4 Week Laos & Cambodia Xplorer

Taking some of the best highlights of Laos & Cambodia. The Xtreme Xplorer trips are fully guided modular group tours using local transport connections. Xtreme´s Xplorer Trips are a great way to experience the country from the locals perspective, great value to. Accommodation transport and activities are included.

This version is the 4 Week Laos and Cambodia Explorer.  You can also combine other Xplorer trips to create even longer trips, a great way to meet people and see the best that the countries have to offer with knowledgeable local guides.

Photos

Itinerary

Laos

Laos is often overlooked as a destination, but it is the perfect hangover cure after some hedonistic Thailand travel time. It’s not just the friendly people make this fascinating country it is the pure beauty of the landscape, plenty of French colonial heritage and  Khmer history dating back thousands of years.Laos is often overlooked as a destination, but it is the perfect hangover cure after some hedonistic Thailand travel time. It’s not just the friendly people make this fascinating country it is the pure beauty of the landscape, plenty of French colonial heritage and  Khmer history dating back thousands of years.

To the west, the mighty Mekong splits the flat rice plains of central Thailand, Marking the territory of Burma’s rising foothills.

To the north, under a dense and unending canopy of rich green, the misty Gibbon jungles of Bokeo and Luang Nam Tha merge with the winding waterways of Yunnan and the South-China valleys.

To the south, the Mekong spreads out in the laid-back low lands, stretching its vast waterways up to 14km across the deep greens of fertile Champasak province, before roaring over the Bolaven Plateau into Vietnam, the eastern neighbour and buffer to the sea of this uncharacteristically land-locked Asian nation.

In this juncture of raw nature, where the wild waterway confluences of the Mekong and the misty jungle basins that surround it feather out southward toward the Thai gulf, nestled in the very heart of Southeast Asia, lies the elongated nation of Laos; from the UNESCO wonders of Luang Prubang in the north, to the river city of Pakse on the southern Cambodian border.

Famously wild, the few hubs of human activity that exist here have become coveted backpacking destinations, gateways to the untouched and unexplored Southeast Asian lands of yesteryear. Laos is the wilder Thailand, where the roads are lined, not with continuing rows of steam-emitting noodle vendors, but bending palms weighed down by the pull of ancient vines, and bamboo huts shrouded by the shadows of the jungle. But fear not backpacker, it’s not all tree-clad bluffs and mosquitoes; the rise of Laos as a gap year destination, means a well-developed traveller scene, where vest-wearing party-goers sip Beer Lao on the back of Mekong slow boats, or cheap (and we mean cheap!) whiskey from the bottle on a Nam Song River bank.

The week one option centres on northern Laos, guiding you overnight, through the Thai-Laos border crossing (with departures available from Bangkok).

See it all in a fully guided group.

This flexible approach to our Laos experience package is built with the backpacker in mind. Not only will it allow you to remain spontaneous in your travels, mixing and matching any of our single week itineraries in any order you like, but you’ll meet a really wide cross-section of like-minded people. A great way to meet with other travellers on the Southeast Asian circuit, the Laos experience is one that’ll get you laughing and talking with strangers like old friends in no time, over a chilled beer Lao under the scorching jungle sun.

Bangkok to Laos

The trip starts in Bangkok. After an overnight, ‘on-the-road’ stay, you’ll arrive in one of Laos’ beating cultural centres, the town of Luang Prabang. Having UNESCO world heritage site status, it’s rich with religious architecture and has a bustling central market – selling everything from backpack patches to pickled snake whiskey. For those who want to get a taste of the famous wilderness of northern Laos, the nearby Kuang Si waterfalls and local caving complexes are easily accessible for day trips.

Luang Prabang

This is one of the most underrated cities in Laos, set by an ancient river meandering through the mountains, Luang Prabang holds lots of hidden surprises. From stunning night markets, a great (and cheap) place to test out your haggling skills and pickups souvenirs and local handicrafts, to a hilltop monastery giving way to beautiful views and sublime waterfalls, this is a great place to hang out and enjoy the laid back nature of the place. We have a couple of days here which no matter how you look at it is never enough. It gives plenty of opportunity to take a boat trip up the river, explore the jungle and waterfalls.

Ask the guide for plent of optional activities along the way.

On day 5 it is time to head on,  you’ll take the dramatic road, winding through the thick forests, and cliff-faced limestone bluff rises south of Luang Prabang, to the backpacker party hub of Vang Vieng.

Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng – a great place to grab some cold ones with fellow travellers. This small town’s location on the Nam Song River, surrounded by dramatic peak rises and a myriad of trekking routes, makes it a great staging point for a number of adventure activities – notably mountain biking, hiking and rock climbing.

The town is a huge hub for backpackers and is famous for its river activities (tubing as it was is now done  but you can still trip down the river in truck inner tubes (where the term tubing comes from) and as a really chilled out day).

