We meet you at the airport and transport you to your hotel. Your guide will greet you there in later and take you on a leisurely walking tour of this remarkable town. He will customize the itinerary based on your personal interests. However, we recommend beginning your day with a climb up the Naga (river serpent) Stairway up Phousi Mountain to Wat Paa Huak (your guide may be able to arrange for a key from the Abbot to view the spectacular murals) and Wat Thammothayalan, an active monastery with a lovely view of the Nam Khan river. As you wander around town you'll discover prime examples of 19th century French colonial villas and Lao-style homes. We will gladly recommend restaurants to enjoy during your visit. Luang Prabang offers a selection of outstanding Lao, French, and international cuisine. If you like, your  guide will join you for an easy-going introduction to Luang Prabang's nightlife. 

Rise early if you can. You will not want to miss the early morning spectacle of hundreds of temple monks that silently parade single-file around the city collecting food offerings from townspeople. Unless you are tempted by the smell of freshly baked bread along the streets, return to your hotel for a hearty breakfast. Afterwards your guide will take you to see more of the town's ancient lanes. Among the places we recommend  visiting are Wat Xieng Thong, one of LP's most venerated temple complexes dating from 1560. Later, take a break from temple-viewing on Sisavangvong Road, lined with open-air cafes, scrumptious bakeries, busy Internet cafes, and shops selling fabrics, silver and ceramics. If school is in session you might enjoy visiting the students at the Ecole des Beaux Arts.

You have several options after lunch. We can arrange for you to visit a temple project where young monks are being trained in the fast-disappearing traditional Lao painting and sculpture, or a private school where young blind men are trained in the art of traditional massage, or even the former Royal Palace, now a museum. Another alternative is a trip to the spectacular Khuang Sii Waterfall, on the outskirts of the city. If you like, we can arrange for a picnic lunch for you to take along.

Depart early this morning for a two and a half hour boat trip to Kamu Lodge, a remote eco-resort along the banks of the Mekong River. Along the way you stop at Tham Ting Cave. Over the decades, local people have left Buddha images here. You can see thousand of them by the light of candles.  Afterwards, continue upstream through some of the most spectacular natural scenery you may ever see. Arrive in time for lunch. You will enjoy the Lao cooking provided during your stay, including many local specialties made with local organic fruits and vegetables. In the afternoon you will be presented with a number of possible activities if you want to stay busy.

Days begin early here. Enjoy breakfast in the Lodge's traditional wooden sala (pavilion), which is surrounded by fields of rice, which is the very staple of life in most of Asia. If you have never see rice growing close up, you may want to join the local people as they work with their crop to see how it is done. There are plenty of other activities available. Try your hand at gold panning in the Mekong January to June only).  Join the lodge's staff on jungle walks to search for medicinal plants. If you have good boots and strong legs you can trek through the forest to visit remote waterfalls. Perhaps the most interesting thing to do is visit the villages of friendly local ethnic minority people.

After an early breakfast you return to Luang Prabang by boat, unless you have arranged in advance to stay longer. The downstream trip is slightly faster. Your guide meets you on arrival and sees you to the airport for your onward flight. If your flight is later in the day, we can arrange for the driver and guide to remain with you and mind your luggage until it is time to depart. You will have a chance to see a bit more, enjoy a leisurely lunch or do a bit of shopping. You may actually want to spend one more night in Luang Prabang instead. (This has to be arranged in advance since hotels are often fully booked.) There is much more to see and plenty to do. How about a cooking class or an elephant trek to a nearby village?

There are direct flights from Luang Prabang to Siem Reap, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and Vientiane, where you can connect to Hanoi or Saigon

PRICE PER PERSON FOR ALL INCLUSIVE PACKAGE
in DOLLARS/EUROS/POUNDS/BAHT:

Standard: Ancient Luang Prabang October 07 through April 08 Double 526 346 262 16,438 Single 948 624 473 29,631 May through September 08 Double 480 316 239 14,994 Single 856 563 427 26,743 Superior: Sala Luang Prabang Through April 08 Double 594 391 296 18,549 Single 1,091 718 544 34,091 Deluxe: Villa Santi Through March 08 Double 616 405 307 19,253 Single 1,084 713 541 33,861 April thorugh September 08 Double 559 368 279 17,471 Single 973 640 486 30,417 October through December 08 Double 616 405 307 19,253 Single 1,084 713 541 33,861 Faaabulous: Three Nagas (Jr. Suite) Through April 08 Double 614 404 307 19,200 Single 1,136 747 567 35,492 May through September 08 Double 546 359 273 17,070 Single 999 658 499 31,233 VIP: La Residence Phouvao Through April 08 Double 828 544 413 25,862 Single 1,559 1,026 778 48,716 Prices are based on exchange rates of 1 March 08 and are subject to fluctuation. Some hotels have compulsory Christmas and/or New Years Eve dinners.

choose from these LUANG PRABANG HOTELS Superior: Sala Prabang Deluxe: Villa Santi VIP: La Residence (Pansea) Ultimate: La Residence (Pansea) Where We Shine: With Purple Dragon you'll never be herded around on a bus with 40 strangers. Your tour is private and you have the undivided attention of our guides, all of whom speak excellent English. Our guests often remark that the highlight of their holiday was the charming company of our trained guides and their friendly introduction to Lao life and culture. Additional options: Khuang Sii Waterfall - $70 for one or two people Picnic Lunch to enjoy at the waterfall or Pak Y $15 per person for a basic lunch. We can make this as elaborate as you like, depending on your budget Final Day Car - $55 for an additional half day car, driver, guide on your final day if you do not want to go directly to the airport