13 Days Laos-Yunnan(China) High Speed Train and Mekong Cruise Tour from Vientiane to Kunming
China – Laos Railway commenced construction on December 2nd, 2015 and is scheduled for completion by 2020. It will connect Kunming, the capital city of southwestern China’s Yunan Province, with Laos’ capital city, Vientiane. The China – Laos railway project is actually a section of the Kunming-Singapore Railway Project, which connects Kunming with Singapore, passing through Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia.
Highlights
- Appreciate the fabulous natural sceneries, including the Samaba Rice Terraces;
- Explore the ethnic culture of Hani, Jino, Dai and Aka people ;
- Meet both Chinese and Laos culture;
- Experience the tropical forest with elephant in XishuangBanna;
- Discover the Ancient culture in Luang Prabang;
- Enjoy the water and river in Nam Song River of Vang Vieng;
- Mekong River Le Grand Cruise experience from Houay Xai to Luang Prabang;
Brief Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrival Vientiane
- Day 2: Vientiane
- Day 3: Vientiane-Vang Vieng
- Day 4: Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang
- Day 5: Luang Prabang
- Day 6: Luang Prabang – Mekong – Pakbeng
- Day 7: Pakbeng – Houay Xay- Luang Namtha
- Day 8: Luang Namtha -Na Teuy-Jinghong
- Day 9: Jinghong
- Day 10: Jinghong-Yuanjiang
- Day 11: Yuanjiang-Kunming
- Day 12: Kunming
- Day 12: Departure from Kunming
Day by Day Itinerary
- Day 1 Arrive in Vientiane
On arrival at the Vientiane Capital, you will be met and transferred to your centrally located hotel. Vientiane is a charming and fascinating capital, with an interesting mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and American influences.
Greet at the airport by our local driver and transfer to check in at your hotel.
Overnight in Vientiane
- Day 2 Vientiane
After breakfast, we see the major sights of the capital; including the oldest Wat Sisaket, the temple with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. On the way to Lao’s national precious heritage, the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, we stop enroute to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph.
In the afternoon we transfer out to see the Buddha Park, a scattered enchanting collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures on the Mekong Riverside meadow, close to the Friendship Bridge. There are approximately 200 religious images dating back over 500 years, which were created by a mysterious monk spreading his philosophy on life and revealing his ideas about the universe. A spectacular view of over the Mekong River at sunset is a perfect way to finish the day.
Overnight in Vientiane
- Day 3 Vientiane – Vang Vieng by car
At around 08:30 or 09.00am, we leave this wonderful town after breakfast for our journey northbound to Vang Vieng on route No. 13. We will see some breathtaking scenery enroute as we pass through spectacular countryside towards the mountainous region.
Vang Vieng is a riverside town in Central Laos. The town hosts been known as a get-together destination for quite a long time, and whilst regardless these remaining parts more open air situated exercises are currently accessible, for example, mountain biking, trekking, kayaking, giving in, swimming and shake climbing.
Upon arrival at Vang Vieng, we cross the Nam Song River to Tham Jang Caves and today ends with a superb panorama of the sunset reflecting over the Nam Song River with long tail boat ride.
Enjoy your lunch at local restaurant;
Then transfer to your hotel for check-in. Remainder of the day is at leisure.
Dinner is on your own.
Optional Tour in Vang Vieng:
In the early morning, we drive to where Balloon Flying over the Vang Vieng City.
After breakfast at your hotel, we start our board on a local tractor through paddy field areas heading to Tham Phoukham caves, where your breath will be taken away seeing the most beautiful and famous limestone cavern, surrounded by natural forests. Along the way, you have chance to explore the local cultures by greeting the local villagers and learning about their daily lifestyle. There is a small natural pool in front of the caves where you can take a swim to refresh yourself from the hot climate or you could explore the nearby area.
You will have a picnic lunch enjoying the scenery. After spending the day at the caves and its surrounding areas, we make our return to the Vang Vieng town, using local transportation or tractor. En route, we visit the ethnic minority villages of Hmong, Souay and Taidam villages meeting the warm and friendly hill tribe people and observing their traditional tribal costumes. Then we drive to Nam Song River bank there will be Tubing or Kayaking await at start to scroll down Nam Song River to your hotel
Dinner is on your own.
Overnight in Vang Vieng
- Day 4 Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang by Speed Train
After breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred to Vang Vieng train station to catch on EMU C86 to Luang Prabang (EMU C86 VV – LPQ 11:31/ 12:25), upon arrival you will be transferred for check in. Luang Prabang has been claimed by the UNESCO to be ‘the best preserved city in South East Asia’. During our time here after short rest.
