Seven days in Laos is enough time to get a taste of the beauty and culture of Laos and follow the backpacking route. But be warned, this will be the most jam-packed week of travel, and you will definitely want to see more of Laos in future! This Laos travel route will start in Luang Prabang and end in the capital of Vientiane. This Laos travel route can easily be done in the reverse, though. Do you have more than seven days in Laos? Check out my ten-day, two-week or twenty-day itineraries. Want to see even more of Laos? Consider adding Huay Xai for the gibbon experience, Phonsavan for the Plain of Jars and/or Don Det for the 1000 islands to your itinerary.
Day 1: Luang Prabang
Grab breakfast at Zurich Bread Factory before a big day exploring the city. 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.
In the afternoon, 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 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 2: 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 travel day tomorrow.
Day 3: Luang Prabang- Vang Vieng
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, then head back to your hostel to board the shared van transfer to your next destination on this Laos travel route: 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 4: 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 5: 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 a big hike.
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.
Get an early night’s sleep tomorrow before a pre-sunrise wakeup the next day.
Day 6: Vang Vieng- Vientiane
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.
Arrive in the capital of Vientiane and your last destination on this travel route at around midday and hit the ground running with some sightseeing. 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. Then, grab dinner at the night market before heading to Tully’s Irish Bar for a few casual drinks.
Day 7: 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. Depending on what time you depart Vientiane, you may have to cut this day short or sightsee at a very fast pace. Ideally, departing in the late afternoon or evening will give you enough time to enjoy Vientiane properly!
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.
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