Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Thailand and Laos: Chiang Mai, the Mekong Slow Boat and Luang Prabang
10 days from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang: three nights in Chiang Mai, the White Temple, across the Friendship Bridge into Laos, two days down the Mekong on a boat chartered for the group, and three nights in Luang Prabang.
10 days · Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang · up to 12 guests
The walkway of an old steel bridge in Luang Prabang Photo: Peter Hershey peterhershey, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Luang_Prabang_bridge_(Unsplash).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 10 days, 9 nights
- Start and end
- Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Mostly easy: 2 to 4 hours on foot on touring days on flat old-town streets, with about 300 steps at Doi Suthep (a tram runs alongside), about 330 steps up Mount Phousi, a steep stair to the upper Pak Ou cave and wet forest paths at Kuang Si. Two days of 6 to 8 hours sitting on the boat, and a steep riverbank climb with luggage carried by porters at Pakbeng. Every climb has a sit-out option.
- Meals included
- 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 2 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 475 (estimated price)
- Season
- Best November to February
Highlights
Why this trip
- Wat Phra That Doi Suthep at 7 am, before the tour buses, with Chiang Mai below in the morning haze
- A northern Thai cooking class that starts in a local market
- Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple, at its 8 am opening
- Walking across into Laos over the Friendship Bridge from Chiang Khong to Huay Xai
- Two days down the Mekong on a slow boat chartered for the group, lunch on board
- A night in the hill village of Pakbeng and its market at first light
- The Pak Ou Caves from the river, then into Luang Prabang by boat
- The alms procession watched with care, Mount Phousi and Kuang Si at opening
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 475 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai International Airport to the old city
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Chiang Mai
- Drive about 15 min
Your trip starts at Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX), about fifteen minutes from the old city, where a driver meets you and takes you to your hotel. Chiang Mai was founded in 1296 as the capital of the Lanna kingdom, and its square old city is still ringed by a moat and the brick remains of its walls and gates.
Afternoon
Rest after the flight, then meet your guide and the group in the late afternoon for a short walk to Tha Phae Gate and along the moat as the light goes.
Evening
Over a welcome dinner of northern Thai dishes, khao soi curry noodles, sai oua sausage and sticky rice, your guide runs through the ten days ahead: what to pack for the border, how the boat days work, and what Pakbeng is like. If you land too late for the walk, we meet at dinner.
Included
- Pick-up at Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)
- Evening walk to Tha Phae Gate and along the moat with your guide
- Welcome dinner and trip briefing
Free time: Free until the late-afternoon walk
Doi Suthep early, the old-city temples
Chiang Mai to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, then Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chiang Man
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Chiang Mai
- Drive about 1.5 h
We leave at about 6:30 am and drive the winding road up Doi Suthep, the mountain west of the city, so we reach Wat Phra That Doi Suthep at about 7 am, when monks are chanting and the tour buses have not arrived. A staircase of about 300 steps, its rails formed by two long naga serpents, climbs to the gilded chedi; a small tram runs alongside for anyone who prefers it. From the terrace, Chiang Mai spreads across the valley below.
Afternoon
Back in town after breakfast, we walk the old city on foot before the midday heat: Wat Chedi Luang, whose great brick chedi was broken by an earthquake in the 16th century, Wat Phra Singh with its Lanna-style chapel and murals, and Wat Chiang Man, the oldest temple in the city, said to date from the founding. Lunch is a khao soi shop near the moat. The afternoon is yours, for a massage, a nap or, on a Sunday, the walking street market that fills Ratchadamnoen Road from late afternoon.
Included
- Wat Phra That Doi Suthep at about 7 am, with your guide
- Old-city temple walk: Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chiang Man
- Lunch near the moat
Optional experiences
- A traditional Thai massage in the afternoon (price shown at booking)
Easier option: Take the tram up to Doi Suthep instead of the steps, and ride between the old-city temples in the van.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 3 hours on foot on flat streets, plus the Doi Suthep stairs. Cover shoulders and knees, and take shoes off where asked.
A northern Thai cooking class
Chiang Mai to a local market and a cooking school outside the city, and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Chiang Mai
- Drive about 1 h
A slower day.