Upon arrival, you will be met with guide and driver for transfer to hotel for check in, we enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temple of Wat Sene and the magnificent today visit The National Museum (closed Thursdays) at the former Royal Palace, which displays a lovely collection of the artefacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating back from the days of the early kings right through to the last sovereign. The National Museum and the Central Market are not to be missed.
We then continue visit the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong with its roofs sweeping low representing the classical architecture of Luang Prabang including the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham, Wat Mai; we then climb up to the top of Mount Phousi to explore the sacred, gilded stupa as well as capture a beautiful view of the city and the Mekong River at sunset. From there, we visit the Night Market, where you can browse a lovely selection of handmade textiles, made by the local people and hilltribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Back to hotel, free and overnight.
Overnight in Luang Pranang
- Day 5 Luang Prabang
Optional for early riser at 5:30:
Early morning, enjoy giving Alm Bowl to the monks on the street for making a merit. The Buddhist monks carry for their collection of food as they walk around the village near by only one time a day, early morning. It’s a belief that in order to give people to gain merit before they will start their day life, normally people will have to go to Buddhist temple, but in this case it’s to give people opportunity to do at home, it is not the way of begging as they never ask for any food and even wait for those who are late for giving alms in the morning. (With the Morning Alms Giving, if you do not wish to make an offering, please keep an appropriate distance and observe the ritual in silence. Dress appropriately, shoulder, chest and legs should be covered.)
Then visit the Morning Market, where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, Mekhong fishes, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings and local delicacies. Return to hotel for breakfast
At around 08:30am, you will meet your tour guide at lobby hotel and begin our temple tour taking in some the city’s most beautiful, including the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong, with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, representing the classical Luang Prabang style and Wat Visoun known as ‘The Watermelon Stupa’ due to its shape.
Leaving Luang Prabang with your private guide and driver, you travel for around one hour and twenty minutes out of the town. On the way, passing through beautiful scenery and rural landscapes with rice terraces and pineapple fields. You visit Ban Long Lao a local H’mong village where the culture, customs and language are all different to mainstream Laos. Your hike starts from the H’mong village and takes between two and three hours through primary forest and jungle before reaching the top as spectacular Kuang Si Waterfall where you can visit and enjoy the natural beauty.
Lunch will be served in the local restaurant at Waterfall
Transfer back to Luang Prabang.
This early evening at 17.30pm, you will be transfer to local house to do Baci ceremonies are an integral part of Lao culture. Held to celebrate a special event, whether a marriage, a homecoming, or a departure, it is based on an ancient belief that the human being is a union of 32 organs and the kwan (or soul) watches over each of them. Since kwan is often the attributed cause of an illness or bad fortune, the Baci ceremony calls the kwan from wherever it may be roaming back to the body and re-establishes equilibrium. The mohkwan is a village elder who chant and call the kwan. At the end of the ceremony, the village elders wrap a white cotton thread around your wrist while chanting an invocation to strengthen the power of the blessings. In Laos, white is the color of peace, good fortune, honesty and warmth. The ceremony is set up at a 115-year-old rustic house on a lotus pond. Enjoy traditional music and dance after the ceremony.
Dinner is on your own account – then transfer back to hotel for the night
Overnight in Luang Pranang
- Day 6 Luang Prabang – Mekong River Cruise – Pakbeng
We are ready to welcome you on board and your boarding time at 07:00hrs, we expect your arrival earlier by 06:30 at the Le Calao pier. (The Le Grand Cruise date: Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday)
Today, the Le Grand Cruiser will take you upstream the Mekong to Pakbeng, we estimate your journey by 8-9hrs.
Your continental breakfast is served while the boat is cruising to Pak Ou Village, at the mouth of the Nam Ou River, where you will visit Tam Thing Caves of a Thousand Buddha. Enjoy a buffet lunch on board then stop at a hill tribe village where you can watch the traditional process of Lao whiskey production. Arrive at Pakbeng around sunset and check-in at Le Grand Pakbeng. Dinner is served on the terrace overlooking the Mekong. (B, L, D)
Overnight in Pakbeng
*Optional: You may hup off & hup on staying longer at our property for longer in order to continue visiting local villages, experience gold panning and local way of life in this remote countryside. And you can always hup on boarding our next cruise in a few days…etc.*
- Day 7 Pakbeng – Mekong River Cruise- Houay Xay- Luang Namtha
Very early morning breakfast, you will be transferred you to Pakbeng Pier. Your boarding time at 7:00am. You will board the second leg of the cruise upstream the Mighty Mekong River. Enroute one stop is made to observe rural life along the Mekong and minorities such as Hmong, Yao and Khmu ethnic minority villages Buffet lunch will be served on board and then continue to Houeixay where you will arrive around 4:00pm.