All of zip lines are now gone, as are the Riverside bars which is actually a good thing as there were quite a few accidents happening. Some people would say it’s not the same, but that still does not detract from the awesome experience of drifting down the river, with amazing views of lush jungle valleys either side.

Vang Vieng is also famous for its TV bars. Prepare to watch umpteen episodes of Friends and family guy, before seeking out some of its famous nightlife.

Week 2

Vientiane

After two days you’ll take the shorter (and more relaxing) journey three hours south, to the metropolitan heart of Laos – the capital Vientiane. Here you’ll find a curious mix of post-colonial and traditional architecture, dotted with nationalistic and religious art. It’s compact and easy to get around, which makes Vientiane somewhat similar to Bangkok in terms of nightlife; there’s plenty of bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants all within easy reach of the town centre, so no need to travel far.

After two days in Vientiane, exploring the city’s treasures and enjoying the comforts of a cuisine much closer to home than you’d expect (where the lingering French colonial influences still make good red wine readily available, and there’s crusty baguettes too), we’ll drop you right back into the wild, taking you to the nearby waterfalls. You can cool off on the shady banks of Laos’ jungle waters, indelibly surrounded by nature, while geckos ‘tokay’ in the canopy above.

Pakse

From there it’s further south, to the city of Pakse. Sitting where the mighty Mekong joins the smaller Xe Don river, this is Loas’ third largest city and capital of Champasak region Yet it remains laid-back and relaxed. Founded by the French in 1905 it has some impressive colonial buildings, stunning old temples and an incredible (and huge) market. But what makes Pakse so firmly planted on the backpacker trail is that it provides easy access to all the nearby must see sights such as the plantations of the Bolaven plateau and a UNESCO world Heritage site the Temple of Wat Phu.

This impressive complex dates back from the 16th to 13th centuries and sits in the most beautiful settings, surrounded by lush forests populated by Asian black bears.

Pakse is also known primarily as the jump off point for exploring Si Phan Don, or the Four Thousand Islands, fascinating outcrops of fertile sandy ground and imposing rocks that dominate the width of the southern Mekong. It feels like another world from another time, visitors are ferried around in rafts bearing rattan and chairs almost like thrones on floating rafts.

Being a five hour public transport ride out of town, before we leave for the Islands you’ll get plenty of time to enjoy Paske itself; you can explore the Khmer ruins of high-perched Wat Phu or simply hang out with your fellow Xplorers as the fast flowing rivers join and pass you by.

Cambodia

Week 3 Kratie

Our week three option takes you cross-border to the wild, north lands of Cambodia. The week starts in Kratie, a small and sleepy town nestled in the misty jungles just off the Cambodian Mekong. Made famous by the rare sight of river dolphins that can be viewed from the small town-steads just outside, you’ll spend a day on the river spotting these majestic creatures as they revel in the wide waterways. Our accommodation option at Kratie is aimed at getting the most immersive experience possible, and with a home-stay we’ll leave you enjoy the Cambodia’s culture and cuisine the way it should be done: locally.

Phnom Penh

After Kratie, it’s five hours to the nation’s capital Phnom Penh where you’ll get a comprehensive city tour before getting the shorter bus to the coast city of Sihanoukville.

Sihanoukville

The whole group can chill-out together on the golden sand beaches of the Thai gulf and tan yourselves on the decks of the seaside, bamboo bars.

Finally, back to the capital for some free time, where you can explore the imposing golden royal palace complex, or simply chill out in Cambodia’s largest metropolis, sipping beer Laos with your new travelling buddies well into the evening.

Week 4 Siem Reip & Ankor Wat

The first two days of the week four option are spent in Phnom Penh, where you’ll visit the Cambodian war museum, offering a sobering but informative picture of this country’s dark past.

Samroang

Then it’s off to Samroang, a dusty northern jungle town located right on the Thai-Cambodian border. This is an opportunity to see get a raw and real picture of Cambodian life and get involved with the local community. We organise community project participation and temple restoration activities throughout your three day stay here, helping you experience aspects of Cambodia that the unguided traveller cannot.

Siem Reip & Angkor Wat

Week four ends with a stay at the world famous town of Siem Reap, where tourism has flourished in the last decade and there is now a bustling town centre, with shops, bars, market stalls and restaurants for you to enjoy. But, no visit to Siem Reap would be complete without getting to see the UNESCO site of the Angkhor Wat temples, where the imposing spires of the Khmer architecture dominates the skyline, and the jungle crowds in from every side.

Transport from and entry to the temple is organised by us, and you’ll have access to your dedicated guide every step of the way.

Trip Frequently Asked Questions

Price

Four weeks – £996

Dates

This trip starts on the first Sunday of the month in Bangkok

Trip Combos

This trip can easily be combined with other explore options throughout Thailand and Cambodia even into Vietnam.

That means we can custom-built you an extended guided trip around Southeast Asia.