Morning
After breakfast we drive to a local market with the cooking-school teacher, who shows you what goes into northern Thai food: fresh turmeric and galangal, kaffir lime leaves, several kinds of basil, fresh and dried chillies, and the pastes pounded by hand at the stalls. From there we go on to the school, a cooking school with a herb garden where we can arrange it, so you pick some of the herbs yourself.
Afternoon
Each guest cooks at their own station, usually a curry paste from scratch, a curry, a stir-fry, a soup and a dessert such as mango sticky rice, and the class sits down together to eat what it has made as lunch. Vegetarian and vegan versions are easy to arrange.
Evening
We are back at the hotel by mid-afternoon, with the rest of the day and the evening free for the night bazaar, the riverside or a rest before the road north.
Included
- Market visit with the cooking-school teacher
- Half-day northern Thai cooking class at a school on the edge of the city
- Lunch of the dishes you cook
More active option: Rent a bicycle in the free afternoon and ride the quiet lanes around the old city with a map from your guide.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: Tell us about allergies and diets when you book so the school can plan your dishes.
North to Chiang Rai
Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai by road
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Chiang Rai
- Drive about 3.5 h
Morning
After breakfast we drive north-east on Route 118 through the hills, about 185 km and roughly three and a quarter hours of driving, the longest road day of the trip.
Afternoon
We break it at the roadside hot springs at Mae Kachan for coffee and a stretch, and arrive in Chiang Rai in time for lunch. Chiang Rai is smaller and calmer than Chiang Mai, a Lanna town founded in the 13th century. In the afternoon we walk to Wat Phra Kaew, where, as the story goes, lightning split a chedi in 1434 to reveal the Emerald Buddha that now sits in Bangkok; a jade copy stands here today. The rest of the afternoon is free.
Evening
In the evening the gilded clock tower in the centre, designed by the same artist as the White Temple, has a short light and music show, and the night bazaar is a few minutes away for dinner at the food stalls.
Included
- Drive from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai with a stop at the Mae Kachan hot springs
- Lunch in Chiang Rai
- Wat Phra Kaew, Chiang Rai, with your guide
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free
Activity: One suitcase and a day bag from here: the next three nights are one night each, ahead of the border and the boat.
The White Temple, then the Mekong at Chiang Khong
Chiang Rai to Wat Rong Khun, then to Chiang Khong
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Chiang Khong
- Drive about 3 h
We are at Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple, about 13 km south of Chiang Rai, as it opens at 8 am, before the coaches from Chiang Mai arrive. The artist Chalermchai Kositpipat began rebuilding it in 1997, and it is still unfinished: a white chapel set with mirror glass, reached by a bridge over a pit of reaching hands, with murals inside that mix Buddhist teaching with figures from films and comics. Allow an hour; your guide explains the symbols. Then we drive east through rice fields and rubber plantations to Chiang Khong, about two hours, a quiet market town on the Thai bank of the Mekong with Laos directly across the water.
Afternoon
Lunch is at a riverside restaurant. The afternoon is free, on purpose: walk the river road, sit on a terrace and watch the boats, and pack for the border.
Evening
At dinner time your guide briefs the group on the crossing and the visa.
Included
- Wat Rong Khun (the White Temple) at opening with your guide
- Drive to Chiang Khong
- Riverside lunch
- Border and visa briefing
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: Cover shoulders and knees at Wat Rong Khun. Have your passport, photo and US dollars ready for tomorrow.
Into Laos and down the Mekong to Pakbeng
Chiang Khong across the Friendship Bridge to Huay Xai, then by slow boat to Pakbeng
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Pakbeng
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
An early breakfast, then a short drive to the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge IV, where we leave Thailand and take the bridge bus across the Mekong to the Lao post at Huay Xai. Here you buy the Lao visa on arrival; your guide helps with the forms, and a licensed Lao guide joins us, as Lao rules require. A short drive takes us to the pier and to a traditional long wooden slow boat chartered for the group only. Then the river does the work for six or seven hours: forested hills, sandbars, buffalo in the shallows, fishermen in canoes and small villages of bamboo houses.
Afternoon
Lunch is cooked on board. We tie up at Pakbeng in the late afternoon, a small village on a steep bank roughly halfway to Luang Prabang. Porters carry the bags up to the lodge. It is basic here: one main street, a few small restaurants and patchy power.
