Temples & Textiles Creative Retreat

SEPTEMBER 2022

Start Point – Luang Prabang – Laos
Finish Point – Luang Prabang – Laos
Tour Style – Creative Retreat
Accommodation – Boutique Hotel
Meals – As per itinerary
Transport – Van, boat, tuk-tuk
Max Group Size – Min 6, Max 10 Guests

• 2 fabulous days of Weaving & Natural Dyeing with the women of Ok Pop Tok
• Local Artisans & boutique stores
• Night markets + morning markets
• Visits to local villages + Social Enterprises
• Wats of Luang Prabang
• Alms at sunrise
• Mekong River cruise at sunset
• Cocktails at sunset
• Kuang Si Waterfalls
• Amazing Food
• Fabulous accommodation

• Arrival & departure transfers *if on recommended flights.
• x7 nights Boutique accommodation at Souphattra Hotel in a Twin or Single room
• Daily Breakfast
• Welcome Dinner at the Hotel
• Farewell Dinner at Manda de Laos
• City Tour + The Wats of Luang Prabang
• Private Tour, with a Director / Curator, of the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre
• Khopfa-Mekong sunset cruise
• x2 full days of Weaving & Dyeing at Ok Pok Weaving Centre with lunch at  Silk Road Cafe
• Village visit, hands on Pottery lesson & family lunch at Ban Chan village with  Pottery House Lao Food Tours
• Kuang Si Waterfalls
• Visit to social enterprise Buffalo Dairy Farm
• Full day of Artisan visits + boutique shopping
• Lunch at Heuan Chan Heritage House
• Morning Alms Giving Ceremony
• Other meals where stated
• All entrances to all sites as per itinerary
• Hosted by Jemma Wilson: owner of Mai Journeys
• National English Speaking Guide
• Private air-conditioned vehicles for transfers
• All transfers as per itinerary
• Private van, Tuk Tuk & local boats

DATES:

17 – 24 September 2022 

RATES:
– from USD$TBC per person Twin Rate
– from USD$TBC per person Single Rate

*Rates are per person based on Twin Share & Single Room.

*Prices are subject to change until paid in full.

*A ‘Willing to Share’ for Single Travellers may be possible on this tour.

*International Airfares are not included. PLEASE ASK US FOR A QUOTE.

DAY 1 – ARRIVE LUANG PRABANG – Welcome Cocktail & Dinner

Welcome to Luang Prabang, Laos!
You are met at airport & transferred to the hotel. Check in and take time to relax in your gorgeous surroundings.
Your accommodation for the next 7 nights is the Le Sen Boutique Hotel.

We will meet early evening at the pool bar for an Asian inspired Cocktail & to meet everyone before our ‘Welcome Dinner’. Dinner will be a set menu of Laotian cuisine at the hotels’ small outdoor restaurant.

Overnight La Sen Boutique Hotel (Welcome Dinner)

DAY 2 – TEMPLES, TRADITIONAL ARTS & SUNSET CRUISE

Located at the confluence of the Mekong River and the Nam Khan (Khan River), UNESCO-protected Luang Prabang is a beautiful mix of ancient gilded temples, saffron-clad monks, faded Indochinese villas and peaceful river scenery.

This morning we take a half-day walking tour exploring some of the highlights of this incredibly picturesque town. We start with a visit to the Royal Palace, which is now a National Museum housing precious artefacts that belonged to the Royal Family. We then drive or enjoy a leisurely walk to explore some of Luang Prabang’s famed temples including the gorgeous Wat Mai with its detailed golden reliefs depicting scenes from village life. We also visit Wat Visoun, Luang Prabang’s oldest temple. Its’ unusually shaped stupa is designed to look like a lotus flower but referred to by locals as “the watermelon stupa”. This temple was destroyed in 1887 by the invading Black Flags from China and was restored in 1930 by Buddhist monks and local people.

We then visit the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre and take a tour with one of the founders or directors. This 30-minute tour of TAEC’s exhibitions provides insight into Laos’ ethnic cultures, their traditions, and customs. This is a chance to learn from one of the creators of the museum’s exhibitions itself. The tour will be led by either Thongkhoun Soutthivilay, a Luang Prabang-native who worked at the Luang Prabang National Museum for 10 years; Tara Gujadhur, an American who has worked in Luang Prabang for over 14 years, with a background in anthropology and sustainable tourism development; or Dr. Marie-Pierre Lissoir, TAEC Researcher and Curator, an ethnomusicologist who performed research on the Tai Dam ethnic group of Houaphan Province.

