18 DAYS | 17 NIGHTS
Northern Laos and northern Thailand form the same cultural region — the Thai country — which colonial borders divided but did not separate. This 18-day tour crosses this fascinating Golden Triangle zone: from Luang Prabang and Phongsali on the Laotian side, to Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai on the Thai side, including Huay Xai and a Mekong cruise. Asia Safari designs this cross-border itinerary that few agencies master.
The Golden Triangle between Laos and Thailand
Luang Prabang and the Lao North
Luang Prabang is the cultural heart of northern Laos. Asia Safari dedicates 4 days to you there before heading up towards Nong Khiaw, Phongsali, and the ethnic groups of the Far North — a little-visited region that keeps its authenticity intact.
Huay Xai and the Mekong cruise
From Huay Xai (Thai border), the slow boat cruise on the Mekong offers two unforgettable days of navigation to Luang Prabang — or in the other direction if the tour is carried out in reverse. Asia Safari can organize both options.
Chiang Rai — The authentic north of Thailand
Chiang Rai, the entry point on the Thai side, is still not very touristy compared to Chiang Mai. The White Temple (Wat Rong Khun), the hill villages (Akha, Karen), and the historic Golden Triangle are an hour from the city.
Chiang Mai — The capital of the Thai North
Chiang Mai concludes the tour with its 300 temples, its night markets, its traditional cooking classes, and its access to the national parks of the surrounding mountains. A city to be experienced as much as visited.
Your questions about this tour
Is a Thai visa required?
French, Belgian, and Swiss nationals benefit from a visa exemption for Thailand (30 days). Asia Safari will confirm the exact conditions according to your nationality.
How is the Laos-Thailand border crossing done?
The crossing is done at Huay Xai (Laos) / Chiang Khong (Thailand), via the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. Asia Safari manages transfers on both sides of the border.
Can this tour start from Bangkok?
Yes. If your international flight arrives in Bangkok, Asia Safari can organize a Bangkok-Chiang Mai domestic flight as a starting point, reversing the itinerary towards Laos.
HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR TRIP
From Chiang Rai to Pakbeng, cruise on the MekongMeeting with ethnic minorities of northern Laos in Muang La
By boat on the Nam Ou
The Hundred Waterfalls trek in Nong Khiaw and bike ride
Luang Prabang, its temples, the alms giving ceremony
Sunset on Mount Phousi
The TAEC ethnic museum
Kuang Si waterfalls
Relaxation, sea, and white sand on Koh Chang island
The adventure starts here!
Stopover: Chiang Rai
Meet your driver at Chiang Rai airport and transfer to your hotel. Dinner at leisure and overnight at the hotel.
Stopover: Pakbeng
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In Chiang Khong, the friendship bridge spans the Mekong and allows entry into Laos where a French-speaking guide awaits you. Formalities and transfer to the port.
Embarkation on the Mekong, one of the most beautiful rivers in the world. Its banks come alive with the life of the villagers. Lunch on board. Disembarkation at Pakbeng, a true commercial crossroads where goods in transit to or from Vientiane, Thailand, Burma, or China pass through.
Check-in at your hotel. Possibility of a walk in the village. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Stopover: Muang La
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive to Muang La in Oudomxay province, in the heart of the mountains of northern Laos where many ethnic minorities live.
In the streets of Oudomxay, Chinese and Vietnamese sellers cross paths as well as many villagers from very diverse ethnic groups, who have come to stock up. Lunch is served on the terrace of Muang La Lodge, on the banks of the Nam Pak before a short digestive walk in the heart of the intense green of the rice fields.
Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.
Stopover: Muang La
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day of meeting with three typical communities of northern Laos: Khamu, Hmong, and Akha. The 4×4 track is superb and reveals, at 1000 m altitude, a beautiful viewpoint over the valley. With your guide, you will go from a Khamu village to a Hmong village, an ethnic group originally from the high steppes of Tibet. The Hmong live in total harmony with nature and deeply respect pigs, buffaloes, and other animals very present in their way of life.
Picnic lunch prepared by the Lodge before continuing to an Akha village, people originally from Yunnan and Tibet. Return to the Lodge at the end of the day.
Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.
Stopover: Muang La
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
From the Lodge, a short walk along the Nam Pak river to the Khamu village of Wang Wanh, specialized in making plant fiber bags. Contact with a family of farmers at work in a magnificent rice field. Lunch in the shelter of a traditional Sala, a wooden platform intended for rest or meditation in this timeless valley.
On the other bank of the Nam Pak, which is crossed by bamboo raft, the Khamu village of Vieng Kham is known for its master weavers of silk sarongs. Stop at the temple of the sacred Buddha of Vode Chiao Pha Kham Sing, before returning to the Lodge for a dip in the pool or its hot spring.
Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.