Evening
Dinner is at the lodge.
Included
- Transfer to the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge IV and the bridge bus to Huay Xai
- Help with Lao visa forms (the visa fee is paid by you)
- A licensed Lao guide from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang
- Slow boat chartered for the group, Huay Xai to Pakbeng
- Lunch on board and dinner at the lodge
- Porters at the Pakbeng landing
Free time: Evening free in Pakbeng
Activity: About 6 to 7 hours on the boat. Bring a warm layer and a book; the morning river can be cold and misty. The walk up from the landing is steep.
The Pakbeng market, Pak Ou and Luang Prabang
Pakbeng by slow boat to the Pak Ou Caves, then to Luang Prabang
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Luang Prabang
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
For anyone up early, your guide walks you to the Pakbeng morning market at first light, where people from the hill villages bring in vegetables, river fish and forest produce. After breakfast we board the boat again for the longer of the two river days, about eight hours on the water plus the Pak Ou stop.
Afternoon
The river narrows between rocky banks and limestone outcrops, and lunch is cooked on board. In the afternoon we stop below the Pak Ou Caves, two caverns in a cliff where the Nam Ou meets the Mekong. For centuries people have brought Buddha images here, and thousands of them, wooden and gilded, fill the lower cave, Tham Ting; a steep stair climbs to the upper cave, Tham Theung, where you need the torch your guide brings.
Evening
We land at the pier about 10 km upstream of town in the early evening, and a short transfer takes us to the hotel. The night market runs until about 10 pm, so there is still time to wander it after dinner on your own.
Included
- Pakbeng morning market with your guide (optional, early)
- Slow boat chartered for the group, Pakbeng to Luang Prabang
- Lunch on board
- The Pak Ou Caves, Tham Ting and Tham Theung
- Transfer from the pier to your hotel
Easier option: Stay at the lower Pak Ou cave, a short flight of steps from the boat, and skip the stair to the upper cave.
Free time: Evening free
Activity: About eight hours on the water plus the Pak Ou stop; we land in the early evening. The stair to the upper cave is steep and uneven.
The alms at dawn and the old town
The alms procession, Mount Phousi, the Royal Palace Museum and Wat Xieng Thong
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Luang Prabang
For anyone who wants to see it, we walk out at about 5:30 am to watch the Tak Bat alms procession: lines of monks and novices in saffron robes walk barefoot in silence while local people kneel to place sticky rice in their bowls. We watch from across the street, quietly and without flash, as the monasteries ask, and we do not buy rice from street sellers to hand out.
Evening
From there it is a few minutes to the steps of Mount Phousi, about 330 of them, which we climb to see mist lifting off the Mekong and the Nam Khan, hours before the sunset crowd. Breakfast is back at the hotel. As it opens, usually at 8 am, we are at the Royal Palace Museum, the residence of the last Lao kings, then we walk the length of the peninsula to Wat Xieng Thong, the royal monastery built around 1560, with its sweeping roofs and glass mosaic tree of life. Lunch, then a free afternoon.
Included
- The Tak Bat alms procession, observed from across the street with your guide (optional, early)
- Mount Phousi at the start of the day
- The Royal Palace Museum and the Haw Pha Bang chapel
- Wat Xieng Thong
- Lunch in the old town
Optional experiences
- A natural-dye weaving workshop in the afternoon (price shown at booking)
- An evening performance at the Royal Ballet Theatre, on the nights it runs
Easier option: Sleep in and skip the alms and Phousi; join the group at the Royal Palace Museum at 8 am.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 3 hours on foot on flat streets, plus the Phousi steps. Cover shoulders and knees for the palace and temples. The Royal Palace Museum is usually closed on Tuesdays; if day 8 falls on a Tuesday we visit Wat Xieng Thong in the morning and move the museum to another day it is open, which we confirm with your dates.
