Laos Itinerary: A 7-Day Trip from India covering Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane
We spent seven days travelling through Laos, covering Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane. Starting from Mumbai, our journey included the famous Kuang Si Waterfalls, a sunset cruise on the Mekong, the high-speed Laos-China Railway and the spectacular Boun Lai Heua Fai light festival. In this guide, we share our complete 7-day Laos itinerary, travel costs, visa experience and practical tips for Indian travellers.
Laos is a landlocked country in South-East Asia bordered by Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. It is well known for its rice fields, waterfalls, mountains and of course Buddhist Temples.
To start off, this is what you need to travel to Laos
Laos Travel Guide for Indians
Visa Requirement for Indian Citizens – As an Indian citizen you would need a visa. There are two options available – eVisa and Visa on Arrival cost of which is US $50 and $40 respectively. It is always advised to take the eVisa as that will provide you with a swift immigration. It takes only two business days and can be applied here
LOCA App – Download this app for cab bookings locally in Laos. It helped us at all the places we visited.
Currency Conversion Rate: During our trip, we used an approximate conversion of 1,000 LAK ≈ ₹4 (So 100,000 LAK will be equal to ₹400). Ignore the last three zeroes and multiply by 4). Exchange rates vary, so check the current rate before travelling. It is advisable to carry USD or GBP in cash which can be easily exchanged. In addition ATMs can be used to withdraw cash. Most places in the cities accept Credit Cards
Our 7-Day Laos Itinerary
Day 1 (6-Oct) : Fly from Mumbai to Luang Prabang, Laos (via Bangkok). Overnight at Luang Prabang
Day 2 (7-Oct) : Spend Day at Luang Prabang. Overnight at Luang Prabang
Day 3 (8-Oct) : Day trip to Kuang Si Waterfalls and back. Overnight at Luang Prabang
Day 4 (9-Oct) : Spend Day at Luang Prabang. Overnight at Luang Prabang
Day 5 (10-Oct) : Travel by Train from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng. Overnight at Vang Vieng
Day 6 (11-Oct) : Travel by Train from Vang Vieng to Vientiane. Overnight at Vientiane
Day 7 (12-Oct) : Travel back from Vientiene to Mumbai (via Bangkok)
Laos Trip Expenses
Day 1 (6-Oct) : Fly from Mumbai to Luang Prabang, Laos (via Bangkok)
Our flight was from Mumbai to Don Muang Airport in Bangkok by Thai Lion Air. We arrived at Bangkok early in the morning, had breakfast at the airport and then boarded the Air Asia flight to Luang Prabang in the afternoon. This was a short flight and soon we were at the modest looking Luang Prabang airport. We had our e-visas and did not have any trouble at the immigration. There was an apprehension that they ask for proof of funds up to US$3000 for Indian nationals but in our case they did not ask. We had clearly told during checking in at Bangkok that we do not have that many funds in cash. They made some remarks and allowed us to board. Perhaps that helped.
We had asked for a pick-up from our hotel and they had sent a 16 seater van. It was a warm welcome. They picked up another guest and we were off to the town of Luang Prabang. We checked in to the Victoria Xiengthong Palace hotel on the banks of the Mekong river.
We had some food and got ready fast to hit the town for the evening. The main place of attraction was the Wat Xiengthong temple which was right next door and that was our first destination.
It was a unique occasion to visit Luang Prabang. Much like our diwali they were celebrating the light festival week. The Wat Xiengthong temple premises were being decked up with lanterns all over with tourists stepping to light the candles. It was indeed great to be a part of the festival and somewhat participate in a small way. The lit-up lanterns looked grand on a full-moon evening (it was sharad poornima).
We headed off towards the town and were treated to a great sight. A series of Buddhist temples all lit up and lined with lanterns. Further down the road there would be cafes and restaurants and the night market which would start at 6:30 PM and would go on till 10 PM. The place was full of tourists, many from the west, all enjoying their beer. The beer being branded with the city name ‘Luang Prabang’, which was unique. The UNESCO World Heritage town truly lived up to its billing.
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Day 2 (7-Oct) : Spend Day at Luang Prabang
It was the first morning of the trip. This was a cycle friendly town. Our hotel had the option to rent out a bicycle and go on a ride. It was quite hot and humid but on a holiday it hardly mattered. I went on a round of the town, exchanged some dollars for some local currency and returned back. I also purchased train tickets for our journey to Van Viang later in the week from one of the local travel agencies. It is always cheaper to do that than purchasing it online.
We visited the Wat Xiengthong temple, followed by a riverside walk and a meal at the Dada Cafe. This was followed by sunset cruise on the Mekong River (cost approx. US$40).
The evening was spent in the town enjoying the cafes and the night market.
