9 Days Essence Tour of Cambodia & Laos

Tour Overview

This 9-day tour will take you deep into the culture of Cambodia and Laos. Start in Luang Prabang, where you can observe the Morning Alms Giving Ritual and immerse yourself in wild nature. Then head south to the capital – Vientiane, where you’ll learn about Laos’ turbulent history. Fly to Cambodia for a new journey, admire the ruins of Angkor, the world’s largest religion, and experience authentic local culture.

Highlights of This Tour

• Observe the Morning Alms Giving Ritual in Luang Prabang.
• Dabble in the cascadingKuangsi Waterfall with crystal-clear water and have an enjoyable picnic nearby.
• Standing on the top of the Triumphal Arch of Laos to get a wider view of Vientiane.
• Learn about the brutal history of the Khmer Rouge during the visits to Killing Fields.
• Make your mind wander into the Khmer Empire at Angkor Wat, the world’s largest temple complex.

Itinerary

Day 1: Luang Prabang Arrival

Welcome to Luang Prabang, Laos’ famous ancient capital and Buddhist center. A local driver will transfer you to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the time is free for you to explore the city. You might as well go to a pub by the river to enjoy the sunset view.

Meal: N/A

Accommodation: Luang Prabang

Day 2: Luang Prabang Sightseeing
Ock Pop Tock Center, Kuang Si Waterfall, Royal Palace Museum, Wat Xieng Thong

Today, you will join a bicycle tour to experience the magical culture of this small town. Head over to the Ock Pop Tock Center to see how artisans make Laos textiles. Later, move forward to Kuang Si Butterfly Park where you can enjoy the cascading Kuang Si Waterfall. You’re allowed to splash around in the bluish-green pools or take a trekking trip along the mysterious forest paths.

In the afternoon, you will be guided to visit the Royal Palace Museum and Wat Xieng Thong. The museum was a residence for the Laos Royal Family, built from 1904 to 1909 during the French colonial period. Wat Xieng Thong is the grandest Buddhist temple of Luang Prabang, where you can see the pattern of the Tree of Life made of various stained glass.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Luang Prabang

Day 3: Luang Prabang – Vang Vieng
Alms Giving Ritual

Get up at 5:30 in the morning to witness the Alms Giving Ritual – faithful locals wait quietly by the roadside to give prepared food to the monks. Then go back to your hotel for breakfast.

After that, your driver will escort you to Vang Vieng, which features a typical Karst landscape. In addition to enjoying the beautiful landscapes, you can experience many outdoor activities such as cave exploration, rafting, and ziplining in Vang Vieng.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Vang Vieng

Day 4: Vang Vieng
Local Caves

Take a guided kayaking tour to some of the local caves to explore the spectacular limestones. Immerse yourself in the rural landscape by cycling through beautiful and lovely villages. Head to a riverside restaurant to sip a glass of local beer or beverage. Catch the sunset while enjoying dinner.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Vang Vieng

Day 5: Vang Vieng – Vientiane
Patuxay Monument, Pha That Luang, COPE Center

Farewell to Vang Vieng and embark on an all-day exploration of Vientiane today. First of all, we pay a visit to the landmark of Vientiane – Patuxay Monument, the Triumphal Arch of Vietnam with mythical creatures painted on its surface. Once at the top, you can get a wider view of Vientiane. Then head over to the Pha That Luang, which is a sacred monument regarded as the national symbol of Laos.

The final stop is COPE Center, a charity that helps with the recovery of the victims of bombs recover by providing prosthetic limbs and rehabilitation services to bomb-affected rural communities. This visit gives you an insight into Laos’ turbulent history.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Vientiane

Day 6: Vientiane – Phnom Penh
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Killing Fields of Choeung Ek

After breakfast, catch a flight to Phnom Penh for a new journey. Phnom Penh sits on the Mekong and Tonle Sap deltas, where visitors can admire the spectacular French architecture lining the river.

Take a guided tour of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek to learn about the Khmer Rouge’s tragic past. After that, we will go to Tree Alliance Restaurant to relax. Here you can enjoy creative local cuisine served by some trained street children.

Later in the evening, feel free to enjoy Phnom Penh’s nightlife.

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Accommodation: Phnom Penh

Day 7: Phnom Penh – Siem Reap
Old Market

Take the morning flight out of Phnom Penh and land in the hometown of Angkor Wat – Siem Reap. After checking in, you are free to relax. You can go out at night and discover the vibrant side of the town.

Visit the Old Market to experience the local customs. This is the most lively place in Siem Reap, where you can find all kinds of daily necessities and tourist souvenirs, such as wood carvings, clay sculptures modeled after Angkor architecture, and hand-embroidered silk shawls, silver ornaments, chopsticks, and so on.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Siem Reap

Day 8: Siem Reap (Angkor Wat)
Ta Prohm

Expect good weather in the early morning and capture the stunning sunrise at Angkor Wat – the entire sandstone temple complex is gilded by the morning light. Then go back to the hotel for breakfast or some sleep.

After lunch, start our Angkor Wat tour with Ta Prohm. It provides visitors with a spectacle of huge tree roots entwining the temple building. Continue our visit to the ancient ruins of Angkor. Visitors can see huge stone carvings and exquisite reliefs everywhere.

If you’re interested, go to the bar for a night out and enjoy the pounding feeling of rock music and alcohol.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Siem Reap

Day 9: Siem Reap Departure

Your 9-day trip to Cambodia & Laos ends here. Before leaving Siem Reap, you can enjoy a short city tour or shopping freely after breakfast. And then your private driver will transfer you to the airport.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: N/A