We then continue driving to Luang Namtha, Luang Namtha, which is located on the banks of the Nam Tha River, is a land of rugged mountains and beautiful tropical forests and shares its border with China and Myanmar.
Arrive to hotel and check in for the night
Overnight in Luang Namtha
- Day 8 Luang Namtha – Na Teuy/ (Boten border)-Jinghong
After breakfast, We continue our motorbike ride to Muang Sing visiting Muang Sing highlights: Muang Sing Museum, French garrison, old market. The guide will explain you about Muang Sing`s rich history. Have breakfast in Muang Sing morning market, there you can taste local specialties’ such fried banana, noodle soup…and see many ethnic people (Akha, Hmong, Tai Dam, Yao…) that go in the market to sell their products.
Then we ride for the rest of the day. Visit Ban Nong Bou (Tai Dam Ethnic People) to see traditional weaving. Visit Ban Patoy (Tai Neua Ethnic People) to see the making of Lao Lao (Lao Whiskey) and taste some… Visit Stupa (That Xieng Tung) and relax on the mountain. Visit Ban Silihuang (Tai Neua) to see the making of Kao Soi. Visit more ethnic group’s village such as: Yao, Akha, Tai Lue. Visit the ruin of old Muang Sing town, the guide explain you the history of the town.
After lunch, we will transfer to Na Teuy train station to catch EMU C82 to Bo Ten Laos – China borders.Cross the border to Mohan Town, continue the high speed train to Jinghong City.
Arrive in Jinghong at noon. You will pay a visit Manting Park in the city downtown.
Explore Gaozhuang Night Market at night. Located between the JinHong Golden Pagoda and Mekong River occupying a huge square with hundred stores and shops selling from fresh food, toy and handicrafts to exclusive tea sets made by famous artists. Even if you have a weak stomach and thin pocket (like me) there is still plenty to see and smell and absorb in the atmosphere by just strolling around. Visitors are mostly Chinese (or local folks) so needs to practice hand signs unless you can speak Chinese.
We arrived in late afternoon first to see the Golden Pagoda and the surrounding buildings, then off to the side street for dinner sampling local food before coming to the night market.
Stay in Jinghong
- Day 9 Jinghong
In the morning, drive along the Mekong to Ganlanba, a traditional Dai inhabitancy region, enjoy view along the river, in Ganlanaba, see a lively daily local market of Dai people first, then drive off main road into countryside to visit village and temple to find out the life and culture facts of Dai people, the dominant ethnic group of the region, if like, enter their house built on stilts and have a chat with them.
Further move in the east to Menglun, where the biggest tropical botanical garden of China is situated, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden holds more than 3000 species, enjoy nice scenery in the garden and learn about some interesting plants, short walk in rainforest zone, the most natural part of garden is especially recommended, tourists seldom go there, very quiet and original, for simple knowledge about rainforest, the most bio-diversified vegetation type in the world.
Return Jinghong different way, mountainous but scenic, across the rainforest, if time permits, drop in village of Jinuo, the last ethnic group classified by Chinese government in 1979, with population of only 20 thousand, they uniquely belong to this region.
- Day 10 Jinghong-Puer-Yuanjiang
After breakfast, take the high speed train to Yuanjiang via Puer City. Yuanjiang Hani, Yi and Dai Autonomous County (元江县) is a county of south-central Yunnan province, People’s Republic of China. The county seat is the town of Lijiang (澧江镇), while the county itself is under the administration of Yuxi City. It derives its name from the Red River (Asia), which is known as the Yuan River in Yunnan, and is an important provincial crossroads for access to Southeast Asia.
Arrive at Yuanjiang at noon, transfer to Honghe County; You will visit the wonderful Samaba rice Terraces.
In different seasons, the Samba Rice Terrace Fields presents different scenery. As the year of 2020 enters later autumn, the mist and clouds help turn the terrace fields into a paradise on the earth. Rice was harvested; the blue sky and white clouds are reflected in the waters of the fields, presenting a harmonious rhythm of light and shade.
As part of the Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces which was listed as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2013, the Samaba Rice Terrace Fields is located in the Honghe County, 37 kilometers away from the county seat. There are as many as 4,300 terraces from the altitude of 600 to 1,800 meters. Covering a total area of 2,636 acres, the terrace was recognized as China’s largest terrace by Shanghai Great World Guinness Office.
