Laos small group holiday
Highlights
Stupas and wats in Vientiane | ancient Phonsavan | Plain of Jars | scenic drive to Luang Prabang | tour Wat Xieng Thong | Kuang Si Falls | riverside Nong Khiaw | longboat down Nam Ou River | Luang Prabang | sail to Pak Ou Caves | Four Thousand Islands | Tad Fane WaterfallDescription of Laos small group holiday
There aren’t many better ways to kill 16 days than this tour – a small group holiday to Laos that starts in capital city Vientiane and winds up amongst the twin falls of Tad Fane.Whistle stop is this tour’s middle name, so you’ll quickly get to the heart of each place you visit. In Vientiane, you’ll learn about the Vietnam War. Seek out the Hmong and Tai Dam villages tucked away in Phonsavan. And take the prettiest mountain road to Luang Prabang. The Plain of Jars might be the most bizarre thing you’ve come across yet – rolling hills pockmarked with 300 giant stone jars with mysterious origins.
There’s a common theme throughout: the chance to sail and kayak the rivers that join your stopping points. It’s a great opportunity to drift past unaged villages and learn about the slow ways of rural life – a real breather before your grand finish in neighbouring Thailand, where you’ll spend your last night in full-on Bangkok.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? rosy@responsibletravel.com
Check dates, prices & availability
The leaders are not guides – they’re not there to shepherd you around. Instead, they’ll let you know which local restaurant serves great value food – without running the risk of travellers’ tummy. They’ll allow you to avoid hour-long queues at train stations and attractions.
We like to think of small group travel as the Goldilocks option. It is independent travel without the fuss, worry and bunk beds – and organised travel without the coaches. And it’s cheaper than a tailor made tour. It’s sits somewhere in the middle – and we think it’s just about right.
Have big, life-enriching experiences that would be impossible to organise without lots of time and insider knowledge.
Simplicity
Make the most of your holiday time by letting someone else do the hard work and boring logistics!
Peace of mind
Small group tours take care of the security aspects – and provide a safety net should anything unexpected happen.
If you don’t have three months to spend exploring, small groups trips let you cover more ground in less time. Your days are not spent queuing for tickets or finding hotels – so you can squeeze more into your holiday.
Solo travellers who’d like company
Likeminded travel companions plus peace of mind for those travelling alone. Single supplements are usually available – providing privacy if you want it.
Less confident travellers
Stray from the tourist trail without worrying about getting lost, and meet local people without dealing with the language barrier.
Couples and friends have private rooms, and you can choose to eat alone or not. Single supplements give solo travellers their own room.
“There won’t be any free time”
Free mornings or afternoons let you explore on your own, or just relax.
“The accommodation will be basic”
Trips are as high or low end as you like. Though off the beaten track destinations won’t have luxury hotels, this is all part of the adventure.
“I won’t like the other travellers!”
Tour operators try to create groups with a similar demographic – age, families, activity levels... Chances are, you’ll even make new friends.
“Will we be following an umbrella?”
No.
Responsible tourism
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your holiday will help support conservation and local people.
Due to the continual aerial bombardment during the Vietnam War, Laos is the most-bombed country in the world. Many of the bombs dropped didn’t detonate, and unexploded ordinance (UXO) is a real danger to everyday life in parts of Laos. In Phonsovan we visit the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), a fantastic organisation that has helped to destroy some of the 80 million cluster bombs that still remain live in Laos’ fields ,rice paddies and villages. We also visit the COPE museum in Vientiane whose excellent work includes increasing public awareness around UXOs and helping to provide prosthetic limbs to the many landmine victims. The Mines Advisory Group works on a donation basis, which we encourage on the trip. 100% of the donations made at the Visitor Centre is spent on supporting MAG’s work in Laos. Similarly COPE works on a donation basis all of which help the important work that they are undertaking in Laos.
All of the hotels that we use are local properties such as the Nong Kiau riverside resort that has just 15 bungalows built to blend in with the natural environment. We only include breakfasts on the trip and you will be eating in the local communities that you visit, thus giving something back to the community and in support of the local environment.
