Photo: yeowatzup, CC-BY-2.0)
Afterwards, climb up to the entrance of the Tham Phu Kham cave. Inside, you will find several Buddha shrines, as in many other caves in Laos. This cave is really deep and mighty, so be prepared for a tranquil meditative experience, far from the bustling life and warmth that awaits you outside.
We will finish off the day with dinner at our hotel in Vang Vieng.
Day Two – Caves, Kayaking and Tubbing.
Tubing on the Nam Song river at Vang Vieng (Photo: Christophe95, CC-BY-SA-4.0)
After breakfast, we dive into the Nam Song river. You can paddle in a canoe, or let yourself drift leisurely down the stream in a tube – a popular tourist speciality of Vang Vieng.
We will also have time for a visit to the spectacular Tham Nangfa cave, also known as the Angel Cave. It was discovered relatively recently. You will walk past huge limestone formations like stalagtites – lit up by spotlights, and end up in the Grand Hall – like a natural cathedral.
Tham Nangfa cave (Photo: Terje Strømdahl)
A nearby, smaller cave – Tham None – can only be entered through water, either a kayak or a tube. Here, you can paddle further into the cave on silent waters and immerse yourself in the cave's quiet cool.
Finally, you can pump up the adrenaline with a zip line ride along the Nam Song river – admiring the view of rivers, cliffs and mountains.
Vang Vieng from hot air balloon (Photo: Tango7174, GNU Free Documentation License)
After all this, we are ready for hearty lunch at a nearby restaurant. We will then return to our hotel in Vang Vieng, and you will have the rest of the day free for local sightseeing. I will be pleased to help you find a really good restaurant there for dinner.
Day Three – Vientiane.
Let's speed off with the rapid train to the capital of Laos – Vientiane! The city lies on the shores of Mekong river. It has a French flavour from colonial times.
Patuxai monument (Photo: Stefan Fussan, CC-BY-3.0)
This will immediately be clear when we visit the most prominent landmark of Vientiane – the Patuxai monument. It has striking similarities with the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. This similarity is quite contrasting to the monument's "raison d'être": To remember the freedom fighters in the revolt against the Frensh rulers.
Pha That Luang (Photo: Phillip Maiwald, GNU Free Documentation License)
Perhaps even more spectacular is the Pha That Luang stupa. A stupa is a Buddhist building for pilgrimage, meditation and relics, mostly remains of Buddhist monks. The Pha That Luang stupa is covered with gold. It was built in 1566 by King Setthathirath and was restored in 1953. Now, it is more than a stupa - it is a national symbol.
Wat Si Muang temple (Photo: Ohsa Khayphet, CC-BY-SA-3.0)
We can also visit the Wat Si Muang temple. It was built in 1563 and is believed to be guarded by the spirit of a local young woman, Si Muang. Legend tells that she leapt to her death as a sacrifice to appease angry spirits – a clear sign of how old animist beliefs have mixed with Buddhism. There is a small statue of her in the temple.
Wat Si Muang is regarded as the guardian temple of Vientiane. Many Buddhists visit the temple for it's "good luck" powers, and you too are invited to make a wish here in the hope that it will come true.
After dinner, we can visit the night market for shopping, and have dinner in any of Vientiane's good restaurants.
Day Four – Buddha Park And Return to Luang Prabang.
Buddha park (Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC-BY-SA-4.0)
We start the day with a visit to the Buddha park or Wat Xieng Khuan – a sculpture park 25 km southeast from Vientiane. The name Xieng Khuan means "spirit city", and the meadow by the Mekong River is a vast collection of Buddhist statues, built of reinforced concrete.
The statues appear to be old – but were made in the late 1950s by the mystic, myth-maker, spiritual cult leader and sculpture artist Bunleua Sulilat. We will see numerous sculptures of Buddha, but also of humans, gods, animals, and demons. No wonder this is also a popular public park in Vientiane.
Sadly, this is our last day here, and after lunch at our hotel, the speed train awaits us for a rapid return to our "base camp" in Laos – Luang Prabang.