10 Days In Laos: Travel Guide and Itinerary

Laos was my favourite country in Southeast Asia - it has absolutely stunning nature and the kindest people. It is also much less visited by tourists compared with Thailand and Vietnam, and so a lot of the people there are longer term backpackers which makes for a great vibe. With hindsight, I wish I had spent longer in this country. If you have more time, I definitely recommend heading to Nong Khiaw, Pakse, and Don Det, and do the Gibbon Experience if you can! But beware it books up weeks or even months in advance. Here is my guide for the best 10-day itinerary through northern Laos. I have included information about the top things to do in each place, great places to eat, and where to stay.

Contents

Logistics: Making Bookings and Moving Around

Itinerary Overview

Luang Prabang

Vang Vieng

Vientiane

Budget

Coming from Thailand? Here is my complete guide to taking the slow boat into Laos.

Logistics: Making Bookings and Moving Around

Getting around Laos might seem overwhelming, but it’s very easy once you know what to do. In Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng, your best option is to get a tuk tuk. These are literally everywhere, and the likelihood is the tuk tuk will find you. Make sure you negotiate a price as they will always quote you something much higher to start with!

Trains in Laos!

Between towns and cities, you can use buses or trains. The 12Go Asia app is good for buses if you book in advance, but if you are 4 days or fewer away from your travel date, book in person through your hostel. This is especially important for the train. The train network in Laos is incredible - you don’t feel like you’re in Southeast Asia at all. However, you need to book tickets in advance, otherwise they might not be confirmed in time and you could receive an email the day before saying that you do not, in fact, have a ticket. This happened to so many people I met. Hostels can help you book tickets more reliably, and they will often include the price of a tuk tuk to the train station. Do not book trains on 12Go Asia - the price is almost double.

Inside the Luang Prabang train station

Between Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng, the train is the best option. It takes less than an hour vs 5+ hours in a minivan on some bumpy roads. Between Vang Vieng and Vientiane, consider taking the bus as it takes you closer to the city centre (the train station is quite far out) in the same amount of time. The train still is a good option, but make sure you negotiate a price with the tuk tuk drivers at the train station when you arrive, and consider sharing with other people. In Vientiane, download Loca - Laos’ version of Uber. The train network stops at Vientiane, however, so if you are planning on going further south in Laos, you will have to book a bus.

Luckily, you don’t need to make hostel bookings very far in advance. A few days ahead should be absolutely fine. For activities, I would generally book the day before and have no issues. Most of the time you can book through your hostel which makes it very easy. But not to worry, there are always last minute options available!

Itinerary Overview

Day 1 - 4: Luang Prabang

Day 5 - 9: Vang Vieng

Day 9 - 10: Vientiane

Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang was my favourite city in Laos. I was there for 4 days but could have spent a week there with its relaxed vibe and everything to do.

Things to Do

Kuang Si Waterfall

Kuang Si Waterfall is without a doubt the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen. You can’t miss it when you’re in Luang Prabang. You can book a tour through your hostel, but if you have at least four people, consider getting a tuk tuk instead. We found one on the street, and they charged us 200,000 Kip (approx. £6.75) per person for the return trip, which seems to be the going rate. Agree on the price beforehand, and don’t pay until you are back in Luang Prabang! The driver waited for us when we were visiting and then took us back. 

Make sure you have at least 3 hours there to give you enough time to go to the top of the waterfall, take pictures, and have a few swims at the different levels. It is honestly just jaw droppingly gorgeous - I felt like I was in a movie.

Mt Phousi

Mt Phousi is the hill in the middle of Luang Prabang that you can climb to get panoramic views of the city and its surroundings. There is a temple at the top, so make sure you are dressed appropriately, with your legs and shoulders covered. The best time to visit is either sunrise or sunset, but beware that sunset is the busiest! It costs 20,000 Kip (approx. 68p) to go up, but if you keep your ticket, you might get lucky and be able to use it again (this is what I did!).

View from Mt Phousi

Watch the Alms Giving Ceremony

If you go up Mt Phousi for sunrise, you might catch the alms giving ceremony on your way. It begins between 6 and 6:30am. I would not, however, recommend just getting up for that. Unfortunately, it has become a commercial event whereby the monks are given offerings from tourists who (sometimes literally) have their phones and cameras right in their faces. It hurt to watch. If you decide to go, please keep your distance and respect this tradition.

Alms Ceremony, Luang Prabang

Explore the Old Town

Luang Prabang has a great old town with beautiful buildings, temples, cafés, restaurants, and shops to explore. I spent half a day exploring and couldn’t get enough.

Walk along the river

There is a path along the riverbank which has great views of the surrounding nature, and is very peaceful. I highly recommend taking a walk along it.

Take a jewellery making class

Garden of Eden is a little shop in Luang Prabang run by a local woman who teaches you how to make jewellery. It is one of the most popular things to do in the city, whether you are artsy or not. The setting is right on the river so makes it such a wholesome activity. It’s a great way to meet people, be creative, and learn about jewellery making. They have lots of different types of classes, and you have to book them online to reserve a place. It can be the day before or even on the day itself if you’re flexible with timing. This is their website where you can book a class: https://gardenofedenlpb.wixsite.com/luangprabang, or see the link on their Instagram page @gardenofedenluangprabang.

