Less popular than its neighbors Thailand or Vietnam, Laos is still somewhat considered a hidden gem.
For this reason, you’ll find fewer crowds here or in my case, often bump into the same people even in different cities.
What I enjoyed the most during my 10 days in Laos was the laid-back vibes and spectacular landscapes dotted with limestone mountains, waterfalls, turquoise swimming holes, and colorful temples.
This 10-day Laos itinerary focuses on the northern part of the country, including places like Luang Prabang, Nong Khiaw, Vang Vieng, and Vientiane.
I’ll also share details on how to travel between each destination, where to stay, and the best things to do.
While the southern part of Laos is also beautiful, other travelers I met told me that it was less developed so not as straightforward to get around, especially if you can’t ride a motorbike.
***This article may contain affiliate links, meaning each time you click through and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you which helps a lot in keeping this website running. Thank you for your support :)
Read more about Laos:
- Top 10 things to do in Vang Vieng
- Nam Xay Viewpoint hiking guide
- Pha Ngern Silver Cliif Viewpoint hiking guide
Laos Itinerary for 10 Days
Day 1: Vientiane
While some will argue that there’s not much to do in Vientiane, I still think it’s worth spending at least one day in the city.
There are a few things you can do here like visiting temples and museums or sampling street foods at the night markets.
Where to stay in Vientiane?
I stayed at SYRI Guesthouse, which is located right in the center of Vientiane. I stayed in their private double room but they also have dorms available.
The room was very clean and stylish and they even helped me book my train ticket to Luang Prabang.
More hotels in Vientiane: Lao Poet Hotel (luxury); Mintra Hotel (mid-range); Nana Vientiane Hotel (budget)
Arrive in Vientiane
I started my 10-day Laos itinerary in Vientiane, the capital city of Laos.
I took a night train from Bangkok to Nong Khai (994 baht), followed by a tuk tuk (50 baht) to the Nong Khai Border Checkpoint.
After getting my passport stamped at the Thai immigration, I then took a shuttle bus (35 baht) to the Lao immigration located on the other side of the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge.
Note that most nationalities need a visa to enter Laos. I already had my e-visa which I booked in advance on the official Lao Government website and paid USD 50.
Alternatively, you can also get a visa on arrival in Laos. It’s slightly cheaper than the e-visa but you’ll need to bring two passport photos.
After getting your visa sorted, you can take a taxi or public bus to Vientiane city center.
While the bus is cheaper, it’s slow and only comes every 30 minutes to 1 hour. Luckily, I met three travelers from Argentina and we shared a taxi for 75k Kip each.
Note: If you don’t want to travel by night train, you can instead fly to Vientiane from several countries in Asia like Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, or Singapore.
Explore Vientiane
The cheapest way to get around Vientiane is to rent a bicycle or motorbike. Alternatively, you can hire a tuk tuk but these can be somewhat expensive if you don’t know how to negotiate.
The last option is to take the bus. As mentioned above, they are cheap but slow.
There are several temples to visit in Vientiane but the most popular one is Pha That Luang Temple, famous for its gold stupa. The temple is open from 8 a.m to 5 p.m and costs 30k Kip to enter.
Other places you can visit include Patuxay Victory Monument, Wat Sisaket, Ho Phrakeo Museum, and COPE Visitor Center.
If you have time, you can also visit the Buddha Park. It’s located outside of the city center, not too far from the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge.
You can get there by taking the local bus no. 14 and the journey should take around 1 hour.
Vientiane Night Market
End the first day of your Laos itinerary at Vientiane Night Market. There are actually two night markets that you can visit, both of which are open daily.
The main Vientiane Night Market is located along the edge of the Mekong River and sells mostly clothes although you’ll find a few food options along Khun Bu Lom Road.
You’ll also find an amusement park here, so it’s a great place to visit if you’re traveling with kids.
The second night market, known as Wanwan Food Park Center Point, is found along Rue Hengboun. Here you’ll find a food court with lots of food stalls. Two of my favorites are the ones selling sweet potato pancakes and BBQ meat skewers.
