Celebrate Pi Mai In Luang Prabang

📍 Luang Prabang Airport – Hotel in town (4km): 15/20 minutes

Arrival in Luang Prabang. Your guide and private car will meet you and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.

Welcome to the spiritual capital of Laos! Lao New Year is celebrated at the same time each year. This is one of the most famous and popular festival in Laos. On the 13th, Buddha images are taken out of the temples to be cleansed with scented water by devotees, and placed on special temporary altars within the compounds of “wats” (temples). Devotees gather the scented water falling off the images, to take home and use it to pour on friends and relatives, as an act of cleansing and purification before entering the New Year. Boun Pi Mai is a time for much joyous celebration, with good deeds and prayers in anticipation the New Year.

Enjoy free time at leisure or may like to take a walk around the town.

As the day comes to the end, you will have the unique opportunity to experience one of Laos’ oldest traditions, The Baci. The purpose of the Baci, which is a mix of Animist and Buddhist beliefs, is to call back escaped spirits to the body. This is something that is very important before major events such as weddings, births, travel, welcoming friends and farewells.

The Baci ceremony will be set at Wat Phoukway or Wat That Luang.

Enjoy a delicious dinner at L’Elephant, one of the finest restaurants in Luang Prabang.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Inclusions:

🍗 Dinner

After breakfast, enjoy a half day city tour on foot.

Explore Luang Prabang with a knowledgeable local guide. Visit the highlights of this UNESCO World Heritage site and also learn about Laos’ rich, colourful culture.

Kick off the Luang Prabang half day tour at the former Royal Palace, a centrally-located building that now serves as the National Museum. Venture through the corridors and see intriguing displays of historical relics and informative exhibits.

Then take a short walk to neighbouring Wat Mai, a Buddhist temple whose gold-covered bas relief is an incredible piece of craftsmanship. While here, learn about Buddhism and how its influence pervades the local culture.

Continue through the streets of downtown Luang Prabang to Wat Sensoukarahm, a temple noted for its dazzling gold façade. The final visit is Wat Xieng Thong, one of the oldest and most revered temple in the country. The temple is situated on the tip of the city’s peninsula and is filled with ornate carvings and mosaics that have withstood the test of time. Wrap up the Luang Prabang half day tour with a better understanding of this charming, northern Laos city.

After lunch (not included), cross to the sandbar in the Mekong to build a sand tomb. This is another Pi Mai tradition: sand is brought to the temple grounds and is made into stupa then decorated with flags, flowers, white lines and splashed with perfumed water before being given to the monks as a way of making merit.

Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast

📍 Pak Ou caves cruise: 4 hours

This morning, you will escape from the hustle of the city and explore the beauty of Laos’ culture and natural wonders with a half day exploration around Luang Prabang.

You will be met at your hotel around 0930 for a private transfer to the boat jetty.

Board the Nava Mekong, a traditional river boat, for a shared cruise on the mighty Mekong River, departing around 1000. You will travel at a leisurely pace and have plenty of time to appreciate the simple rural lifestyles along the river and the dramatic yet peaceful scenery.

The cruise upstream to the Pak Ou Caves takes approximately 2 hours and along the way you will stop to explore the village of Ban Xang Hai.

The caves themselves are very close to the confluence of the Nam Ou and Mekong Rivers, hence the name Pak Ou. In these 2 caves are displayed hundreds of sacred centuries-old Buddha images which are the object of pilgrimages during the Lao New Year festivities.

As you cruise back downstream a selection of typical Lao dishes will be served onboard.

The cruise back to Luang Prabang takes approximately 1.5 hours, arriving around 1400. You will be met at the boat jetty for a private transfer to your hotel to freshen up.

This afternoon, you will attend the annual Miss Pi Mai parade, locally called “Nang Sangkhane”, which is only held in Luang Prabang. Every year, there are seven contestants, each one symbolizing one of King Kabinlaphom’s seven daughters and they ride down the main street from Wat Xiengthong to Wat That Noi.

Diner at Tamarind restaurant. Enjoy a fresh menu of Lao dishes in a family run restaurant dedicated to promoting a greater understanding of the local cuisine. As you order, the friendly staff will explain the ingredients and customs of the cuisine. (Note: closed on Sundays)

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

Today is the national last day of the festival and marks the start of the Lao New Year.

Begin your day with the traditional morning alms giving at Mount Phousi. This is a very special dawn visit to watch the monks collecting the alms. As the sun begins to rise, long lines of orange-robed monks leave their pagodas and walk barefoot down the streets collecting offerings from Luang Prabang residents. It is a beautiful, serene ceremony that highlights the spiritualism of the Laos people. Return to the hotel for breakfast.

Every local family will hold a Baci at their houses and good food to welcome the New Year as well as to wish their elders good health and long life.

This afternoon, you will watch the second part of Miss Pi Mai parade. The girl who is crowned Miss Pi Mai will make her first appearance. She is usually perched atop the animal/spirit (sometimes on an elephant) that symbolizes the coming year with the other final contestants at the bottom sprinkling the way with perfumed water and rose flower petals. The revealing of Miss Pi Mai to the public is the climax of the parade.

Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Luang Prabang – Kuang Si waterfalls (32km): 40 minutes

This morning, your guide and private car will pick you at 0800 to drive you to the Prabang Buddha Statue Parade from Ho Prabang temple (new temple in national museum) to Wat Mai.

Then, take a short transfer through the Luang Prabang countryside to Kuang Si Waterfalls (32km southwest of the city). Along the way, you will drive through beautiful landscapes of rice fields, hills, and small villages. There are also viewpoints overlooking the Mekong River.

Stop en-route to visit a small village which is home to one of the area’s many ethnic minorities. You will have an opportunity to learn about their traditions and culture, much of which has remained unchanged for centuries.

Upon reaching Kuang Si Waterfall, relax and enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings. The water tumbles down a large drop and cascades gently in to several cool, clear pools where you can enjoy a refreshing swim (please dress modestly).

Enjoy a delicious picnic lunch next to the falls.

For the adventurous, it is possible to walk to the top of the falls via a steep track where stunning views await you at the top.

You might also like to visit the bear sanctuary which is next to the falls, run by Free The Bears Fund Inc. There are currently 23 Asiatic Black Bears living in the sanctuary, which has saved them from poaching. The main threat to these bears is poaching due to the use of their bile in Chinese medicine. You can read about their habits and observe their playful nature, whilst learning about the difficulties they are facing.

Transfer back to Luang Prabang this afternoon.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Hotel in town – Luang Prabang Airport (4km): 15/20 minutes

Your morning is at leisure until you are transferred to the airport for your onward flight.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast