An unforgettable bike tour in Laos

We’ll pick you up and take you to Vientiane Railway Station for a train ride to Muang Xai. Enjoy scenic views as we travel over mountains to reach our secluded resort by lunchtime. After settling in, we’ll explore the surroundings by bike, visiting local villages, rice fields, and a hilltop temple for stunning views of Muang Xai. Then, we’ll check out the local market before returning to the resort for evening drinks, dinner, and a chance to meet your fellow travelers.

We set out on the bikes just after breakfast and ride an unpaved road over the hills to connect with a paved road that leads down to the next river, the Nam Ou. We won’t quite reach that river, but the ride is lovely, on undulating hills following a smaller tributary. We will cross low river streams so be prepared for a little splash! At km 47, there is the option to end the cycling for the day. We take a transfer to Muanglar where we will enjoy a local lunch and then you can relax and enjoy the afternoon at the resort. There are various activities and tools for relaxation that can be booked in advance, such as massage and yoga.
If you still have the power in your legs for a bit more riding, then there is an optional 23km available with group consensus. This second part of the ride ends at a market junction where we often see hill tribe folk who have come down from their villages to trade. We sample a few snacks there.

After breakfast, transfer 30 min to the starting point of the hike. Let’s make the most of our beautiful surroundings, over the streams and then high up into the hills surrounding the resort. We’ll stop in on a number of villages to see first-hand how the local people in this area live. Subsistence farming, often slash and burn style, is prevalent here and through much of Laos. We arrive back in time for lunch at the resort after a 1.40-hour transfer and you can enjoy another free afternoon to spend at your leisure.

Start off your day with a morning ride through forests and past large, clear rivers in Muang Xai before we hop in a van for a transfer to the small riverside village of Pak Beng. Once here we’ll have the afternoon to take advantage of our off-the-beaten-path accommodation. This charming lodge faces the Mekong Elephant Park, and is an ideal starting point for many walking trails in the forest. If you wish to immerse yourself further in the culture, take a shot at Lao cooking with the hotel’s regional cuisine lessons or see a traditional dance show put on by a local primary school.

All aboard the boat to Luang Prabang! As we begin our cruise down the Mekong River we’ll have the chance to catch glimpses of rural riverside Lao river/village life. The journey takes most of the day, but far from being an ordeal, it’s a nice way to relax, look out for elephants on the riverbank, read a book and chat with your fellow travelers. As we near Luang Prabang, we’ll explore the sacred Pak Ou caves filled with thousands of Buddha relics left by devoted pilgrims.

Then it’s just another hour into the city, so we can expect to arrive at sundown. At the elegant, centrally located hotel, it’s time for some drinks and a briefing on the city itself and then dinner together at an authentic and innovative restaurant nearby.

It’s a bright and early start today as we take to the streets of Luang Prabang to catch the traditional Monks Alms ceremony. The colorful daily procession is an iconic and revered local tradition, but the one they are happy to have visitors watch or even take part in, given you observe local etiquette. Your guide will make sure you’re well-versed on the appropriate attire and conduct for this unique daily ritual.

Having risen quite early, we’ll return to the hotel for breakfast before hitting the road. Taking to the bikes, we’ll pedal to Wat Xieng Thong: Luang Prabang’s royal temple and one of Laos’ most important monasteries. From there, we’ll saddle up again and cycle to the local fresh market where your guide will clue you into the interesting produce for sale that you may not recognize.

We’ll refuel with a traditional Lao coffee at one of the city’s oldest coffee stalls, then continue our ride to a lesser-known temple and then along a riverside road to check out traditional ‘sa paper’ making and distillation of the country’s famous rice wine: Lao Lao. Don’t get too carried away with the sampling!

From there, we’ll board a boat that takes us down the Mekong to explore traditional pottery, then cross back to the other side of the river to see how silk is made at Ock Pop Tock. Our last stop of the day will be for a traditional lunch together. The evening is free for you to seek out whatever food you are craving in this vibrant city, with your guide happy to offer some suggestions.

The last ride of the trip and a highly enjoyable one. We start off by crossing the Mekong on a ferry. We ride out on a paved road to a riverside village south of town and stop here to learn about rice wine making. Then we hijack a local fishing boat and have them ferry us back to the eastern bank of the river.

From here we encounter a steep but relatively short hill to bring us to Kuang Si Waterfall. You may have heard about this place, but until you jump into the aqua blue, cool waters, you won’t understand how special it is. After a dip, we can visit the Free the Bears enclosure and see these mischievous creatures at work, trying to free their lunch from the obstacles that the carers set. Then it’s time for a bite to eat, probably a barbequed river fish, before we ride the undulating road back into town. Our final afternoon and evening together will be marked by a delicious meal, which will be a familiar thing by now.

Our tour concludes here in Luang Prabang after breakfast. If you are flying out, we will have a car ready to take you to the airport. Otherwise, your guide can assist you to move to wherever you need to.