We will stop for lunch at a local café. (to own account).

We end our touring by climbing (optional – only if you wish!!) up to the top of Mount Phousi to admire the panoramic views across the Mekong and Khan rivers as well as the mountain range. It takes you 328 steps to reach the top, and at sunset, the changing colours of the sky are particularly spectacular. The light reflecting on the golden spire of the temple at the top is also beautiful. The stairs are lined up with flamboyant and frangipani trees providing a deserved shade as you walk up and down.

Return to hotel mid-afternoon for rest and relaxation.

This evening, about 5pm, we join a Khopfa-Mekong sunset cruise with light dinner. The cruise starts at 17h30 and we should be back at approx. 19h30. (Drinks not included).

Overnight La Sen Boutique Hotel (B / Light Dinner on Sunset Cruise)

DAY 3 – WEAVING & DYEING AT OK POP TOK

The production of woven and embroidered textiles is undoubtedly the most prolific of all traditional crafts in Laos which are produced in many different styles and dyed in a range of different colours according to the geographical provenance and ethnicity of the weavers. Traditional weaving techniques are handed down from one generation to the next and various regional styles can be identified according to solid colours, striped pattern or motifs that vary from region to region.

Ock Pop Tok weaving centre is the product of a collaboration between Laotian weaver Veomanee Duangdala and English photographer Joanna Smith. Ock Pop Tok may mean ‘East meets West’ in Lao but the beautiful fabrics produced on the looms are distinctly local.

At Ock Pop Tok they not only make gorgeous textiles and help keep traditional crafts alive, they also value the work of the artisans, farmers and workers by paying them fairly. They help producers develop sustainable business models so they can maintain their independence, there is no child labour involved, and production is environmentally sound.

Ock Pop Tok is also responsible for initiatives such as the Village Weaver Projects, a series of initiatives that create economic opportunities for artisans in rural locations around the country. They help develop ranges of handicrafts that combine craftsmanship and tradition with artistic creativity and market knowledge. Their team of weavers, dyers, designers, and tailors work with local NGOs to teach skills to artisans in villages in 13 different provinces (with 15 different ethnic groups) using their knowledge to help create thriving village enterprises.

Today is day 1 of our Two Day Weaving & Dyeing experience at Ok Pop Tok. Our class starts with a morning of selecting colours, gathering plants, and the preparing natural dyes using the traditional Lao recipes. Then we dye 3 silk skeins or cotton napkins (ours to keep).

After lunch in our Silk Road Café (included) we each get our own loom. Together with the support of one of the master weavers, we will spend the next day and a half weaving our own silk scarf. This class offers great insight into both weaving and dyeing. Colours and patterns are customisable.

After this amazing day, we return to the hotel and our evening is then free.

For those that have the energy, we can have an Optional evening out of Cocktails & Tapas at 52 Cocktails & Tapas.

Overnight La Sen Boutique Hotel (B / L)

DAY 4 – WEAVING & DYEING AT OK POP TOK 

Today is Day 2 of our Weaving Class at Ok Pop Tok.
Lunch is again included at the Silk Road cafe.
After another incredibly creative day, we return to the hotel and our evening is again free.
We can meet at the pool bar for a drink and de-brief about our amazing last 2 days..

Overnight La Sen Boutique Hotel (B / L)

DAY 5 – BAMBOO WEAVING, BAMBOO LUNCH & TEXTILE GALLERY

Today we have a (1/2 day) Bamboo Weaving & Cooking class.
We will be picked up at our hotel and transferred to the workshop venue where we will learn about the importance of the ubiquitous bamboo plant to Lao culture. The workshop is held in a rustic pavilion modelled on a traditional Lao house, perched in a picturesque setting next to rice fields. Our Host, a local Craftsman, will introduce us to the importance of bamboo in Lao culture, and how it is used in a diverse range of household items found in rural Lao dwellings. We will weave a small piece made from strips of bamboo, using a traditional technique which has been practised for centuries.

Then we join our Host for an interactive cooking class – which will be our lunch – using the bamboo plant as a key ingredient; making dishes such as bamboo shoot soup, bamboo shoot steamed in banana leaf, and bamboo shoot dip.

