If you’ve got twenty days to explore Laos, you’ll have time to do a bit of everything: hiking, waterfalls, museums and nightlife. And the best part is, twenty days allows for you to do this all at a leisurely pace! This Laos itinerary will start in Chiang Rai, Thailand, and take you via slow boat into Laos, ending in the capital of Vientiane. It can easily be done in the reverse, though. Do you have less than twenty days in Laos? Check out my seven-day, ten-day or fourteen-day Laos itineraries. Do you have more than twenty days in Laos or want a more fast-paced itinerary? Consider adding Huay Xai for the gibbon experience, Phonsavan for the Plain of Jars and/or Don Det for the 1000 islands to this Laos itinerary.
Day 1: Slow Boat
Start this Laos itinerary with an early morning border crossing from Chiang Rai, Thailand, to Huay Xai, Laos. Highly recommend paying extra to do this with an agency, as it means you will guaranteed not to miss the slowboat. You can read my full experience here.
After a hectic early morning, make sure you grab some cash out from an ATM, buy a sim card and buy some snacks for day 1 on the boat.
Spend the afternoon relaxing on the slow boat, either listening to podcasts, chatting with other backpackers, or just taking in the scenery of the Mekong Delta. Even if you purchased a sim card, you won’t have service until you get to Pak Beng in the evening, so enjoy the day being disconnected.
Arrive in Pakbeng for the evening and head straight to Sabaidee Restaurant for dinner and drinks with your new friends from the slow boat. After dinner, grab an early night before another long day on the boat.
Day 2: Slow Boat
Wake up and make sure you head down to the boat early to get a seat with a table. On your way to the boat, grab a packed lunch from one of the shops as well as more snacks and drinks for the journey. The second day is the longest day on the boat.
Spend the day playing cards with other travellers, reading and taking in the scenery. If you have a Lao sim card for the last two hours of the boat ride, you will have some phone service, but it may drop in and out. But these are also some of the best times on the boat for the view and to experience a sunset on the Mekong Delta.
Arriving at a port outside of Luang Prabang around 6 pm, you’ll have to jump in a shared transfer (Songthaew) to your hostel. Hit the ground running and head to the Luang Prabang Night Market for dinner and a few drinks (maybe in the form of a beer tower). Afterwards, head back to your hostel or one of the nearby bars for a few drinks before experiencing the best of Luang Prabang nightlife: the Bowling Alley.
Day 3: Luang Prabang
Enjoy a sleep-in before heading to Zurich Bread Factory for a stunning brunch.
After a slow morning, spend the afternoon walking around the city, admiring the architecture and temples on every corner. Make sure you explore key sights such as the Royal Palace Museum, Wat Xieng Thong and Heuan Chan Heritage House.
After a big afternoon of walking, treat yourself to some Italian cuisine at La Silapa. If you fancy another night out, head to the most bizarre drinking establishment in Luang Prabang again (yes, I’m talking about the bowling alley).
Day 4: Luang Prabang
Wake up and grab a smoothie bowl and coffee from Two Little Birds Cafe before a day of chasing waterfalls and bear spotting. After breakfast/brunch, hire a Songthaew or taxi for the day to take you to Kuang Si Waterfalls.
Spend the afternoon exploring the different levels of the falls, swimming in some of the bluest waters I’ve seen and admiring the views. Make sure you spend some time at the Kuang Si Rescue Bear Centre (free to visit) to learn about bear rescue in Southeast Asia and watch some of the rescued bears playing.
After a Songthaew ride back into the city, freshen up and grab some dinner at the local Night Market. Make sure you grab an early night tonight before a big day of cooking tomorrow.
Day 5: Luang Prabang
Make your way to Tamarind Restaurant for a morning market tour and then participate in the best cooking class in Laos. Don’t worry too much about getting breakfast beforehand; you can grab a light breakfast and coffee/tea/juice at the market. And anyway, you’ll want a mostly empty stomach to consume all the food you’ll cook.
The day starts with a local market tour to pick up ingredients, where the cooking class teacher will explain more about life in Laos. Afterwards, you’ll head to her home in the countryside where the class will begin. Spend the afternoon cooking several Lao cuisines and eating them together at the end. At the end of the tour, you’ll be dropped back at your hostel at around 3-4 pm.
Given how much food you make on the tour and how late you eat, you may not need dinner. If you do still feel peckish, head to the night market for a snack. Afterwards, do some shopping for clothes and souvenirs. Make sure you have another early night tonight before a sunrise wake-up tomorrow.