Kuang Si at opening
Luang Prabang to Kuang Si Falls and back
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Luang Prabang
- Drive about 1.5 h
Morning
We leave after an early breakfast and drive about 30 km south-west through villages and low hills, so we are at the gate of Kuang Si as it opens, around 8 am, ahead of the minibuses that arrive from mid-morning. Inside the entrance is the bear rescue centre run by Free the Bears, home to Asian black bears and sun bears taken from poachers and the bile trade. The path then follows a chain of turquoise pools, coloured by the limestone in the water, up to the main fall, which drops in several streams over pale terraces. Swim in the lower pools where it is allowed, or sit by the water while it is quiet.
Afternoon
Lunch is near the falls, and we are back in town by early afternoon, free for a massage, the riverside cafes or a last walk.
Evening
In the evening we share a farewell dinner of Lao dishes by the Mekong.
Included
- Kuang Si Falls at opening, with time to swim in the lower pools
- The Free the Bears rescue centre at Kuang Si
- Lunch near the falls
- Farewell dinner
Easier option: Stay at the lower pools and the bear centre, a gentle path of about 1 km, while the others climb.
More active option: Climb the steep, often muddy trail beside the main fall to the pools above it and come down the other side, about 45 minutes.
Free time: Afternoon free
Activity: Paths are wet and slippery near the falls. Bring swimwear, a towel and water shoes.
Depart from Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang to Luang Prabang International Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 15 min
Morning
The trip ends after breakfast in Luang Prabang.
Afternoon
If your flight is in the afternoon, the morning is yours: the morning market in the lanes near the palace, where vendors sell river weed, herbs and live fish, a walk across the old steel bridge with its plank walkway, a coffee and a baguette in a cafe from the French era, or a quiet hour at one of the smaller monasteries along the Mekong. Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) is about fifteen minutes from the old town, and we drive you there at the right time for your flight. Book a flight leaving after about 12 pm for a relaxed morning. Flights connect via Bangkok to most of North America, and there are also flights to Hanoi and Siem Reap if you are carrying on. If you want more of Laos, the train south to Vang Vieng and Vientiane leaves from Luang Prabang, and our Laos trip covers that route.
Included
- Drop-off at Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ)
Free time: Morning free until your airport transfer
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 12 pm for a free morning.
- Chiang Mai3 nights
- Chiang Rai1 night
- Chiang Khong1 night
- Pakbeng1 night
- Luang Prabang3 nights
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: November to February is the cool dry season: clear days around 25 to 30 C, and early mornings in Chiang Mai, on the river and in Luang Prabang that can be misty and as low as 10 to 15 C in December and January, so bring a warm layer for the boat. From about March, smoke from field burning hazes the views across northern Thailand and Laos and the Mekong runs low; from May to October the rains swell the river and turn Kuang Si brown.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want to cross from Thailand into Laos by river, without the crowded public slow boat
- First-time visitors to northern Thailand and Laos who want temples and markets early, before the crowds
- Anyone who wants the boat, the cooking class, Kuang Si and every entry in one price
- Travellers happy to trade a few one-night stops for two slow days on the Mekong
Not for you if you want
- Travellers who want Bangkok, the Golden Triangle or the elephant sanctuaries; see our other northern Thailand trips
- Anyone who needs a hotel of the same standard every night: Pakbeng is a basic village
- Step-free access: Doi Suthep, Mount Phousi, the Pakbeng riverbank and the upper Pak Ou cave all mean steep steps
- Travellers who find six to eight hours sitting on a boat hard on two days running
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
9 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Chiang Mai3 nights
- Chiang Rai1 night
- Chiang Khong1 night
- Pakbeng1 night
- Luang Prabang3 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 9 nights: 3 in Chiang Mai, 1 in Chiang Rai, 1 in Chiang Khong, 1 in Pakbeng and 3 in Luang Prabang
- Central hotels of a 3-star-plus standard with air-conditioning and private bathrooms; in Pakbeng, the best-equipped riverside lodge we can secure; we name each hotel when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) and drop-off at Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ)
- Our own vehicle and driver in Thailand, days 1 to 6
- The bridge bus across the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge IV
- A slow boat chartered for the group only, Huay Xai to Pakbeng and Pakbeng to Luang Prabang
- Porters at the Pakbeng landing
- A vehicle and driver in Luang Prabang for transfers and Kuang Si
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group from day 1 to day 10, including across the border and on the boat
- A licensed Lao guide in Laos, as Lao rules require
