Temples & Textiles In Laos

TBC 2026

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

DATES:

TBC 2026

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.

*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 the airport & transferred to the hotel. Check in and take time to relax in your gorgeous surroundings. Our accommodation for the next 7 nights is Satri House. Satri House is one of the most exquisite places in this ancient city, designed with a style inspired by Lao culture and set in a truly relaxing environment. Here you can enjoy private moments to yourself and really unwind or sit and watch the everyday life of local people from your balcony. (Satri House is passionate about promoting Lao culture and customs, including one of Laos’ oldest dominant living crafts, textile weaving. In collaboration with “Khang”, they have created a centre for fine silks, textile design, Lao fashion and traditional weaving in the heart of Luang Prabang)

Have a nap, take a swim, and re-invigorate after your flight.

We eat at the hotel this evening, so we are close to home to be able to get an early nights sleep.

Overnight Satri House (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 artifacts 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 is 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. 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. (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 5 p.m., we join a Khopfa-Mekong sunset cruise with light dinner. The cruise starts at 17:30, and we should be back at approximately 19:30. (Drinks not included.)

Overnight Satri House (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, but 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 and dyeing experience at Ok Pop Tok. Our class starts with a morning of selecting colours, gathering plants, and preparing natural dyes using 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 who have the energy, we can have an optional evening out. First up we will visit Luang Prabang’s famous night market.
We will explore the small side streets where vendors offer incredible food buffets and different local snacks.
Enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells while our guide explains the various ingredients and cooking methods used in Lao cuisine.
We can then continue onto the lovely Nagini for a cocktail or two.

Overnight Satri House  (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 debrief about our amazing last two days.

Optional dinner at Gaspard Artisan Cuisine – a gorgeous restaurant set in a UNESCO-classified two-story wooden house with an outside garden terrace. The chef creates fine recipes that celebrate the quality and flavours of French cuisine by using seasonal ingredients carefully handpicked at the market in Luang Prabang.

Overnight Satri House (B / L)

DAY 5 – BAN CHAN, KUANG SI WATERFALL, & BUFFALO DAIRY

This morning we take our boat across the Mekong to the pottery village of Ban Chan. Here we can see craftsmen at work throwing pots, not on wheels but by hand. This is not a tourist village. It is a small community trying to make a living primarily by making pottery for the hotels across the river. We continue down the river to Muang Khai village, where our van will pick us up to drive to the Kuang Si Falls overland. Spend time exploring one of Luang Prabang’s most picturesque sights, the cascading Kuang Si Waterfall with its’ electric turquoise waters. Swimming in the refreshing waters is a must, although sometimes the water temperature can be very cool!

We return to Luang Prabang via the Laos Buffalo Dairy. A visit will enable us to better understand the environment of this omnipresent animal in Laos and its importance in the communities. We shall settle in here for some Wine & Cheese tasting. We enjoy a delicious selection of cheese dishes paired with hand-picked wines & original cocktails. Chef Rachel will guide us through the menu. We’ll also be joined by friendly calves at intervals during our unique Al Fresco dining experience. After a tour of the farm, we cannot miss tasting the homemade ice cream with local flavors and milk coming from their cattle.

We return to the hotel for rest and relaxation. Our evening is free to relax.

Optional dinner at L’Elephant Restaurant – a French fare restaurant located in a typical 1960’s colonial building a stone’s throw from the Mekong. L’Eléphant offers traditional and creative French and Lao cuisine made from local produce grown in their own gardens.

Overnight Satri House (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; and handicrafts made from silk and other natural products, including packaged spices.

This list is our guide. We may visit them; we may not. It 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 Center’s fair trade shop, which sells high-quality handmade crafts, all direct from village artisans. 50% of the shop’s income goes directly 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 midway 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 purchases!

Overnight Satri House (B / L)

DAY 7 – ALMS GIVING – Free Time, Farewell Dinner

Early morning: departure approx 05.30 a.m. 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 almsgiving, 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 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 lunchtime cocktail.

A gorgeous way to end your week is to spend the afternoon in one of Luang Prabang’s best spas, the Anantara Spa.  Retreat to a hushed haven of wellness to rejuvenate and restore with signature treatments inspired by timeless Thai techniques. The Anantara Spa offers holistic therapies that blend luxurious pampering and indigenous experiences, ideal for long-lasting benefits for the body, mind, and soul.

This evening, we will head out for our farewell dinner (and a cocktail!) 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, and immerse ourselves in a tropical ambiance. Trust me, it is gorgeous.

Overnight Satri House  (B / Farewell Dinner)

DAY 8 – DEPARTURE

Today is departure day. Transfer to the airport. Depart.

Thank you for joining us.

• Arrival and departure transfers *if on recommended flights
• 7 nights Boutique accommodation at Satri House in a Twin or Single room
• Daily Breakfast
• Welcome Dinner at the Hotel
• Farewell Dinner at Manda de Laos
• City Tour and The Wats of Luang Prabang
• Private Tour with the Director and Curator of the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre
• Khopfa-Mekong sunset cruise
• 2 full days of Weaving and 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