Stopover: Nong Khiaw
Breakfast, Lunch
Muang Khua is the boarding point for a private dugout canoe navigation on the magnificent Nam Ou. Gold panning, weaving, alcohol production… many traditional skills are displayed in the villages settled by the water. Picnic lunch on a beach.
The astonishing karst formations that emerge from the water signal the arrival at Nong Khiaw, a village whose caves served as a refuge for local populations during the Vietnam War. Check-in at your hotel located by the river. Dinner at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stopover: Nong Khiaw
Breakfast, Lunch
Aboard your boat, you will take the Nam Ou again before reaching, on foot, the Hundred Waterfalls, a set of falls recently discovered.
During the next few hours, you will see only water and green jungle, and will be lulled by the sound of the clear water, an invitation to dive into the natural pools. Your guide will tell you about the life of the villagers and will be your host for a lunch prepared in the local way. Return to Nong Khiaw by traditional dugout canoe.
Dinner at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stopover: Nong Khiaw
Breakfast, Lunch
Cycling is ideal for exploring the countryside. A track carved into the mountainside offers a beautiful view of the narrow valleys and the many villages of the Thai Leu, Khamu, and Hmong minorities. A few pedal strokes until picnic time by the water, then a nap in the calm offered by these places. Resuming your route to Ban Sob Khan, a pretty village of the Lao ethnic group built on the bank of the Nam Ou. Return by a short navigation in the heart of the limestone mountains. Dinner at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stopover: Luang Prabang
Breakfast
Early morning departure for Luang Prabang, the former capital, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. This royal city is a melting pot of ethnic groups and cultures. A surprise awaits at every street corner: pastel houses, sumptuous temples where many monks live, small stalls on the banks of the two rivers that bathe the city. Check-in at your hotel, then you can enjoy your free afternoon.
Meals at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stopover: Luang Prabang
Breakfast
This beautiful day begins at the first light of dawn: the monks leave their temples and cross the city to collect the donations offered by the villagers. Not to be missed! With a private French-speaking guide, a tailor-made visit to the main religious buildings: Wat Aham and Wat Visoun, the oldest in the city, the one in the shape of a watermelon, the monastery of the Buddha’s Footprint, and many others. The city has more than thirty! Sunset from Mount Phousi and its night market.
Meals at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stopovers: Luang Prabang, Kuang Si Falls
Breakfast
A visit to the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC) precedes the crossing of the Mekong to the small village of Ban Xieng Maene and its two monasteries: Wat Long Khoun, monastery of the blessed song, and Wat Chom Pet, monastery of the diamond point, located on a hill overlooking the Mekong.
Aquatic afternoon at Kuang Si Falls, an ideal setting to enjoy your picnic prepared by Soum Noum, one of the best restaurants in the city, served at the foot of the terraced waterfalls.
Return to Luang Prabang. Dinner at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stopover: Luang Prabang
Breakfast
Free day to enjoy Luang Prabang on foot or by bike.
Meals at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stopovers: Bangkok, Koh Chang
Breakfast
Transfer to the airport and flight to Bangkok to reach the island of Koh Chang in the Gulf of Siam.
Meals at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stopover: Koh Chang
Breakfast
Four beautiful days to rest and enjoy your sand and water environment: walking, kayaking, relaxation…
Meals at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stopovers: Koh Chang, Bangkok
Breakfast
Breakfast at your hotel, then transfer to Bangkok airport.
Our selection of Hotels
Included
- Accommodation in a room for 2 people
- For each participant not sharing a room, add the single supplement
- All mentioned meals (breakfast and/or lunch and/or dinner)
- All mentioned transfers, in private cars or air-conditioned minibuses
- All excursions mentioned in the program
- All site entrance fees
- French-speaking guide service for the different stages
- The guide: our quote includes the salaries and travel expenses of a guide residing in Luang Prabang. If Luang Prabang guides are not available, we bring in guides from Vientiane. This causes an additional cost that will be communicated to you if necessary.
Excluded
- Domestic and international flights
- Drinks during meals and personal expenses
- Services not mentioned above
- Meals not mentioned above
- Bank or exchange fees related to the payment of the trip
- Laotian visa fees (35 USD/person plus two passport photos). As a precaution, allow 35 USD/person plus two passport photos)
- Your passport must be valid for 6 months after the date of departure from the country
- Cancellation / assistance / repatriation and luggage insurance
- Tips
Personalized follow-up
Each client is subject to personalized follow-up:
- Your French-speaking Asia Safari advisor informs you and assists you in your choices, targets your expectations before designing your trip
- From your arrival until the day of your departure, you benefit from Asia Safari assistance from start to finish of the trip
- We are regularly in the field to ensure the reliability of our partners
- We invest in research and development to integrate novelty and originality into our offer
- We only employ experienced guides
Important
- The services, flights, and hotels offered are subject to availability at the time of booking
- Domestic or international flight schedules may be delayed or modified without notice
- Our prices are guaranteed by the payment of a deposit of 30% of the total amount of your trip
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Why choose Asia Safari for your trip to Laos?
