This morning we traveled on route N10 out to Vang Vieng. Stop at Ban Hai for those who are interested in sampling a traditional dessert “Kao Larm" and discover its special cooking techniques – rice mixed with coconut milk and stuffed in a bamboo tube prepared to cook on fire. Bamboo tubes are also treated as cookers, both for water and food, for use by hunters, or where cooking materials are difficult to get. Visit Ban Keun’s salt mine extraction, the main salt distributor for Vientiane and probably the entire Tha Hua village, the next one on the route, is also famous for dried fish and dried cassava chips. Reach Vang Vieng in time to explore Tham Jang cave and not miss out on its surrounding karst scenery. The rest of the day is at leisure. Transfer to your hotel and enjoy some free time.

Travel time is estimated to be 3–4 hours.

You will be transferred to the north of Vang Vieng. Our first cave exploration today is Tham Xang (Elephant Cave), which lies on the opposite banks of the Nam Song River. It is an important Buddhist temple and owes its name to a remarkable limestone formation. The nearby Tham Hoi cave (Snail cave) winds its way deep into the mountain. One hour of exploration through numerous corridors ends at a crystal-clear spring. Here, swimming in the stream—in a cave lit up by candles—is possible all year round. The most beautiful cave on this trip is Tham Loup (Deep Cave), known for its many stalagmites and stalactites.

Another cool pool of spring water lies at the mouth of Tham Nam (Water Cave), which is also a popular place for swimming and tubing. A picnic lunch is served nearby before starting the first trek out to the Hmong village of Phathao, passing by farmers’ rice paddy fields and vegetable gardens. We begin to kayak down the Nam Song river, through idyllic scenes of rural life and views of limestone mountains. Transfer back to Vientiane in the late afternoon via the new highway route.

ravel time is estimated to be kayaking 1.5hour, caving 1hour

Notes: Please bring comfortable shoes, sun lotion, hat, mosquito repellent.