Heritage Line Upper Mekong Short Cruise - Laos

OVER 35 YEARS EXPERIENCE AWARD WINNING LUXURY HOLIDAYS 100% FINANCIAL PROTECTION

Tailor-Made Tour

Duration6 Days
Flights IncludedYes
Prices From £ 2495

Places Visited :

Known in Laos as the “Mae Nam Khong” (“Mother of Water”), the upper Mekong meanders through fascinating riverine scenes, filled with scenes of captivating and unchanged local life in various settings.

Savour this four day and three-night river voyage between the Lao-Thai border and Luang Prabang, known as the famous Golden Triangle. The journey offers insights into Laos’ most captivating landscapes and remote local life and culture paired with interesting and delightful onboard activities.

Anouvong is the first upper Mekong luxury river cruiser, featuring eight staterooms with floor-to-ceiling windows opening onto a French balcony and two suites with front-facing balconies and indoor Jacuzzis. Traditional Laotian artwork with French-Colonial accents spruce up the ship’s cozy public areas, including a Café-Bar & Lounge and the terrace deck, both prime places to be whilst sailing along the meandering river.

Remember, this trip can be personalised to suit your travel needs - we can tailor everything from hotel, travel type, duration and more.

Suggested itinerary

Day 1

Chiang Rai

On arrival into Chiang Rai, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay. Spend the rest of your day relaxing.

In the far north of Thailand, Chiang Rai served briefly as the capital of the medieval Lan Na kingdom before the rise of Chiang Mai. Today, it’s known primarily as the gateway to the Golden Triangle region – “golden” because of the wealth that poured through on the back of the opium trade. A crackdown initiated by the Thai royal family, however, has reduced production of the drug to virtually zero in Thailand, opening up this fascinating corner of upland Asia to visitors once again.

Chief among the Golden Triangle’s attractions are the ethnic minority villages scattered across its hillsides and valleys, where you can experience the traditional lifestyles of the Akhu, Lisu and Karen, among others. Day trips may be undertaken by car from Chiang Rai, but to visit less commercialized settlements it’s necessary to trek for a day or two. Visitors are also permitted to stay overnight in local houses, where you’re encouraged to share meals with local families and help with work in the fields.

Accommodation Options

The Legend Chiang Rai

Day 2

Huay Xai, Kang Hang Yai

Transfer to Chiang Khong, on the Laos border, where you will be met by the Heritage Line crew. They will assist you through immigration to Huay Xai pier. Board a longtail boat for our transfer to the ship Heritage Line ‘Anouvong’ (transfer time approx. 8 hours). Arrive at the ship Heritage Line Anouvong around 5pm and check in to your cabin. Settle in before enjoying a multi-course dinner in the restaurant. After dinner join the nightly cinema in the lounge.

Day 3

Khok Luang, Khok Phou

For those early risers with the sun, join the daily morning yoga class on the terrace deck before breakfast. Your journey brings you this morning to the picturesque village of Khok Luang inhabited by the Khum people. Simplicity defines this locale, with bamboo huts elevated on stilts amidst vast rice fields. Continue sailing downstream whilst lunch is served before arriving at the small village of Khok Phou, a short walk above an impressive sandbank. Witness life unfolding and take part in a traditional Baci ceremony, a heartfelt Laotian ritual led by local elders, bestowing blessings upon your journey. If time permits, ascend to a small temple, where you can meet the local monk and novices, providing an opportunity for serene moments of meditation. You'll moor here for the night enjoying a sunset cocktail before dinner.

Day 4

Pak Ou - Ban Mueng Kay

Arrive at Pak Ou Caves, with two limestone grottoes that house approximately 4,000 sacred Buddhist statues and images. Visit the lower and most impressive cave before an optional kayak or boat ride to the nearby village of Ban Muang Keo to witness some traditional silk weaving. Enjoy lunch back onboard whilst you sail further downstream, passing Luang Prabang and mooring overnight at a sandbank where you will be invited to a farewell dinner on-shore.

Day 5

Luang Prabang

After breakfast, set out by minivan to visit a local elephant site where you'll have the chance to meet these gentle giants up close. Take a walk with the elephants along the riverbank and small path winding the bordering rainforest. Next you'll continue to the nearby cascading Kuang Si waterfalls. Famed for its beauty and with its rushing turquoise waters it is an amazing natural park allowing for a leisurely walk to marvel at Mother Nature's creativity. You can also refresh yourself with a swim in the shallow pools of water at the waterfall’s base. Return to the ship for lunch whilst you cruise to Luang Prabang for disembarkation. You will be met and transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay.

Enfolded by low, wooded hills, Luang Prabang languishes amid a gauzy tranquillity on a peninsula in the Mekong. Long regarded as the country’s preeminent cultural and religious capital, the town served for 15 centuries as the abode of Lao royalty and retains a delightfully traditional feel. Stucco French villas and wooden colonnaded houses, festooned with scarlet bougainvillea and the foliage of overhanging mango and jackfruit trees, line its quiet streets, along with a wealth of delicately gilded temples and monasteries.

Day 6

Luang Prabang, UK

Transfer to the airport to begin your journey home.

What's Included

5 nights accommodation
All road travel and transfers by private chauffeur-driven vehicles
English-speaking guides
Breakfast daily
Full board on Anouvong Cruise
Entrance fees to sites and monuments listed in tour itinerary

Places and Experiences in this tour

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