The setting at Garden of Eden

Visit the UXO Visitor Centre

Did you know that Laos is the most bombed country in the world? The UXO Visitor Centre is an absolute must do in Luang Prabang. It is a free museum which teaches you about the history of Laos and the war there. I cannot recommend it enough.

Volunteer at Big Brother Mouse

While I unfortunately did not get the chance to do this, I have heard nothing but good reviews from people who took part in volunteering at Big Brother Mouse. It is a local organisation which teaches English to children in Laos. You can volunteer for a day or longer. Reach out to them to organise it.

Sunset from Mt Phousi

Where to Stay

The main hostel in Luang Prabang is Sunny Riverside Backpackers. It is somewhat of a party hostel, but their sister hostel next door, Funny Riverside Backpackers, was much more low-key, and I met some lovely people there. It has a great social area overlooking the river, and free breakfast as well.

Where to Eat (vegan friendly places)

There are so many great places to eat in Luang Prabang. Here are some I tried and tested which have vegan options too:

• Family Bakery

• Lotus Corner Restaurant

• Yuni Yupoun

• Local Restaurant

  
  

Yuni Yupoun Restaurant

The Luang Prabang night market also has lots of options - I recommend the ramen stall! And there are also plenty of Thai restaurants where you will have no problem finding vegan dishes.

Vang Vieng

Often known as the adventure capital of Laos, Vang Vieng has so much on offer. I spent another 4 days in Vang Vieng but could have stayed longer too!

Things to Do

Nam Xay Viewpoint

The Nam Xay Viewpoint is the iconic hike with the motorbike at the top of the mountain. Take a tuk tuk there - the more people you have, the cheaper it will be! Make sure you agree on a price beforehand (we paid 40,000 kip per person for 8 people (approx. £1.35)) and don’t pay until you are back. The driver will wait for you to finish the hike if you ask them to. It takes about 30 minutes to drive out to the trailhead from the centre of town, and then 15-30 minutes to walk up, depending on how fast you are. It is a very slippery and uneven path, so make sure you are wearing good shoes. 

If you head up there for sunset, or are starting before sunrise beware that it gets very dark on the trail because of the thick tree cover. Be prepared with a torch (preferably a head torch if you have one so that you can use both hands to climb if needed). You have to pay 20,000 Kip (approx. 68p) to climb to the viewpoint. 

TOP TIP! At sunset, the viewpoint is very busy and there is a queue to get a photo on the main motorbike (there are 2, but one is more popular for obvious reasons). If you want a photo before golden hour leaves the bike (after this it’s too dark), you need to get to the top with plenty of time to queue (at least 30 minutes). People take their sweet time having full photoshoots on that bike, so be prepared to wait! But also please don’t hog the bike - everyone wants a turn!

Pha Honekham Viewpoint

The Pha Honekham Viewpoint is right next to Nam Xay, and this is the one with the plane on top. It is considerably less crowded than Nam Xay (there were less than 20 people up there when I went for sunset), and you can see Nam Xay from it, which makes for a beautiful view. 

To get there, again, you will need to take a tuk tuk from town. Agree on a price beforehand, and make sure your driver waits to take you back after the hike. It is about a 30 minute drive and then 15-30 minutes to go up to the top, depending on your speed.

Unlike Nam Xay, this path is not slippery, but the rocks are very sharp and jagged so make sure you have adequate shoes. Again, bring a torch if you’re going before sunrise or after sunset. This viewpoint also costs 20,000 Kip (approx. 68p) to climb.

Blue Lagoons

Vang Vieng has 9 blue lagoons, essentially semi-natural swimming areas that are a beautiful blue colour. A lot of them have ziplines, diving platforms, swings, and more, so it is a lot of fun to hang out there. You can arrange a tuk tuk to take you to any of the lagoons. They are waiting on the streets of Vang Vieng, and you can negotiate a price for a return trip. The more people you have, the cheaper it will be. Make sure you ask them to wait for you while you spend time at the lagoon - they normally say 3-4 hours before they will take you back - and don’t pay until they take you home. Each lagoon costs between 10,000 and 20,000 Kip (approx. 34p - 68p) to enter. There are restaurants, toilets, and shops at all of the lagoons.

Blue Lagoon 3

The most popular lagoons are 1, 2, 3, and 4. Lagoon 3 is a lot of fun - it has loads of swings, platforms, and zip lines. However, it’s not the best place for spending the whole day because it is surrounded by concrete and benches. It also loses the sun in the afternoon so it can get cold. I recommend going there in the morning. Lagoon 2 actually has two lagoons with a grassy area in between them. It has little huts to relax in and volleyball nets, as well as a zipline, big diving platform, a slide, and other obstacle courses. The sun is also on the grass there pretty much all day. It was my favourite.

