HAPPY IN Thailand & Laos
DURATION
9 NIGHTS / 10 DAYS
DEPOSIT $500
Per Person
Shared room : From $1900
or $2500 Private Room
Thailand & Laos
Northern Thailand and Laos Tour with Mekong Cruise: featuring Huang Si Waterfalls; Ancient Buddhist City, Luang Prabang; and discover the mysterious Golden Triangle area
THE EXPERIENCE
10 Days Northern Thailand and Laos Tour with Mekong Cruise: featuring Huang Si Waterfalls; Ancient Buddhist City, Luang Prabang; and discover the mysterious Golden Triangle area
Thailand & Laos
What’s Included:
- Tickets as listed on itinerary
- Hotel accommodation as listed in itinerary
- Private car and driver service
- Private English-speaking tour guide
- Entrance fees as mentioned on itinerary
- Meals as listed in itinerary
- Taxes and service fees
Travelers are responsible Flight tickets to and from Thailand and Laos.
Meals not mentioned in the itinerary are not included. Personal Drinks, any additional activities or transfers, gratuities, medical expenses or additional entrance fees to theatres, parks, museums/visitor centres not outlined in this itinerary, additional travel expenses or waiting time. Travel insurance are travelers responsibility.
What’s Not Included:
- International flights
- Tour programs not listed on itinerary
- Meals not listed on itinerary
- Personal expenses
- Tips (guide, driver, and bell boy) – I recommend brining $100 per person cash to use for tips
- Necessary travel documents
- Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance:
Trips booked after January 1, 2023 will be required to have medical travel insurance for all You Can’t Steal My Happy trips.
You Can’t Steal My Happy recommends that you purchase a travel protection plan to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer travel protection through Travelex Insurance Services. For more information on the available plans or to enroll, click on the link below or contact Travelex Insurance Services at 800-228-9792 and reference location number 43-0656 “Travel Insurance is underwritten by, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company, NAIC #22276. 55Y”
Click on the link below to get a free quote.
Trip Itinerary
Day 1 :
Arrive in Chiang Mai
Welcome to Chiang Mai! Make your own way to the hotel from the airport. Later this evening, we will have a Meet-And-Greet with your fellow travelers and guides.
Closest Airport: CNX – Chiang Mai International Airport
Hotel: Rimping Village Boutique (Superior Room)
Day 2 :
Full Day Chiang Mai Trekking Tour with Bamboo Rafting
After breakfast, we will be picked up from the hotel at 8 AM to drive an hour to the Mae Wang region (south of Chiang Mai).
Our first stop will be at a small elephant camp where you can meet and feed the elephants.
Then we will make our way to Shan village to start the hike through mother nature’s great work. After hiking approximately 45 minutes, we will reach a waterfall where you will have a chance to splash around a little bit in this relaxing place and take many pictures.
Another 30 minutes of hiking will then bring us to the village of Karen where you will have some time to explore the small village while lunch is prepared for you.
After lunch, we will drive 15 minutes to the start of the bamboo rafting part of your trip. You will raft your bamboo along the river for about 1-1.5 hours (depending on the season) along he Mae Wang River.
Each bamboo raft can accommodate 6-8 persons and their luggage, which is placed on a rack in the middle of the boat so that it is safe from the water.
Enjoy the wonderful flora and fauna left and right and slowly bid farewell to the amazing nature.
After the bamboo rafting, we will drive back to Chiang Mai with an estimated arrival time of 4 PM.
Meals: B, L
Hotel: Rimping Village Boutique (Superior Room)
Day 3 :
Free Day
Today is your free day. Visit a local elephant sanctuary, zipline, shop or explore the many spas for that perfect massage.
Day 4 :
Discover Golden Triangle and Travel to Huay Tai
This morning, we will visit the Golden Triangle which is a mysterious region that is part of Indochina. Today you will enjoy a full excursion to the heart of the Golden Triangle region.
Your fascinating day will begin with a visit to the Long Neck Karen village to see the long neck hill tribe people who relocated from the Thai and Myanmar border. We will continue driving to Mt. Don Mae Salong and visit the Chinese village on top of the mountain. We will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, we continue the trip to the highest peak on the Thai-Myanmar border. Doi Tung, provides an opportunity to view many different Lahu and Akha villages as well as terraced farming areas. From a distance, you will also see Princess Mother’s frigid flower garden. Doi Tung Temple, build in 1493 A.D., is located at the peak. Its scenery is similar to that of Switzerland, featuring many unique images and temple architecture overlooking the entire northern rice field plain. After the tour, we will transfer to Chiang Chong for hotel check in.
Meals: B, L
Hotel: Chiang Khong Teak Garden River Front Hotel (Deluxe Garden)
Day 5 :
Shompoo Cruise from Houay Xay
At 8 AM, you will meet our English-speaking guide a the Houay Xay immigration office (Lao border)
Your guide will assist everyone to apply for their visa. After getting the visa, guests will take a shared van to the pier to embark on the Shompoo Cruise boat. During the morning, you will get to learn about Laos from our guide.
Lao traditional lunch is served on board. Before reaching Pakbeng, we will stop to visit a traditional Kamu village (Ban Houa Phalam), a tiny, cozy place which hosts about 90 families. Travelers will earn about rural lifestyles in a very remote area. The boat will arrive at Pakbeng before night.
