Chieng Mai Cycling To Luang Prabang - 11 Days Travel by tributary and trail on this exploration through the remote jungles and mountains of tribal Thailand and Laos on this bicycle tour in Southeast Asia. Explore the fascinating network of trails and villages inside the famous Golden Triangle, before pushing deeper into tribal territory in Laos. Local encounters, raw countryside and wilderness, and great trails abound on this two-wheeled trek through regions seldom seen by outsiders.

Day 1:Chieng Mai Arrival and easy ride ( D )

Thailand’s northern city of Chiang Mai is the starting point of this adventurous tour. The tour starts leisurely with a ride along the Ping River and heads to the handicraft center at Ban Tawai for some shopping. Welcome group dinner.

Day 2 : Chieng Mai – Chiang Dao ( B , L )

Today is a treat for mountain bikers as the trail winds from rice fields set among soaring limestone cliffs through villages of local hill tribes. After lunch at a Forestry Camp, the riding continues along serene mountain trails.

Day 3: Chiang Dao – Thaton ( B, L )

Cycling on back roads through many small villages you’ll see how the locals live and work. The afternoon ride is one of the most scenics on the trip and a real pleasure to cycle. The day is topped off with a stay at a beautiful resort with a splendid view of the Mae Kok River.

Day 4 : Thaton – Chieng Rai ( B , L )

Ride straight from the resort to a Jakhu village before hopping onto a boat for a leisurely cruise down the Mae Kok River. The afternoon riding is off-road, with beautiful views of the river, before the surface switches to tarmac for our final push into Chiang Rai.

Day 5 : Chieng Rai – Chieng Khong ( B , L )

Though today’s riding is picturesque, through rice fields dotted with limestone karst mountains, on good road surfaces, the highlight will be the lovely lodge we’ll spend the night at. Set right in the middle of a Hmong village you’ll be able to mingle with villagers and have tea with the shaman.

Day 6 : Chieng Khong Boat To PaK Beng ( Laos ) ( B , L )

Today we leave Thailand behind, cross to Laos and spend our day relaxing on the Mekong River. We have a private boat so we can stop when we want to visit some riverside villages along the way.

Day 7 : PaK Beng – Muong Beng ( B , L )

Be prepared for an epic day of challenging riding on a broken track along the Beng river, through pretty Lao villages and unforgettable mountain and jungle scenery. Cycling through rural Laos, you’ll have to make way for all types of colorful vehicles and livestock.

Day 8 : Muong Beng – Odom xai ( B , L )

We are now in the central highlands, and there are some spectacular views across the rugged mountain landscape. We cycle through Hmong villages few people will ever visit and through some of the region’s last remaining rainforests.

Day 9 : Odom xai – Nong Khiaw ( B , L )

A day to relax those overworked legs and enjoy the balcony of your riverside room or take a stroll around the small rustic town of Nong Kiau.

Day 10 : Nong Khiaw – Luang Prabang ( B , L )

A river journey between limestone cliffs on the Nam Ou river starts the day. Disembark at Pak Ou and visit the famous caves which are crammed with sacred Buddha images. Time to get back on the bicycles and a scenic ride to one of Asia’s most picturesque towns, Luang Prabang.

Day 11: Luang Prabang – City Tour And Cycling To Water Falls ( B, L )

Visit Vat Visoun, the site of an impressive stupa, That Makmo, stylistically more Srilankalese than Lao. Then walk to the nearby Vat Aham, which is one of the city’s major tutelary shrines. Climb Vat Phousi hill for an outstanding view over the city. Continue to visit Vat Sene and Vat Xieng Thong, considered the most beautiful temple. Next, drive to visit Ban Phanom, a weaving village populated by Thai Lu. After lunch at Un Petit Nid Restaurant, visit the National Museum (former King’s Palace) displaying a collection of personal artifacts of the Royal Family. Lunch at the restaurant, Then stroll through the lively Central Market where the ethnic minorities of the surroundings come daily to trade their goods. Drive to Ban Xang Khong village to see how traditional Sa paper is made. View the sunset from the banks of the Mekong River. Afternoon An easy ride to the scenic Kuang Si Waterfalls along with ethnic villages such as Hmong and Khmu. Enjoy a swim in the clear water basins of the Kuang Si Waterfalls.Transfer bacck to Luang Prabang .

Summary

Cycling: 60 km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Ban Bao Hotel

Day 12: Luang Prabang Departure ( B )

Breakfast and free time until our driver picks you up at the airport for departure.

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Departure date: Join in group departure on 27th Monthly

Group Size: From 2 to 16 riders

Tour cost: Contact Us

TOP THINGS TO DO IN LAOS

Laos is a treasure trove of natural and architectural wonders. With a little patience and some time you can see incredible man-made and natural wonders from north to south in the Lao PDR. Don’t miss these top 10 things to see and do.