- Local site guides where a site requires them
Activities
- Chiang Mai: Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chiang Man, and a half-day northern Thai cooking class with a market visit
- Chiang Rai: Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Rong Khun (the White Temple)
- The Mekong: two days on the chartered slow boat and the Pak Ou Caves
- Luang Prabang: the alms procession observed with your guide, Mount Phousi, the Royal Palace Museum and Wat Xieng Thong
- Kuang Si Falls and the Free the Bears rescue centre
- All entrance fees for included sights
Meals
- 9 breakfasts
- 8 lunches, days 2 to 9, including the cooking-class lunch and two lunches on the boat
- 3 dinners: welcome in Chiang Mai, at the lodge in Pakbeng, and farewell in Luang Prabang
Not included
- International flights to Chiang Mai and from Luang Prabang
- Laos visa on arrival fee (paid in US dollars at the border) and any Thailand entry formalities
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed above
- Drinks
- Tips for guides, drivers, boat crews and porters
- Optional activities, such as massages, the weaving workshop and the Royal Ballet Theatre
- Personal expenses, such as laundry
- Offering food at the alms procession, which we do not arrange
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 475 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
Prices in these answers apply from Jan 1, 2027. Black Friday offer: 15% off the small-group price for requests received by Dec 1, 2026. From CAD 2,375 per person. Dec 2 to Dec 31: from CAD 2,570. From Jan 1, 2027: from CAD 2,795.
What does the price include?
Nine nights in central 3-star-plus hotels and the best lodge we can secure in Pakbeng, 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 3 dinners, airport transfers, our own vehicle in Thailand, a slow boat chartered for the group, the cooking class, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, a Lao guide in Laos, and every entry in the day plan.
Is the slow boat the public boat?
No. We charter a traditional slow boat for the group only, with proper seats, a toilet, room to move and lunch cooked on board. The public boat leaves Huay Xai with up to a hundred passengers on wooden benches. Ours also stops where we choose, including at the Pak Ou Caves on the second day.
What is Pakbeng like?
Basic. Pakbeng is a small village on a steep bank, roughly halfway down the river, with one main street, a few lodges and small restaurants, and patchy power. We use the best-equipped riverside lodge we can secure, with private bathrooms and hot water, and include dinner there. Porters carry bags up from the landing.
Do I need a visa for Thailand and Laos?
For Laos, most visitors including Canadians do: buy a visa on arrival at the Huay Xai border post with US dollars and a passport photo. Canadians currently enter Thailand visa-free and complete the online Thailand Digital Arrival Card before flying. Passports need 6 months of validity. Rules change, so we confirm them when you book.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, so everyone fits comfortably on one chartered boat, in one vehicle in Thailand and around one table at lunch. If you want even fewer people, the private style is just your party.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from the airport pick-up in Chiang Mai to the airport drop-off in Luang Prabang, including across the border and on the boat. A licensed Lao guide joins in Laos, as Lao rules require, and local site guides join where a site requires them. We name your guide when we confirm your dates.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderate, and easy on most days. Touring days mean 2 to 4 hours on foot, with about 300 steps at Doi Suthep (a tram runs alongside), about 330 at Mount Phousi, a steep riverbank at Pakbeng and wet paths at Kuang Si. The two boat days are mostly sitting. Every climb has a sit-out option.
I am travelling solo. What does a single room cost?
A room of your own is from CAD 475 more for the whole trip, shown before you book with no surprise at checkout. If you would rather share a room, say so when you request to book and we will tell you whether another solo traveller on your date is looking to share.
When is the best time to go?
November to February, the cool dry season, with clear days and the river still high enough for comfortable boat days. Mornings on the Mekong can be misty and as cool as 10 to 15 C in December and January. From about March, smoke from field burning hazes the views, and May to October is the rainy season.
Can we take part in the alms giving?
We watch it rather than take part. The monasteries ask visitors to stand back, stay silent and avoid flash, and the rice sold to tourists on the street is often not fresh. Your guide explains the ritual beforehand and walks you to a quiet spot across the street at about 5:30 am.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guide, vehicle and boat, from CAD 5,030 per person. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote it.
How does booking work?
Choose a style and a start date and send a request to book. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request. The small group starts from CAD 2,795 per person, sharing a room, taxes included.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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