10 Days in Northern Laos 1

10 Days in Northern Laos

by

Morgane

LAOS

One of my biggest travel surprises. No sea, no islands, no famous beaches, and yet I absolutely loved Laos.

The landscapes were beautiful, the food was amazing, travelling by train was  easy, and the people were really welcoming.

Laos was also much less touristy than I expected, which made the experience even better.

I honestly didn’t expect to love it this much but I already want to go back.

 

ITINERARY OVERVIEW

Vang Vieng → 3 days 

  • Hot air balloon at sunrise
  • Nam Xay Viewpoint
  • Blue Lagoon
  • Sunset boat ride on the Nam Song River
  • Pha Ngern Silver Cliff viewpoint

Luang Prabang → 4 days

  • Kuang Si Waterfall
  • Royal Palace
  • Tak Bat monks ceremony at dawn
  • Mount Phou Si sunset
  • Night market
  • Elephant sanctuary

Nong Khiaw → 1 day

  • Kayak at sunset
  • Som Nang viewpoint
  • Extra night: Pha Daeng Peak (overnight camping above the clouds)

Vientiane → 1 day + flight

10 Days in Northern Laos 2

VANG VIENG → 3 days

A small town surrounded by mountains and the Nam Song River. Famous for its viewpoints, blue lagoons, and hot air balloons, best explored by scooter.

Day 1

We flew into Vientiane and headed straight to the train station to catch the Chinese-built high-speed train to Vang Vieng. The train was modern, comfortable and a lot better than expected. Make sure to book your tickets in advance, as seats can sell out quickly.

Outside the station, shared taxis were waiting to drop travellers off at different hotels around town.

We arrived just in time for sunset by the river. With the mountains in the background, it was a pretty great first impression of Laos.

10 Days in Northern Laos 3 10 Days in Northern Laos 4 10 Days in Northern Laos 5 10 Days in Northern Laos 6 10 Days in Northern Laos 7 10 Days in Northern Laos 8

Day 2

We rented a scooter to explore the mountains around Vang Vieng. We visited during burning season, so the sky was pretty hazy, but honestly, the views were still stunning.

The roads can be rough, so watch out for potholes, cows and the occasional unexpected obstacle along the way.

Nam Xay Viewpoint is a short but steep 30-minute hike, with amazing views over the mountains and rice fields. And yes, the famous motorbike is still waiting at the top for that classic photo.

You can easily combine the hike with a stop at Blue Lagoon. It was surprisingly quiet when we visited during the low season, making it a great spot for a swim afterwards.

Afternoons get seriously hot, so we quickly learned to start our days early and take it easy from midday. To finish the day, we went on a sunset boat ride along the Nam Song River.

10 Days in Northern Laos 9 10 Days in Northern Laos 10 10 Days in Northern Laos 11 10 Days in Northern Laos 12 10 Days in Northern Laos 13 10 Days in Northern Laos 14 10 Days in Northern Laos 15 10 Days in Northern Laos 16 10 Days in Northern Laos 17

Day 3

We started the day with a sunrise hot air balloon ride. The burning haze meant visibility wasn’t the best, but the experience was still pretty magical.

Back on the scooter, we stopped for lunch overlooking the rice fields at Vieng Tara Resort, then headed to Pha Ngern Silver Cliff viewpoint for another hike and some incredible views.

We ended the day with one last scooter ride at sunset. The photos really speak for themselves.

10 Days in Northern Laos 18 10 Days in Northern Laos 19 10 Days in Northern Laos 20 10 Days in Northern Laos 21 10 Days in Northern Laos 22 10 Days in Northern Laos 23 10 Days in Northern Laos 24 10 Days in Northern Laos 25 10 Days in Northern Laos 26

WHERE TO EAT – Vang Vieng

Vieng Tara Resort : Go just the view of the rice fields, mountains and hot air balloons floating by. The food is good too!