Kuang Si Waterfall

Kayaking

Kayaking down the river in Vang Vieng is very popular. A lot of the tours combine kayaking with caving, but I decided to skip the caving. A 2 hour kayak trip cost 100,000 Kip (approx. £3.40), and included a pickup at my hostel. It was a great way to see the river and surrounding mountains, and you end by going through town.

Paramotoring

You may have heard of the hot air balloons in Vang Vieng, but paramotoring was an incredible experience. It is a motorised paraglider so there is a takeoff and landing, and you fly above the mountains of Vang Vieng. It was so beautiful and not scary at all - I felt so safe the entire time. If you want to go for sunrise, make sure you choose the earliest pickup they have, as you will be joining a queue of people and might miss it if you go later. We got picked up at 6:30, but because we were waiting for people who started before then, the sun was up by the time I got in the air a couple of hours later. 

Given the safety record of hot air ballooning in Vang Vieng, I am so glad I did the paramotoring. Not only was it cheaper, but because of the motorised nature of the paramotors, it meant that you got to see more of the mountains rather than just float in a smaller area. Depending on how many people you book with and how good at negotiating you are, the price will vary between 1,700,000 Kip and 2,000,000 Kip (approx. £56 to £70) per person for a 15-20 minute flight.

Views from the paramotoring

If you want to go hot air ballooning, please do your research and book well in advance. Above Laos is the only reputable company in Vang Vieng.

Where to Stay

I stayed at Vang Vieng Rock Backpackers and had no complaints. The owner was very helpful with booking trains, activities, and giving suggestions, and it was in a great location.

Where to Eat (vegan friendly places)

There were plenty of places to eat in Vang Vieng. Here are a few I tried which had vegan and veggie options:

• Green Restaurant (this place also has great views of the hot air balloons in the evening)

• Bamboo Bistro

• Happy Mango

• Veggies Restaurant

  
  

Vientiane

Vientiane is the capital of Laos but it isn’t the most exciting city. I wouldn’t recommend much more than a day there. 

World Peace Gong in Vientiane

Things to Do

UXO Visitor Centre

If you didn’t get a chance to go to the UXO Visitor Centre in Luang Prabang, consider going in Vientiane. It is such an important piece of history.

Buddha Park

Buddha Park is honestly the only main attraction of Vientiane. You can get there by Loca taxi or by public transport. The Bus 14 leaves from Talat Sao bus station every 20 minutes or so, and takes about 45 minutes to drive there. It could be longer if the bus decides to stop at the Thai border - but this is out of your control! It costs 18,000 Kip (approx. 60p) for a one way trip, and you pay on the bus. Tell the driver/ ticket person where you want to get off and they will stop for you.

Entry to Buddha Park costs 40,000 Kip for foreigners (approx. £1.35). You can spend time walking around and looking at the statues, and you can even go inside some of them. You won’t need more than an hour here though. The bus back goes from the opposite side of the street - make sure you flag it down when you see it arrive.

Lao National Museum

I didn’t get a chance to visit this museum because the buses let me down, but bus number 29 heads here every hour or so from Talat Sao bus station. Check the timetable in advance. The museum is a good place to learn about the history of Laos and is also a beautiful building.

National Victory Monument

Right in the centre of the city is the National Victory Monument. It’s free to visit and walk around and honestly is quite impressive.

National Victory Monument

Night Market

There is a small night market in Vientiane which has lots of stalls selling fake branded products and souvenirs. It doesn’t have much food though, so don’t rely on it for that.

Buddha Park

Tipsy Elephant Rooftop Bar

If you’re looking for a little bit of a splash, head to the Tipsy Elephant rooftop bar. It’s a really nice venue in the city and a lovely place to go for a drink or food at sunset.

Tispy Elephant

Where to Stay

Barn 1920s Hostel is probably the nicest in Vientiane. It has a peaceful café downstairs and is well located in a central but quiet neighbourhood which is really nice.

Where to Eat (vegan friendly places)

Here are a few places for vegan food in Vientiane! This list is not exhaustive, so keep an eye out:

• Chin Café

• Nizam Indian

• Gallery Risto

• Coco & Co Vegan Café

• PDR - Pizza de Roby (vegan cheese on pizza!)

My pizza at PDR :)

Budget

Fortunately, Laos is an extremely cheap country to visit. My daily average was just under £30 per day, which included food, accommodation, local transportation, my SIM card, visa, and activities. The average was brought up significantly by the £65 I spent paramotoring in Vang Vieng. Hostels cost between £3 and £8 a night, and food can be between £1 and £4 per meal. Trains are a little more expensive, and the price varies depending on where you book. Try to book with your hostel as it will be about half the price as with a third party like 12Go Asia (varying from £7 to £15!).

Almost everywhere in Laos takes exclusively cash, so make sure you have enough with you.

At the top of Kuang Si Falls

I hope you love Laos as much as I did. It was a very pleasant surprise for me, and I wish I had spent longer exploring the country. My top tip is to look at going north to Nong Khiaw and then all the way south as well.

As always on your travels, look after the places you go - leave only your footprints behind :)