PAK OU CAVES

Type of Cruise	Duration	Private	Max. Capacity
Guided	6 hrs	Yes	30

PAK OU CAVES CRUISE & TOUR

A CLASSIC LUANG PRABANG EXPERIENCE

Visit the Pak Ou Caves on this classic Luang Prabang tour experience. The caves are one of the main attractions in Luang Prabang and are located 25km north upriver from the city. For centuries, Buddhists from far and wide have been making the pilgrimage to Pak Ou Caves, leaving effigies as spiritual offerings. Thousands of Buddha’s varying in size and stature are scattered across every inch of space within the two caves, creating a phenomenal display of religious artefacts. The caves hold great religious and spiritual significance for the people of Laos, and are also commonly referred to as the “Buddha Caves”.

Your tour departs from the capital of Luang Prabang where a tour guide, a traditional Lao slow boat and its captain will be waiting to take you to visit the Pak Ou Caves. Enjoy the magnificent views of mountainous landscapes as you embark on a relaxing 2-hour cruise to Pak Ou. As you approach Pak Ou, you’ll already be able to get a glimpse of the caves from the riverside. Your guide will lead you into the caves, ascending the grand staircase leading to a cavernous chamber where you’ll have full view of the mass of Buddha effigies covering the cave floor. To explore the upper – and larger – of the two caves, take a 10-minute climb up a stairway where you’ll find beautiful rock formations within the caverns and a few more Buddha statues sitting meditatively in the silence. We’ll return to the boat to start the cruise back to Luang Prabang after an hour or less of exploration time at the caves. As we cruise back down the Mekong river, you may choose where to stop off for a walk about in a local village or two, if you wish (and time permitting).

PAK OU CRUISE & TOUR ITINERARY

WHAT TO EXPECT

0900

DEPART LUANG PRABANG

Meet your English-speaking boat captain and tour guide at the docks. Depart Luang Prabang and enjoy the 2-hour cruise up the Mekong river to Pak Ou.

1100

ARRIVE PAK OU

Arrive at Pak Ou and explore the caves with your local guide.

1145 – 1330

CRUISE BACK TO LUANG PRABANG

Depart Pak Ou and begin cruising back to Luang Prabang. Make stops along the way as you wish (time permitting) to visit the local villages on your route. If lunch is included, you may stop at a scenic spot to enjoy your lunch or simply eat on-board the slow boat as you coast along the Mekong.

1500

ARRIVE LUANG PRABANG

After a 1.5-hr cruise, you’ll arrive back at Luang Prabang. Transportation will be ready to take you back to your hotel.

MORE ABOUT THIS PAK OU CRUISE & TOUR…

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Optional Tour Add-Ons

These optional add-ons are available for this tour:

English-speaking tour host – Adele.
Traditional Lao Lunch.

Optional Lunch Add-On

Traditional Lao Lunch. Optional; on-board or on-shore (beach). Note: Beach lunches are seasonal and time permitting.

The Crew

Professional boat captain.
Licensed English-speaking tour guide.

What’s Included/Not Included

Included:

Transportation to and from the boat (hotel pick-up).
Entrance fees to Pak Ou Caves.
Chilled beer Lao.
Non-alcoholic beverages.
Traditional Lao snacks.
On-board music system.
Safe and potable drinking water on-board. We are conscious about cutting back on plastic and preserving our natural environment so we use refillable water bottles on all our cruises and top up the bottles from a 5-gallon jug.

Not included:

Lunch (optional).
Personal insurance.
Crew gratuities.

What To Bring

Suitable footwear and clothing for the appropriate seasons. Mornings and evenings can be cool during the winter months.
Sun protection.
Bug spray.
Swimming gear and towel if stopping at the beach.

Things To Consider

If you would like to have lunch “a-la-carte” at one of the river front restaurants near the caves. This can easily be arranged. Time permitting and up to you.
If you are stopping at a temple, please ensure you are dressed appropriately and respectfully to enter a religious site. All villages have their own local temple, so kindly take note of this if you wish to pay them a visit.
Should you wish to visit the local villages and temples along the Mekong river, do be aware that oftentimes there are no paved pathways and you’re usually met with uneven ground and stairways. We ask each visitor to please be aware of your own fitness levels and take this into consideration on your tours.
We kindly ask our guests not to hand out money to children in the villages they visit. Should you wish to support any of the villages or temples that you come across, please let us know and we’ll be happy to advise on how to do that responsibly.
The season and temperatures. Dry season is between Nov – Apr with average temperatures of 27°C. Rainy season is between May – Oct with average temperatures of 32°C.

Departure Times & Meeting Points

Departure time is flexible and can be arranged for the hours between 8AM and 1230PM depending on the season and availability.
We offer transfers to and from the boat and will pick you up directly at your hotel. If you would like to make your own way to the boat, the confirmation of dock will be provided at the time of your booking.