Day 6: Luang Prabang
Wake up before sunrise and make your way into the city centre to participate in an important cultural ceremony in Luang Prabang. The giving of alms to monks is a ritual participated in by locals and tourists alike and is done every day at sunrise.
After the ceremony has concluded, grab breakfast at one of the nearby bakeries, such as Zurich Bread Factory, before spending the day walking around the city. Head to the UXO Museum in the afternoon to learn about the history of unexploded bombs in Laos and the ongoing effects on the Lao people. In the late afternoon, begin a hike up to Mt Phousi to watch the sunset over Luang Prabang.
After a big day of walking, carb load on Italian food at La Silapa before getting an early night’s sleep.
Day 7: Luang Prabang- Nong Khiaw
Grab a quick early to-go breakfast before jumping on a shared van transfer to your next destination on this Laos itinerary: the stunning Nong Khiaw.
After a long day in a minivan, arrive at your accommodation in Nong Khiaw in the late afternoon. Spend the rest of your daylight hours exploring the quaint little town and enjoying the landscape.
For dinner, head to the cutest riverside restaurant, Coco Home Bar and Restaurant. Spend the night eating and drinking in their garden out back under the fairy lights.
Day 8: Nong Khiaw
Enjoy a leisurely morning strolling through the town and getting brunch at the go-to breakfast spot in Nong Khiaw: Delilahs. Afterwards, head on a walk south towards the entrance to Phatok Caves.
Spend the early afternoon crossing bamboo brides, exploring caves and learning about the history of the caves as a bomb shelter.
On the way back from the caves, make your way back towards town, stopping at the entrance to the Nong Khiaw viewpoint hike. Make sure you’re starting the hike around 2-3 hours prior to sunset so you can enjoy the sunset views from Phadeng Peak.
After a tough but scenic hike (with plenty of sunset pictures at the top), make your way back down to the town. Head to Chennai restaurant for dinner to gorge yourself on delicious Indian food (you’ve deserved it after the hike). Make sure you get an early night tonight before a big day trip tomorrow!
Day 9: Nong Khiaw
Wake up early and grab a quick breakfast to go before a big day of activities. Meet at your tour agency at 9 am for the Moung Ngoi Village Day Trip.
Spend the morning cruising down the river in a long boat, hiking to a viewpoint and exploring Muong Ngoi, a traditional Laotian village.
In the afternoon, enjoy an included lunch, hike to a waterfall where you can swim and stop off at an organic coffee farm. On the way back to Nong Khiaw, either enjoy another boat ride or opt to kayak back along the river.
On your return, head to Q Bar and Restaurant to indulge in some Laotian food. After dinner, head to Hive Bar for a few lowkey late-night drinks.
Day 10: Nong Khiaw
Choose your own adventure day! If you’re into adventure sports, sign up for a tour to do ziplining or rock climbing. If you’re a keen hiker, spend a half-day hiking to the Sleeping Woman Viewpoint. Want a chill day? Grab brunch at Delilah’s, enjoy a leisurely kayak down the river and then get a massage.
For dinner, head back to Coco Home Bar and Restaurant before getting an early night’s sleep, as tomorrow is a big travel day.
Day 11: Nong Khiaw- Vang Vieng
Grab a quick to-go breakfast and some snacks for the journey before jumping on a morning shared van transfer to Luang Prabang. After a somewhat bumpy ride, you should be in Luang Prabang by 3 pm. Make your way to the train station to board the late afternoon train headed for your next destination on this Laos itinerary: Vang Vieng.
Arrive in Vang Vieng in time for a late dinner at Green Restaurant. If you’re not too tired from the long travel day, head to Gary’s Bar for some drinks. Otherwise, get a good night’s sleep before a boozy first full day in Vang Vieng tomorrow.
Day 12: Vang Vieng
Grab breakfast at your hostel and get ready for an afternoon doing the number one activity in Vang Vieng. That’s right, it’s Tipsy Tubing.
Spend the afternoon drinking, floating down the river on inflatable tubes, enjoying the stunning scenery, singing karaoke at riverside bars and making new friends.
After an amazing day, head to Gary’s Bar for a roast dinner (to soak up some of the alcohol) before drinking and dancing more at Gary’s.
Day 13: Vang Vieng
Wake up (maybe slightly hungover) and enjoy a leisurely brunch at Naked Espresso. After you’ve soaked up more of the alcohol with smashed avo on toast, rent a Songthaew to explore the famous blue lagoons.