Asia Safari is not a generalist tour operator based in France. We have been on site, in Vientiane, for over 25 years. Our guides are Lao, our accommodations are hand-picked, and each itinerary is tailor-made. The result: a vibrant, fair trip, without unnecessary frills.
- Local French-speaking agency: we speak your language and know the country from the inside
- Zero intermediaries: you deal directly with the local team
- Truly tailor-made: no fixed catalog — each trip is unique
- 25+ years of experience: founded in 2002, Asia Safari assists hundreds of French-speaking travelers every year
How does our tailor-made service work?
1. You send us your request (dates, budget, desires, profile)
2. We build a proposal within 48 hours — day-by-day itinerary, accommodations, all-inclusive price
3. You refine it with us until the trip is perfect
4. We manage everything on site: guides, transport, hotels, activities
When to visit Laos?
The best period is October to April — dry season, pleasant temperatures. The rainy season (May to September) is also possible: lush landscapes and fewer tourists, but some roads can be difficult. Asia Safari advises you according to the region and type of trip.
Laos, the heart of your Indochina tour
Laos is often the surprise of a trip: uncrowded, authentic, with a quiet beauty. Asia Safari makes Laos much more than a stopover — we make it the central experience of your stay, before or after Vietnam, Cambodia, or Thailand.
Our most requested Indochina combinations
Laos + Cambodia: A classic — temples of Luang Prabang and Angkor Wat, Mekong and Tonlé Sap. 15 days minimum recommended.
Laos + Vietnam: Two contrasting countries — the calm of Laos and the energy of Vietnam. From Hanoi to Vientiane or vice versa.
Northern Laos + Yunnan: For travelers seeking originality — travel from Yunnan to Laos via the Laos-China railway (inaugurated 2021).
Grand Indochina Tour (40 days): Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand — a memorable trip for life.
Tips for preparing your multi-country tour
Visas: each country has its own rules — Asia Safari guides you through all procedures.
Ideal duration: allow a minimum of 12 to 15 days for a 2-country combination.
Seasons: seasons vary by country — we help you choose the best window.
Budget: prices vary greatly by country. Laos is cheaper than Vietnam or Thailand.
Our Story
Jean-Paul Duvergé arrived in Laos at the turn of the 2000s, fell in love with the country, and decided to stay. In 2002, he founded Asia Safari with a simple idea: to offer French-speaking travelers direct access to authentic Lao life, without the filter of large Parisian agencies. Since then, the agency has assisted thousands of travelers, built a network of trusted guides and partners, and refined its philosophy: rigorous tailor-made travel, serving authenticity.
What sets us apart
We are on site: Our team works from Vientiane. We know the roads, seasons, accommodations, guides — and what changed last week. No outdated brochures.
We speak your language: Asia Safari is a 100% French-speaking agency. All our communications, proposals, and guides speak French.
Zero intermediaries: You work directly with us. No central purchasing, no Parisian subcontractors. Fairer prices and higher service quality.
Tailor-made as our only model: We do not have standardized tours. Each trip is designed from scratch, according to your dates, budget, desires, and traveler profile.
Our commitment
Asia Safari actively supports responsible tourism in Laos: prioritizing local accommodations, tours that benefit village communities, respect for cultural and natural sites.
Laos in figures
Area: 236,800 km² | Population: approximately 7.5 million inhabitants | Capital: Vientiane | Official language: Lao | Religion: Theravada Buddhism (65% of the population) | Currency: Lao Kip (LAK) | Time zone: UTC+7
Laos must-sees
Luang Prabang: Former royal capital, a UNESCO World Heritage site, its golden temples, French colonial houses, and gentle way of life make it an undeniable favorite.
Vientiane: The human-sized capital — That Luang, Patuxai, and the banks of the Mekong are worth a visit.
Vang Vieng: Surrounded by limestone karsts, ideal for kayaking, caving, and hiking.
Southern Laos and 4000 Islands: Champassak, the Vat Phou temples (UNESCO), the Bolaven Plateau, and the Mekong islands.
Lao culture
Theravada Buddhism permeates all of Lao life. The alms giving (offerings to monks at dawn) in Luang Prabang is a daily ritual of great beauty. Lao festivals — Boun Pi Mai (Lao New Year in April), Boun Ok Phansa (Festival of Lights) — are exceptional times to travel.
Nature and biodiversity
Laos is 70% covered by forests. Its protected areas are home to rare species: Asian elephants, gibbons, sun bears. The rivers and plateaus offer natural settings of rare purity in Asia.
