Southern Laos to Siem Reap 8 Days

After meeting at the Sinouk Coffee House in central Pakse at 9:30am, we transfer you to a long tail riverboat for your 2.5 hour journey to Champassak. Upon arrival at the Vat Phou boat, we help you to your cabins to unpack then serve lunch on deck. The highlight of the afternoon is the Vat Phou ruins - the majestic pre-Angkorian 10th century temple complex and boat's namesake. You have time to visit the museum at the ruins site, walk up to the highest temple and take as many photos as you would like. As dusk falls, we transfer you back to the Vat Phou boat for a chance to enjoy the tropical sunset on the deck. Dinner is served on board, while the boat docks for the night alongside a remote Laotian village.

Accommodation             : On Vat Phou Cruise

Meals                            : Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

01 October – 31 March: Vat Phou Cruise departs every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

01 April – 30 September: Vat Phou Cruise departs every Tuesday and Saturday. * No cruises operation in June.

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Breakfast is on board as we set sail for the village of Huei Thamo. This is a small village a few minutes’ walk away from the mysterious hidden forest temple of Oum Muong. Afterwards we rejoin the boat to continue our cruise southwards. Lunch is on the deck, while leisurely sailing closer to the wild paradise of the "4,000 Islands" Late afternoon we disembark from the boat to walk through Ban Deua Tia, a small Laotian Village where the traditional way of life has not changed in centuries. Our day's cruise finishes at the most northern tip of Don Khong, the largest inhabited island in the river archipelago. After dinner, the evening is yours to relax and enjoy.

Accommodation             : On Vat Phou Cruise

Meals                            : Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

While you breakfast on the deck, the Vat Phou boat cruises the Mekong to the small village of Ban Veuthong, where you board a small boat to meander among the 4,000 Islands to Khone Island. You will visit the old French railway and walk across the bridge that links Khone and Det Islands. We continue on the boat back to the mainland for lunch at a local restaurant in a small fishing village, Xieng Di, on the banks of the Mekong. A bus transfers you to the historically significant Pha Pheng waterfall, "the Niagara of the East", close to the Cambodian border. Upon reaching the border, complete the necessary border formalities and enter into Cambodia.

Accommodation             : At the hotel in Stung Treng

Meals                            : Breakfast/Lunch

Breakfast will be served at a local restaurant near the market in Stung Treng. This morning, visit Mekong Blue, a local silk weaving center offering work and an income to disadvantaged young women in this remote area. You can tour the workshops and, if you like, shop for beautiful silk items that carry the ‘UNESCO Seal of Excellence’ (Note: Mekong Blue closed Sundays).

From here, transfer south towards Kratie. On the way, you’ll stop to visit Wat Sorsor Mouy Roy in the village Sambo. The vihara (temple sanctuary) of the so-called ‘100 Pillars Pagoda’ is an important historical and cultural building and quite famous for its legend involving a princess and a crocodile. Continue along the banks of the Mekong, a very scenic route with great views. In the village Kampi, the best spot to view the rare Irrawaddy Dolphins along the Mekong. Get on board a local boat that will take you to the preferred places of these interesting creatures. As soon as you will have spotted the first dolphin, your boat driver will turn the engine off and you will follow the dolphins silently (duration 1 to 1.5 hours).

Arrive in Kratie (transfer ca. 30 minutes), where you will have some time at leisure to discover the small town by yourself. Overnight stayed on Koh Trong Island.

Accommodation             : At the hotel in Kratie

Meals                            : Breakfast/Lunch

Have breakfast at the hotel. Now it is time to drive south, towards Kampong Thom. On the way, stop to visit Chhlong (transfer time ca. 45 minutes), a tiny town with many French colonial houses that is amongst the most beautiful in Cambodia. Upon arrival in Kampong Cham (transfer time ca. 2.5 hours), a delicious lunch will be served at a local restaurant.

After a short tour of the provincial capital and its typical market, continue to Kampong Thom (transfer time ca. 2 hours), where you will have the rest of the day at leisure to relax by your hotel’s beautiful pool or to discover the provincial capital on your own. Overnight in Kampong Thom

Accommodation             : At the hotel in Kompong Thom

Meals                            : Breakfast/Lunch

Have breakfast at your hotel. Today, you head towards the rarely visited Sambor Prei Kuk, one of the most important pre-Angkorian sites in the country that is enlisted to potentially become Cambodia’s next UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sambor Prei Kuk was built in the Chenla period between the 6th and 7th century and there are over 100 well preserved temples scattered in the forest. The three main sites are linked by small and shady tracks. Enjoy a beautiful walk through the jungle with breath-taking views. The villages around the temple complex still practice the ancient art of craft making, using materials such as bamboo and rattan. Stop at one village to observe the local production. The community runs the Isanborei Craft Hut next to the temples and sells their products there as part of a community-based tourism project. You will have the chance to visit and contribute to the sustainability of the people’s livelihood as the local community will prepare a simple but very tasty lunch for you near the temple.

Continue towards Siem Reap, about 2.5 hours away. Upon arrival, check in at your hotel and enjoy a break. Late afternoon, set out by typical ‘remork’ (similar to the Thai tuk tuk) to see one of the major highlights of Southeast Asia awaits you: the magnificent Angkor Wat. Built during the reign of King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century, Angkor Wat is constructed following the model of the temple mountain symbolizing Mount Meru, the home of the gods. Inside the temple, the walls are covered with stone carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II fought during his reign. Angkor Wat is well known for the more than 2,000 Apsara dancers decorating the temple. Construction is thought to have taken around thirty years of intensive labor. Today, Angkor Wat is figured on Cambodia's national flag as the temple symbolizes the soul of the Khmer people. You will be there during sunset time, when Angkor Wat is less visited and the Apsaras will shine in the most beautiful light. Return to the hotel just after sunset. Overnight stayed in Siem Reap.

Accommodation             : At the hotel in Siem Reap

Meals                            : Breakfast/Lunch

After breakfast, we are strolling around and visit the Silver smith’s and the Central Market are not to be missed. Transfer to airport for flight departure.

Accommodation             : Not available

Meals                            : Breakfast