Wat Xieng Thong

Luang Prabang's best-known monastery is centered on a 1560 sǐm (ordination hall). Its roofs sweep low to the ground and there's a stunning 'tree of life' mosaic set on its western exterior wall. Close by are several stupas and three compact little chapel halls called hŏr. Hŏr Ɖąi, shaped like a tall tomb, houses a standing Buddha. The Hŏr Ɖąi Pha Sai-nyàat, dubbed La Chapelle Rouge – the Red Chapel – by the French, contains a rare reclining Buddha.

Fronted in lavish gilt work, the Hóhng Kép Mîen stores a ceremonial carriage, festooned with red-tongued naga (river serpents) designed to carry the golden funeral urns of Lao royalty.

Pha That Luang

Pha That Luang, Vientiane Laos |

Boun That Luang takes place every November, over three days around the full moon. The stupa in Vientiane is the national symbol of Laos and is said to house a piece of Buddha’s breastbone. Thousands of pilgrims gather at That Luang to give offerings to the monks who come from all over Laos. Processions, parties, and a trade show follow. Even if you don’t make it to the festival, the stupa is a sight to behold any time of year. Join the faithful and place offerings of flowers, candles, and incense at the alter, or quietly stroll around the massive enclosed yard.

Vat Phou / Wat Phou

Along with the Champasak Cultural Landscape, the 5th century Khmer ruins of Wat Phou is the second inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List of Laos. Wat Phou, meaning ‘mountain temple.’ Blended into the surrounding nature, the remains of Wat Phou are dotted all over the mountain face. Oriented toward the east, the ruins have two large reservoirs on either side of a long column-lined road, leading toward the mountains. Past the palace ruins, up a steep staircase, you’ll find the sanctuary with a modern Buddhist shrine and a natural spring considered to be sacred.

Tad Lo

Tad Lo is 56 miles (90 kilometers) away from the southern town of Pakse. Soak in the visual and aural splendor of the falls or take a dip and cool off from the heat. Three cascades make up the falls: Tad Hang, Tad Lo itself, and Tad Suong. Accommodations are available to spend the night and enjoy the surrounding scenery. Tad Lo is an impressive three-tiered waterfall in Salavan Province. Several guesthouses and restaurants around the falls make it an ideal lunch spot or stopover for trekking, swimming, and tubing. Tad Lo is accessible by bus, motorbike, or as part of a group tour package of the Bolaven Plateau.

Swim in the Mekong at 4000 Islands

French Bridge at Sunset on Don Det |

Don Det has a beach at its northern tip that doubles as a ferry landing. You can also take a dip in the Mekong, the largest river in Southeast Asia, on either of the two beaches on Don Khon–one by Liphi Falls and one farther south. Easy Go Backpackers Hostel on Don Det has a beach area and Don Som Riverside Guesthouse has a swimming spot on Don Som. If river swimming isn’t your thing and you’d rather lounge by the pool, check out the one by Little Eden Guesthouse at the north end of Don Det or the Blue Lagoon Swimming pool at the southern tip of the island.

Tat Kuang Si

Thirty kilometers southwest of Luang Prabang, Tat Kuang Si is a many-tiered waterfall tumbling over limestone formations into a series of cool, swimmable turquoise pools; the term 'Edenic' doesn't do it justice. When you're not swinging off ropes into the water, there's a public park with shelters and picnic tables where you can eat lunch. Don't miss the Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre, where wild Asiatic moon bears, confiscated from poachers, are given a new lease of life.

Many cheap eateries line the entrance car park at the top end of the Khamu village of Ban Thapene, selling everything from local snacks to grilled chicken and fish.

Visiting Kuang Si by hired motorcycle is very pleasant now that the road here is decently paved and allows stops in villages along the way. By bicycle, be prepared for two long, steady hills to climb. A tuk-tuk from Luang Prabang costs 150,000K for one person, and 50,000K per person in a group of three, so it's best to get a group together. A private minivan will cost 350,000K.

Plain of Jars

Plain of Jars’ thousands of mysterious megalithic jars are scattered throughout Xiang Khuang Province in northeastern Laos. Dating from the iron age, the oldest jars go back to 500 BC. The largest “King Jar” is at Site 1 and the longest jar is at Site 2. It’s possible to hire a guide to take you on a trek from Site 2, which is behind a rice paddy to Site 3, which is in the forest on top of a hill. The leading theory suggests these stone vessels were used in burial rituals. Evidence suggests that bodies were distilled in the jars until only bones remained. The bones were then removed and interred in a ceramic jar or on the ground. Nine of the 90 sites containing jars have been cleared of UXOs, so stick to the established routes and bring a guide out trekking with you.

Kuang Si Falls

Kuang Si Falls |

In the north of Laos lies Luang Prabang, a portion of the old town that is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site. Ride or cycle to Kuang Si or Tad Saw waterfalls, take a boat cruise down the Mekong river, and eat local Lao or fantastic French food at one of the restaurants in town. This former royal capital is home to some of the most elaborate and best-preserved temples in the country. Visit the Royal Palace and the watermelon-shaped Wat Wisunarat or hike up Mount Phousi for sunrise or sunset.

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