Start the afternoon off visiting Blue Lagoon 2, which is perfect for sunbaking, swimming and jumping off platforms. Afterwards, head to Blue Lagoon 3 for rope swings, exploring caves and floating around on tubes. Finish the day off with Blue Lagoon 6, which is a tranquil, quiet swimming spot. Grab some local food at the restaurant at Blue Lagoon 6 before heading back to town.
Get an early night’s sleep tomorrow before a pre-sunrise wake up the next day.
Day 14: Vang Vieng
Wake up while it’s still dark and prepare for one of the best views in Laos: the sunrise from a hot air balloon. Spend the early morning up in a hot air balloon, enjoying the stunning scenery of Vang Vieng. After you get back from the hot air ballooning, grab a leisurely breakfast at your hostel.
In the afternoon, rent kayaks from one of the travel agencies and enjoy an afternoon of kayaking down the river. For dinner, head to Green Restaurant to enjoy some Laotian food. Afterwards, head to Gary’s bar for a few drinks, then Full Moon Bar if you fancy a big night.
Day 15: Vang Vieng
Grab another great brunch at Naked Espresso before a day of sightseeing around Vang Vieng. Hire a Songthaew, Tuk-Tuk or Buggy to explore the remaining Blue Lagoons.
Start the day at Blue Lagoon 1 with some sunbathing and swinging off rope swings into the water. Afterwards, head to Blue Lagoon 4, where chances are you’ll have the place to yourself. Spend some time chilling, swimming and grabbing some food before the last stop of the day.
In the later afternoon, stop off at Nam Xay Viewpoint for a hike and to get the iconic Instagram photo with the bike on the cliffs. Make sure you allow enough daylight hours to complete this hike, as it can be dangerous coming down at night.
After another big day, head to Gary’s Bar for dinner and another big night of partying in Vang Vieng.
Day 16: Vang Vieng
Choose your own adventure day on this Laos itinerary! If you’re into adventure sports, sign up for a tour to do rock climbing, paragliding, caving, ziplining or mountain biking. If you’re a keen hiker, spend a half-day hiking to the Pha Ngern Viewpoint. Want a chill day? Grab brunch at Naked Espresso, enjoy the day by the hostel pool and then get a massage.
For dinner, head back to Green Restaurant before getting an early night’s sleep, as tomorrow is a travel day.
Day 17: Vang Vieng- Vientiane
Grab one last leisurely brunch at Naked Espresso before a midday train heading to your last destination on this Laos itinerary: the capital of Vientiane.
Arrive in the capital in the mid-afternoon and start with a walk around the centre of the city. Walk along the river and spot Thailand (which is actually really close) on the other side of the river. Grab dinner at the night market before heading to Tully’s Irish Bar for a few casual drinks.
Day 18: Vientiane
Wake up and head to one of the best brunch spots in Vientiane: Common Grounds Cafe. Enjoy a lush brunch before a big day of history and sightseeing.
Just across the road from Common Grounds is the UXO Museum, a harrowing and educative museum on the history of unexploded bombs in Laos. Make sure you watch the documentary in the upstairs area to hear real-life interviews with those affected by unexploded ordinance. Afterwards, head to the COPE Centre to learn more about prosthetic limbs and how Laos as a country is recovering from the effects of unexploded bombs.
In the late afternoon, hire a Tuk Tuk to take you to the famous Buddha Park just out of town. Explore the garden and the many impressive different versions of Buddha statues in various sizes and poses.
Afterwards, head back to the night market for a bit of shopping and to try more local street foods.
Day 19: Vientiane
Grab a quick breakfast at the Laotian/ Canadian coffee chain Joma before a big day of exploring the city of Vientiane. Start by visiting Wat Sisaket right in the city centre, and then visit the nearby and just as impressive Wat Si Muang.
Afterwards, walk along the main road to the Patuxay Monument, also known as the Laotian Arc De Triomphe. Wander through the surrounding parks and then climb to the top of the monument for impressive views of Vientiane city.
Afterwards, head to your last stop of the day, the large and impressive temple Pha That Luang. Get one last street food dinner at the night market and do any last-minute souvenir shopping.
Day 20: Vientiane
Last day of this Laos itinerary! Depart Vientiane at any time at your leisure. If you have an evening bus or flight, consider visiting the National Museum of Laos in the city’s north to learn more about the history. Otherwise, spend the day hopping between coffee shops, doing last-minute shopping or getting a massage.
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