Vela Cafe & Restaurant : Great noodles

Naked Espresso : For a brunch

Restaurant du Rabed’Or : For the pool view

Golden Bamboo restaurant : curry was very good

10 Days in Northern Laos 27 10 Days in Northern Laos 28 10 Days in Northern Laos 29 10 Days in Northern Laos 30 10 Days in Northern Laos 31 10 Days in Northern Laos 32

LUANG PRABANG → 4 days

Luang Prabang is all about golden temples, lively night markets, excellent food, and a slower pace of life next to the river. It’s also one of the best places in Southeast Asia to witness the morning alms-giving ceremony, a beautiful Buddhist tradition that has been part of daily life for generations.

Day 4

We took the train from Vang Vieng (book in advance). The city is charming from the moment you arrive. We walked around, visited the Royal Palace, caught sunset from a bar along the Mekong, then hit the food night market for dinner.

10 Days in Northern Laos 33 10 Days in Northern Laos 34 10 Days in Northern Laos 35 10 Days in Northern Laos 36 10 Days in Northern Laos 37 10 Days in Northern Laos 38

Day 5

After a morning coffee, we took our scooter to Kuang Si Waterfall, about 45 minutes from Luang Prabang. Really beautiful and well worth the ride.

We finished the day watching the sunset from the top of Mount Phou Si. Get there early, as it can get pretty packed around sunset.

10 Days in Northern Laos 39 10 Days in Northern Laos 40 10 Days in Northern Laos 41

Day 6

We visited an elephant sanctuary run by an NGO, which looked ethical on paper. The animals seemed healthy, but looking back I’m not fully convinced. If you do go, skip the tour operators and ride your scooter there directly to pay on the spot, it will be less expensive.

Evening: sunset along the water and the night market for souvenirs.

10 Days in Northern Laos 42 10 Days in Northern Laos 43 10 Days in Northern Laos 44 10 Days in Northern Laos 45 10 Days in Northern Laos 46 10 Days in Northern Laos 47

Day 7 – Morning

An early start to witness Tak Bat, Luang Prabang’s daily alms-giving ceremony. Before sunrise, monks walk through the streets collecting food offerings from locals. A unique glimpse into everyday life in Laos.

Afterwards, we stopped by the nearby morning market, well worth a visit, before catching a minibus to Nong Khiaw.

10 Days in Northern Laos 48 10 Days in Northern Laos 49 10 Days in Northern Laos 50 10 Days in Northern Laos 51 10 Days in Northern Laos 52 10 Days in Northern Laos 53

WHERE TO EAT – Luang Prabang

For coffee and breakfast:

  • Coffee Express
  • Saffron Coffee
  • Two Little Birds Coffee
  • Catalina Fruit Smoothie 

For lunch and dinner:

  • Popolo Cantina
  • Tangor
  • Bouang Asian Eatery
  • Yuni Yupoun
10 Days in Northern Laos 54 10 Days in Northern Laos 55 10 Days in Northern Laos 56 10 Days in Northern Laos 57 10 Days in Northern Laos 58 10 Days in Northern Laos 59

NONG KHIAW → 1 day

A tiny village surrounded by mountains and the Nam Ou River. The main attraction here is simply the setting itself.

Day 7 – Afternoon

We arrived in the afternoon and headed straight out for a sunset kayak on the river.

10 Days in Northern Laos 60 10 Days in Northern Laos 61 10 Days in Northern Laos 62 10 Days in Northern Laos 63 10 Days in Northern Laos 64 10 Days in Northern Laos 65

Day 8

We started the day with a morning hike to Som Nang Viewpoint. The burning season haze was still there, but the views were beautiful regardless. We headed back to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon.

10 Days in Northern Laos 66 10 Days in Northern Laos 67 10 Days in Northern Laos 68

VIENTIANE → 1 day

Day 9

We took the train back to Vientiane and spent the day in the capital. Honestly, there isn’t a huge amount to see, and I’d probably skip it if you’re short on time. If you do decide to explore, you can visit Pha That Luang or Patuxai.

We used the day to take care of a few practical things, including haircuts, nails and a couple of appointments. Coming from Singapore, the price difference was huge!

For dinner, we went to La Cage du Coq, a French restaurant. After months in Asia, we needed a little taste of home.

Day 10 → Flight back to Singapore

Laos surprised me in a way few countries have. If you were hesitating, I hope this post convinced you.

<

>

Recent Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *