6days, Laos Family Retreat Trip

Itinerary

DAY 1: LUANG PRABANG

Arrive in Luang Prabang and settle in to the relaxed laid-back pace. Spend the afternoon wandering the riverside or exploring the many temples dotted amongst the town. With very little traffic it’s easy to get around with kids. In the late afternoon take a one-hour guided walking tour of Luang Prabang’s bustling night market, sample local food and shop for handicrafts.

DAY 2: LUANG PRABANG CITY TOUR

Introduce your kids to Buddhist culture with a visit to the temples Wat Xieng Thong and Wat Mai and observe monks in saffron robes going about their daily chores. See the former Royal Palace which is now the National Museum, and its halls containing rare religious and cultural artefacts.  Take you marks, get set – race up the 328 steps to the top of Mount Phousi, for panoramic views of the city. Take part in a Baci ceremony where you will have white cotton strings ties around your wrist for good luck!

DAY 3: LUANG PRABANG - LIVING LAND RICE EXPERIENCE -  KUANG SI WATERFALL

Become a farmer for the day at the Living Land Rice Experience, where you will immerse yourself in the daily chores. Let your kids try their hand at the plough, and discover that farm work is no picnic!

At the Living Crafts Centre, learn about textiles, crafts and see artisans weaving on traditional looms, then cool down with a dip in the turquoise pools of Kuang Si Waterfall.  Finish you day out with a visit to a rescue centre for cute furry sun bears.

DAY 4: LUANG PRABANG – MAHOUT EXPERIENCE

Enjoy a day out with the elephants, where you will learn all the secrets to looking after these gentle giants.  After a quick driving lesson, climb on board your elephant for a ride along a jungle path to the river.  Then the wet and wild fun begins as the elephants take their bath and their trunks turn into water pistols! Next, hop in a boat and head off to nearby Tad Sae Waterfall for a swim.

DAY 5: LUANG PRABANG - VIENTIANE

Fly to Vientiane the sleepy Lao capital. After checking into your hotel, you will take a whirlwind city tour starting at Wat Sisaket Vientiane's oldest-surviving monastery and its thousands of Buddha statues, followed by Hor Pha Ke, a museum with a turbulent history. You’ll see Pha That Luang a national symbol of Laos with its golden stupa and Patouxai, Vientiane’s arc de triomphe, and a window into its French-colonial history.

DAY 6: VIENTIANE - BUDDHA PARK

This is a great fun day out for the kids discovering the weird, wonderful and quirky statues of Buddha Park just 25kms outside of Vientiane. The park is the folly of Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat, a monk, shaman and mystic of Hinduism and Buddhism. Keep your eye out for the skeleton thin Buddhas, a giant pumpkin with a demon head, a gigantic 40m long reclining Buddha, or Shiva waving his menacing eight arms of swords!

The rest of the day is free – until your transfer to Vientiane’s international airport.