7 Day Southern Laos Xplorer

Southern Laos has some incredible highlights in store, Although it is often overlooked by backpackers. For just £249 you can join our  fully guided group and take in some of the best that southern Laos has to offer. All accommodation and guided transport is included. On this trip you will be checking out the stunning Vientienne and the thousand Islands in Pakse.

This version is the 7  day  southern Laos version of Laos Xplorer. You can also combine other Xplorer trips to create a fully comprehensive one month tour of Laos and Cambodia. Check the four-week Xplorer option if you would like to extend this trip into Cambodia starting in Bangkok, or you can bolt on the first week combining the northern Laos Explorer with this trip to join a comprehensive tour of the entire country.

Photos

Itinerary

Laos

See it all in a fully guided group

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 I mean cheap!) whiskey from the bottle on a Nam Song River bank.

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 Laos’ 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.

The Seven day version ends here, you can always extend this epic Xplorer journey an add-on another week see the 14 day option.

Trip Frequently Asked Questions

Price

£259

Dates

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.

Check out the Cambodia Xplorer options which can easily bolt onto this trip as well.