After lunch we will transfer to the Patta Textile Gallery, owned by Lao designer Tadam. Set in a beautiful garden and immersed into greenery, this is a gallery and small café. Tadam has a fabulous selection of antique memorabilia and local crafty items. She also has a wide range of contemporary pieces in silk and cotton of her own modern design. There is also a good selection of vintage Lao textiles that are a little harder to find, and the prices do reflect the craftsmanship.

We return to our hotel and our evening is free to relax.

Overnight La Sen Boutique Hotel (B / L)

DAY 6 – SHOPPING DAY! Textiles, Arts & Crafts, Jewellery, Boutique Stores, Antiques – and more!

Quaint Luang Prabang is filled with charming boutiques. Today we enjoy a guided (mammoth!) shopping expedition to some of the town’s most unique shops including antiques in an impressive old French mansion filled with silver betel nut pots; Akha-style bracelets and Hmong necklaces; home décor including hand-woven silks by local weavers and indigenous Lao wood handcrafted by master carvers and turners; handcrafted jewellery using a variety of semi-precious stones and silver; handicrafts made from silk and other natural products including packaged spices.

This list is our guide list. We may visit them, we may not. Depends on how much time we spend in each boutique. And there are some fabulous ones!

So we will visit the likes of: Me Te Sai, Naga Creations, Caruso Lao, Pavilion de Jade & Ban Phanom Village. Also: Asiama Gallery, Kop Noi, Mulberries, Passa Paa, Anakha, Hill Tribe Heritage, Fibre2Fabric, Indigo Fabric Shop, Hoi Sang Jewellery, Pathana Boupha Antique House, Celadon & Garden of Eden.

We will also aim for a stop at the TAEC Boutique – the main street branch of the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre’s fair trade shop, which sells high quality handmade crafts, all direct from village artisans. 50% of the shop’s income goes direct to their rural producers, primarily ethnic minority women.

But of course, all of this shopping of textiles, jewellery and crafts will make us a tad hungry, so we will stop at the mid-way point and have lunch at Heuan Chan Heritage House.

After this amazing, huge day, we will return to our hotel where our evening is at leisure. Perhaps we can meet at the pool bar and compare our buys!

Overnight La Sen Boutique Hotel (B / L)

DAY 7 – ALMS GIVING – Free Time, Farewell Dinner

Early morning: departure approx 05.30am. The morning alms round (called “Tak Bat” in Lao) is a living Buddhist tradition for the people of Luang Prabang and dates back generations. For those that wish to, we wake up before dawn to witness and participate in offering alms to a procession of hundreds of saffron-robed monks in the early morning light, truly a spiritual occasion!

After the alms giving, we watch the town come to life during a visit to the morning market, held daily in the streets near the former Royal Palace. Lao people still like buying fresh food – they still prefer going to local markets and returning home with fresh ingredients.

We return to our hotel for breakfast.

The rest of the day is all yours for the taking. Rest & relax; shop some more; try another class at Ok Pop Tok; visit the Pak Ou Caves; visit the Pha Tad Ke Botanical garden; or spend a time at The Living Land Farm – a community-based living rice farm set in the countryside, surrounded by mountains and centuries old rice paddies.

Or you could do nothing but sleep, swim and drink a lunch time cocktail.

A gorgeous way to end our week is to spend the afternoon in one of Luang Prabang’s best Spas. The award winning Burasari Heritage Spa is an intimate sanctuary with a menu of treatments that clear the mind and enlivens the body. Tucked away in a lush garden overlooking the Nam Khan River, Spa Burasari offers ancient healing techniques and modern body remedies that are rooted in and Asian philosophy of body and mind. Private treatment rooms serve as a sanctuary where you can restore your energy and spirit, and take a luxurious journey to wellness.

This evening we will meet at the pool bar for a Cocktail before heading out for our farewell dinner at the divine Manda de Laos restaurant. Manda de Laos features Laotian family cuisine specialties from all regions of Laos. We will dine under the stars surrounded by a UNESCO classified lily pond, immerse in a tropical ambiance. Trust me, it is gorgeous.

Overnight La Sen Boutique Hotel (B / Farewell Dinner)

DAY 8 – DEPARTURE

Today is departure day.

Transfer to the airport. Depart.