Our favorite Laos tours and excursions

If destinations and accommodation are the bread and butter of a great vacation, a hands-on cultural experience is the secret sauce that brings it all to life.

We know that not everyone likes the idea of organized fun. You don’t need your hand held – we get it. But we also know that we’d bet our bottom kip that even the most die-hard independent travelers will fall for our incredible guides, whose in-depth knowledge and personal stories make every experience special.

The reason we can be so confident is because we’re independent travelers ourselves, and we know there’s nothing worse than coughing up for a cultural class or guided tour only to find that it feels inauthentic and touristy. That’s why we only recommend experiences we’ve personally road-tested and absolutely loved – no cookie-cutter day trips, no lackluster guides, and no doing something just because everyone else is.

In Laos, that means trekking up 100 waterfalls to picnic off banana leaves against the backdrop of the Nam Ou River Valley. It means cycling around the islands of the Mekong, stopping to watch craftsmen weaving bamboo and eating dinner with a local family. It means swapping Luang Prabang’s World Heritage architecture for its rural fringes, exploring the minority villages and tumbledown temples that line the banks of the Mekong.

We can take you beyond the standard tourist sites, but it takes the knowledge of a local to bring those places to life – and these experiences are the way to do it.

Carol Cassidy in her workshop in Vientiane

Insider Experience: Carol Cassidy's workshop

There are few people better placed to introduce you to traditional and contemporary Lao textile culture than Carol Cassidy.

Carol first came to Laos as a textile expert with the UN Development Program in 1989, and she unwittingly stumbled upon what she describes as “a weaver’s paradise”. Years later, she's still here -- and she now works with 40 Lao artisans to produce woven wall hangings, scarves, shawls and fabric, all using traditional methods. Touring Carol’s workshop is a rare chance to meet a real insider, and you'll have plenty of time to ask her about her experiences over cocktails and canapés in the garden.

4,000 Islands by bike and boat

With 4,000 islands to explore, how do you know where to begin? This laid-back tour is about getting beyond the three main islands to explore some little gems that most people overlook.

Just as stunning as their larger siblings, these islands are totally untouched by tourism –inhabited only by local fishermen and their families. Cycling on dirt tracks and hopping from island to island by ferry, this is a chance to really dove into island life – into the bamboo basket-weaving workshops, the sleepy fishing villages, and the tiny wooden temples frequented only by locals. With a guide to help you communicate, this is our favorite way to get under the skin of the 4,000 Islands.

Meet the ethnic groups of Muang La

In the hills around remote Muang La, undisturbed by the modern world, the Khmu live in teakwood stilt houses, the Hmong raise pigs and buffalo, and the Ikhos produce dyes made with plant extracts foraged from the forest.

Traveling by 4x4 between their villages, you’ll have the chance to interact with people who rarely meet tourists and learn about the many cultural differences between these ethnic minorities. Then, to round it all off, hike up to a waterfall with spectacular views across the mountains. This is a rare opportunity to dove into the authentic life of the countryside in a breathtakingly beautiful part of Laos.

Ancient streets of Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang has seen numerous cultures come and go in its 1,500 years, but what makes it so special is the way it has fuzed those traditions together to create something completely new.

With a guide to point out the most interesting details, you’ll start to see them everywhere: plaited bamboo houses opposite elegant French-style balconies; Italian marble steps topped by three-headed elephants; traditional Lao motifs mingled with Beaux-Arts flourishes. This tour is all about understanding the complex web of historic influences that make Luang Prabang so dazzlingly unique.

Man trekking through the forest of Nam Et-Phou Louey

Nam Et-Phou Louey trek

If you want a real adventure (and we’re talking the old-fashioned kind, complete with creepy crawlies, strenuous exercise, and lots of sweat) this one’s for you.

Get away from civilization and deep into the world of the jungle, spending nights in Khmu minority villages and remote camps, keeping your eyes peeled for sightings of white-cheeked gibbons, sambar deer, and Indian bison. This is a tough trek with incredible rewards, including summiting the third-highest peak in Laos and spotting endangered animals in their natural habitat. Life doesn’t get more wild and wonderful than this.

Trekking in Nam Et Phou Louey National Protected Area

Nam Nern night safari

By night, the jungle comes alive with the hoots, squawks, screeches and chirps of a whole new cast of characters.

Head out under cover of darkness to experience this hidden world, traveling by boat as your guide’s spotlight searches the undergrowth for sambar deer, spotted linsang, pythons and civets. Spend the night at an ecolodge, listening to stories around the campfire, then return by daylight accompanied by brilliant blue kingfishers and red jungle fowl – a whole new wildlife experience. This is jungle exploration with a difference.