Pay a visit to the traditional villages in around Samaba including Dongmenjie village, Dayangjie and Longjia Village(龙甲村).
Transfer to Yuanjiang, enjoy the hot spring in Red Valley Rehai Hot Spring Hotel.
Stay at Red Valley Rehai Hot Spring Hotel in Yuanjiang
- Day 11 Yuanjiang-Yuxi-Kunming
In the morning, we will transfer to visit Datan Village (打炭村) and Zhega Village (者嘎村), Dulang Village(都郎村) and Xiaoyan Village(小燕村) of Dai ethnic people;
Take the high speed train to Kunming after lunch. Welcome to Kunming, the Spring City of China! Upon arrival at the Kunming airport/train station, the local tour guide and driver will meet you in the arrival hall and escort you to your hotel and help you check in. The rest of the day is on your own to explore the comfortable cityscape and leisure atmosphere there! Have a good rest!
After a short break, drive to explore Kunming Flowers & Birds Market. Walk along the narrow paths lined with various shops selling birds, fishes, flowers, antiques, fishing gear, etc. and watch local people finding their best things to buy with sounds of bargaining, chirping, etc.
Then, walk to The Green Lake Park nearby. This pretty park with a lovely lake, old-styled pavilions, corridors, flowers, etc. is the most popular place for an authentic feeling of local Kunming people’s leisure life with citizens singing, dancing, talking, exercising, etc. During November to the next March, Black-headed Gulls from Siberian will never be late to fly there for their expecting comfortable warm winter holiday. Do not miss playing with those adorable and vigorous elfin during your relaxing roam!
After today’s visiting, be escorted back to your hotel. Enjoy a good sleep!
- Day 12 Kunming
This morning, you will drive 86 km to the Stone Forest. An old local saying says that ‘If you have visited Kunming without seeing the Stone Forest, you have wasted your time.’ Truly, the Stone Forest is one of the most important attractions of Yunnan.
Then transfer to Nuohei Stone Village to have local ethnic lunch. When you step into Nuohei Stone Village, you will see their Monkeytang Pond. You can take photos and take a breath of fresh air, enjoy the serenity of water there.
After lunch, you will stroll at Nuohei Stone Village to deeply discover ethnic culture. Firstly, you will visit the site of the Former Border Headquarters, then walk to visit their Yi Ethnic Group Culture Museum to learn the history, and daily life of Nuohei Stone Village. On the way, you will be attracted by a Tiger Totem Gate, a place for local people to celebrate their Mizhi Festival: as important as their Torch Festival (Please note: no one can enter in unless it is during their Mizhi Festival) . Then visit their Embroidery Products Exhibition to learn their costume and decoration culture. Then walk in this village to visit their stone houses and tobacco kilns. Visit the site of the Former Panjiang Daily. Afterwards, go back to Kunming to finish your unforgettable trip.
(Optional: If you are interested in local ethnic culture and local life, you can learn to make local food or learn Sani embroidery from local people on your own expense, you can take away your works after finishing, it will be a good experience to taste what you make.)
- Day 13 Departure from Kunming
Enjoy the city tour in Kunming by your own.
You can have an option to visit Haigeng Dam in Dianchi Lake, Yunnan Ethnic Villages, Yunnan Nationalities Museum.
Transfer to the airport or railway station for returning.
Service ends.
Recommended Hotels
| Destination | 5 Star | 4 Star | 3 Star | Hostels |
| Kunming | Sofitel Hotel | Jingjiang Hotel | Long Teng Hotel | Tu Tu Inn |
| Jianshui | Ting Ziyun Hotel | Lin An Hotel | Res Sky Hotel | Huiyuanlou Inn |
| Yuanyang | Yuanyang Twelve Manor | Yunti Hotel | Shuiyunjian Hotel | Guanjing Heaven Hotel |
| Lvchun | / | / | Yunti Hotel | / |
| Jinghong | Hermit Hotel | Xile Hot Spring Hotel | Tai’ anmeng Holiday Hotel | Rainforest Paradise Inn |
| Mengla | Anantara Xishuangbanna Resort | Hejing Hotel | Hailun Holiday Hotel | Shuibian Dai Inn |
Service Included:
- Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
- Meals as listed in the itinerary;
- Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
- Private English-speaking tour guide;
- Private vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with skilled driver;
- Service charge & government taxes;
- Luggage transfers between airports and hotels;
- Service charge and all government taxes;
- Travel Agency’s Responsibility Insurance coverage.
Service Excluded:
- Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
- Chinese visa fees;
- Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
- Single room supplement;
- Tips to guides and drivers;
- Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
- Personal travel accident insurance;
- All optional programs.