Meals: B, L
Hotel: Sanctuary Pakbeng Lodge (Superior Room)
Day 6 :
Pakbeng to Luang Prabang
The boat will leave Pakbeng at 8 AM.
Enjoy the beautiful nature and jungle during your journey. In the morning, our guide and cook will make a short demonstration on how to make some lao desserts and local drinks that travelers will eat later in the afternoon.
First stop will be at Ban Bar Village, a complex but harmonic mix of three ethnicities: Lao Loun, Shan, and Tai Lue. Today, the village is famous for its lao whiskey making.
Right after the visit, a Lao traditional lunch is served on board. In the afternoon, the boat will stop for the second visit at the Pak Ou Caves (Tham Ting) and its over two thousand Buddha statues. It is one of the most important pilgrimage places for lao people. After the visit, enjoy the homemade desserts and drinks make by our team and travelers.
The boat will arrive in Luang Prabang before 4:30 PM, then our guide and driver will escort you to the hotel for check in and the rest of the day free to enjoy at your leisure.
Meals: B, L
Hotel: Souphattra Hotel
Day 7 :
Kuang Si Waterfall and Half Day Luang Prabang City Tour
Luang Prabang, the city surrounded by Mekong River, is well known for its Golden City and beautiful decorated Buddhist temples. You will remember this place long after your Indochina tour has finished.
Your memorable trip will start with partaking in an alms ritual in the morning. You will accept blessings by monks who will give you the alms. Have breakfast in the hotel and then start the half day excursion to Kuang Si Waterfalls, where you will enjoy beautiful natural scenery, have fun in the waterfalls, and relax.
We will drive back to town for lunch. In the afternoon, we visit the Wat Xiengthong which is a symbolic temple of the classic Laotian architecture. We will also visit the Royal Palace Museum to learn some history of Laos and then visit Wat Pham Temple, which means “Monastery of the Opened Heart” and the Stupa of Wat Visoun.
Finally, climb to the top of Mount Phousi to explore the sacred, gilded stupa and a sunset view of the city and the Mekong River.
Meals: B, L
Hotel: Souphattra Hotel
Day 8 :
Buffalo Dairy
This morning, you will continue to visit the Buffalo Dairy community-supported project that revolves all around the buffalo. Still seen as one of the driving factors in the Laotian farmer’s world, these gentle animals have proven to be behind on of the successes of Laos’ role in the agricultural sector. The afternoon is filled with activities surrounding the life of the buffalo and its multi-functional role in the agricultural industry. Local entrepreneurs have included other activities for visitors, including an expensive dairy farm and factory, a small farm with other animals, and a shop where proceedings from sales go straight back into the Lao Buffalo Dairy Farm.
Meals: B, L
Hotel: Souphattra Hotel
Day 9 :
Rice Paddies & Living Land Farm
This morning, you’ll experience the process of making rice at a Living Land Farm, a community enterprise just outside of Luang Prabang, which promotes professional organic farming right next to village rice paddies. Join the interactive rice farming experience which actively benefits the local community, who showcase and maintain their traditional ways. Learn about bamboo weaving, tool and trap making, gardening and even blacksmithing. A Laos speciality lunch will be served as well.
Meals: B, L
Hotel: Souphattra Hotel
Day 10 :
Farewell from Luang Prabang
Our tour ends today! You must be checked out of the hotel by 12 PM (noon).
Closest Airport: LPQ – Luang Prabang International Airport
Meals: B
Terms and Conditions
Group Trip Cancellations.
If YCSMH has to cancel a group trip because a country has closed its borders, everyone will have a choice of receiving a refund or being rolled over to another group trip. The decision to cancel a group trip will be determined by myself and our local guides.
DEPOSITS PAID- CANCEL WITH NO REPLACEMENT
If you cancel a booking and cannot find a replacement the FULL deposit amount will be lost from the original person making the reservation.
DEPOSITS PAID- CANCEL WITH A REPLACEMENT – $100 Penalty
If YOU cancel and find your own replacement that “helps” but it doesn’t alleviate the time and effort I must spend to get your replacement up to speed (answer questions and send previous emails). A $100 fee will be charged if you cancel and find your own replacement.
FULL PAYMENTS PAID- CANCEL WITH NO REPLACEMENT- 90 DAYS BEFORE TRIP DEPARTURE
Full payments for all Happy trips are due 90 days before departure. If you cancel the trip you will not be eligible to receive a refund. You will need to file a claim with your insurance provider. As a rule most tour vendors, charter companies and hotels require full payment 90 days before arrival. Once we have made reservations MOST resorts, Charter companies, rental shops, etc hold YCSMH financially responsible (i.e. we have to pay them, hence we expect YOU to pay us).
.
FULL PAYMENTS PAID- CANCEL WITH A REPLACEMENT- 90 DAYS BEFORE TRIP DEPARTURE
In the event of a cancellation, YCSMH will gladly help find a replacement but the responsibility to find the replacement is that of the person canceling. If you find a replacement to fill your spot you will be eligible for a full refund minus a $100 fee.
If YCSMH finds you a replacement you will receive a refund minus the trip deposit. As I mentioned there is a considerable amount of time and effort spent to send out emails to your replacement to get them up to speed.
I hope this helps clarify our terms as we all navigate through this post pandemic world. For those of us who are passionate travelers the small inconveniences of testing, insurance and entry requirements are well worth it.
Send us a Message