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Day 3 (8-Oct) : Kuang Si Waterfalls from Luang Prabang
We would going on a day-trip to Kuang Si Waterfalls. This is a one and a half hour drive from Luang Prabang. Yesterday while walking up to the Wat Xiangthong temple, a friendly person Pob bumped into us and asked if we would be looking to book tours and that he is a tour operator. We readily inquired about Kuang Si Waterfalls and agreed to take us for a rate of 500,000 in local currency (2100 INR) which was extremely reasonable compared to the online rates charged by various tour operators. The car was in top condition and hence the drive was extremely comfortable.
We stopped on the way at Phounsouk Garden which had a gorgeous looking rice field and a restaurant. We walked around a bit and then proceeded towards Kuang Si Waterfalls. We had to first purchase the tickets at the parking lot for 60,000 per person and then take a buggy service up to the entrance of the waterfall.
From the entrance we had to follow the trail and walk towards the top of the falls. It was not a very long walk and neither was it too much up the slope. The water flowing by had a shade of brown unfortunately. This was expected at this time of the year just after the rains. We had read that from December onwards one would get that gorgeous Turquoise colour. The place sure brought back memories of Lake Plitvice, Croatia. The colour did not matter much as we reached the source of the falls. It was extremely windy and we got blessed by a natural shower which was most welcome on a hot and humid day. We had lunch at the restaurant there and then headed off to the car. We were in for a surprise as Pob drove us to another waterfall just down the road which was the Kia Waterfalls. This was a serene place which had a restaurant and some blockbuster sitting places with the falls in the background. Since we were already done with our lunch we did not eat anything here but sure enough got some great photos.
We returned to Luang Prabang soon after. We checked out of the hotel and checked into Sunrise Garden House hotel which was on the other side of the main market place. We asked Pob to drop us there.
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The evening was a big one at Luang Prabang as it was the light parade. The Luang Prabang Light Parade, or Boun Lai Heua Fai, is a stunning cultural spectacle that marks the end of Buddhist Lent in Laos. During the festival, the historic town is illuminated by thousands of handmade paper lanterns, glowing oil lamps, and candles. The highlight is a vibrant procession of massive, intricate fireboats crafted from bamboo and paper by local temples and communities. Accompanied by traditional music and dancers, these glowing boats parade through the streets before being launched onto the Mekong River to honor water spirits and wash away bad luck.
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Watch our Kuang Si Waterfalls Experience
Book Your Tours Here
Day 4 (9-Oct) : Spend Day at Luang Prabang
I hired a bicycle for the day (costing 50,000 LAK or approximately 200 INR) to navigate the town. The shop was there right next to our hotel so I planned to hire it for 24 hours. I could lock it and park at the hotel which was deemed safe.
We had lunch at ‘Manda De Laos’ restaurant which was indeed special. This was followed by a visit to the Laos National Museum.
This was our last evening at Luang Prabang so enjoyed some shopping and trying out various types of Street Food followed by a dinner at one of the restaurants.
Watch our Luang Prabang Travel Vlog
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Day 5 (10-Oct) : Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng by High-Speed Train
On our final morning, we witnessed the traditional Alms Giving Ceremony, where locals offer sticky rice and food to Buddhist monks at sunrise.
We then set-off for the Luang Prabang Railway Station and took a 50-minute high-speed train ride to Vang Vieng. The station is quite far from the city. The travel agent from where we booked the tickets also provided us with a pick-up from the hotel to the station. The train ride was extremely comfortable and we reached Vang Vieng in an hour.
We took a Jeepney ride from the station to out Hotel Inthira. The riverside hotel provided us great views of the Nam Song river and the surrounding mountains. After having lunch we enjoyed the town’s riverside atmosphere and adventure activities, including hot air balloons and paragliding. Vang Vieng is a proper adventurous town.
We then walked to the evening market followed by dinner at one of the restaurants.
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Day 6 (11-Oct) : Travel by Train from Vang Vieng to Vientiane
Today we boarded the same high-speed train to the capital city of Vientiane. The taxi from the station took us to the city centre. We checked in at the Ibis hotel for the night. The evening was spent walking around the city and of course a visit to the night market. The market is on the Mekong riverside which also acts as a border between Laos and Thailand.
Day 7 (12-Oct) : Travel back from Vientiane to Mumbai (via Bangkok)
Our flight back to India was at 1:30 PM in the afternoon, thus we did not have much time to do sightseeing activities in Vientiane. We woke up and started early. I started off with a short walk to the That Dam Stupa which was in the next lane followed by the Wat Sisaket temple not very far away. We then packed our luggage and then took a tuk-tuk to the top attraction of the city, which is the Pha That Luang – a gold-covered Buddhist Stupa.
There was enough time for us to now head back to the hotel and set-off for the airport. We flew down to Don Mueang Airport, Bangkok and then to Mumbai.
Watch our Vang Vieng & Vientiane Travel Vlog