As a company we support Cool Earth. Protecting rainforest is one of the most effective actions to tackle climate breakdown. Cool Earth work with indigenous communities empowering them to conserve their forest; keeping CO2 locked in.
The Impacts of this Trip
In contrast to its neighbours, Laos is still relatively little-visited so the income we bring to this area really helps local development; particularly as we use locally owned services throughout the tour. One of the highlights of this trip is the chance to visit some of the tribal villages. We’ve factored in plenty of time so that we really get a chance to meet the local people, learn about their traditions and daily life and interact with them in a manner which is both insightful yet respectful. Your local tour leader will be a great facilitator in this regard. Buying crafts directly from them cuts out the middle man and enables them to supplement their income in an area where the economic opportunities are few.
We are always very sensitive to the impacts of visiting rural communities. One of the reasons we prefer to use local tour leaders is they can give a real insight into the local culture; anything from learning about the education system, to making sure we don’t fall foul of any taboos. It is our policy to generate business and employment opportunities in the countries we travel to by employing local people. All our leaders in Laos are locals and we’ve trained them all too so they are comfortable in their work and you get great service.
In addition to the above, we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key and so all staff, Tour leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our UK Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage. As well as this, we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of UK travel industry bodies Tourism Concern and AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.
Due to the continual aerial bombardment during the Vietnam War, Laos is the most-bombed country in the world. Many of the bombs dropped didn’t detonate, and unexploded ordinance (UXO) is a real danger to everyday life in parts of Laos. In Phonsovan we visit the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), a fantastic organisation that has helped to destroy some of the 80 million cluster bombs that still remain live in Laos’ fields ,rice paddies and villages. We also visit the COPE museum in Vientiane whose excellent work includes increasing public awareness around UXOs and helping to provide prosthetic limbs to the many landmine victims. The Mines Advisory Group works on a donation basis, which we encourage on the trip. 100% of the donations made at the Visitor Centre is spent on supporting MAG’s work in Laos. Similarly COPE works on a donation basis all of which help the important work that they are undertaking in Laos.
All of the hotels that we use are local properties such as the Nong Kiau riverside resort that has just 15 bungalows built to blend in with the natural environment. We only include breakfasts on the trip and you will be eating in the local communities that you visit, thus giving something back to the community and in support of the local environment.
As a company we support Cool Earth. Protecting rainforest is one of the most effective actions to tackle climate breakdown. Cool Earth work with indigenous communities empowering them to conserve their forest; keeping CO2 locked in.
The Impacts of this Trip
In contrast to its neighbours, Laos is still relatively little-visited so the income we bring to this area really helps local development; particularly as we use locally owned services throughout the tour. One of the highlights of this trip is the chance to visit some of the tribal villages. We’ve factored in plenty of time so that we really get a chance to meet the local people, learn about their traditions and daily life and interact with them in a manner which is both insightful yet respectful. Your local tour leader will be a great facilitator in this regard. Buying crafts directly from them cuts out the middle man and enables them to supplement their income in an area where the economic opportunities are few.
We are always very sensitive to the impacts of visiting rural communities. One of the reasons we prefer to use local tour leaders is they can give a real insight into the local culture; anything from learning about the education system, to making sure we don’t fall foul of any taboos. It is our policy to generate business and employment opportunities in the countries we travel to by employing local people. All our leaders in Laos are locals and we’ve trained them all too so they are comfortable in their work and you get great service.
In addition to the above, we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key and so all staff, Tour leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our UK Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage. As well as this, we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of UK travel industry bodies Tourism Concern and AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.
1 Reviews of Laos small group holiday
Reviewed on 02 Mar 2020 by Sherryl Eldridge
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Visiting the small villages, hikes to waterfalls .
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Prepare for warm weather and make sure you have medication with you in case you react to the food.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes indeed, all the way through.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent variety throughout the trip. My only concern was the lack of information shared by the tour guide.
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