Day 2: Luang Prabang
The next part of your 10 days in Laos itinerary is Luang Prabang.
Situated along the edge of the Mekong River, this UNESCO World Heritage city has a laidback vibe and is famous for its traditional wooden buildings and colorful Buddhist temples.
Outside of the city center, you’ll find lush mountains, gorgeous waterfalls with milky-blue water, and cave shrines housing hundreds of Buddha statues.
Where to stay in Luang Prabang?
I stayed at Barn Laos, a trendy hostel set within a beautiful colonial building located within walking distance of Phousi Hill and Wat Xiengthong.
They have both female and mixed dorm rooms as well as private rooms. Although small, the rooms are clean and have an ensuite bathroom. Breakfast is also included in the room rate.
More hotels in Luang Prabang: The Belle Rive Boutique Hotel (luxury); Villa Phathana Royal View Hotel, Thatsaphone Hotel (mid-range); Sky Dragon Guesthouse, Manichan Guesthouse (budget)
Travel from Vientiane to Luang Prabang
The best and safest way to get from Vientiane to Luang Prabang is by train, which takes around 2 hours. You can book your ticket on the LCR Ticket app and pay by credit card.
Note: You can only download the LCR Ticket app while in Laos and you can only register with a Lao sim card and a Gmail account that you created in Laos itself. An easier option is to book the train ticket through your hotel but the cost will be higher.
Keep in mind that Vientiane train station is located about a 45-minute drive from the city center. I used the inDrive app to book a taxi to the train station and paid 170k Kip.
I recommend taking the train in the morning so you have the whole afternoon to explore Luang Prabang.
Once you arrive at the Luang Prabang train station, take a shared minivan to the city center for about 40k Kip.
Note that the van will drop you off at the entrance of the night market. If your hotel is located further away, you can hire a tuk tuk.
Another way to get to Luang Prabang is to take a bus but I don’t recommend it due to the bad road conditions.
Explore Luang Prabang City Center
After dropping off your luggage at your hotel, I recommend visiting some landmarks in the city center.
Start off by taking a walk around the city to admire the traditional buildings.
You can then visit the National Museum, which used to be the King’s residence. For 30k Kip, you can tour the different rooms and marvel at the colorful mosaic walls, plus you’ll have access to the beautiful Haw Phra Bang Temple.
The next stop is Wat Xiengthong, a gorgeous little temple adorned with colorful glass mosaics. Entrance costs 20k Kip.
If you have time, I also recommend visiting Wat Sensoukharam. This is one of the lesser-known temples in Luang Prabang, plus it’s free to visit.
Recommended tour: Half-day Luang Prabang city tour
Finally, head to a restaurant or café overlooking the Mekong River to watch the sunset. I went to The Belle Rive Terrace and although it was a bit pricey, their cocktails were delicious and the restaurant had an amazing view.
Alternatively, you can go on a sunset dinner cruise, which lasts around 2 hours.
Luang Prabang Night Market
The Luang Prabang Night Market is an absolute must-visit on any 10 days in Laos Itinerary.
Every evening from 5 p.m until late, the main road in Luang Prabang is closed off to traffic to make space for hundreds of stalls selling clothes, handbags, accessories, and even souvenirs made from bomb fragments.
There’s also a separate food section with several stalls selling Laotian dishes and a big seating area. It does get packed after 6:30 p.m though, so come early if you want to grab a seat.
Day 3-5: Nong Khiaw
Nong Khiaw is a small town in Northern Laos and a hiker’s paradise with several mountain peaks offering breathtaking panoramic views.
It’s still somewhat of a hidden gem so you’ll find fewer tourists here.
I recommend spending at least 3 days here which is well enough to visit the most famous viewpoints and take a day trip to Muang Ngoy.
Where to stay in Nong Khiaw?
I stayed at Khamphan Guesthouse Riverview, a small budget hotel overlooking Nam Ou River.
The room was very spacious and clean and had a small balcony. The location was perfect, right in the middle of town and within walking distance of the main attractions.
More hotels in Nong Khiaw: Mandala Ou Resort (mid-range); Lamorn Guesthouse (budget)
Travel from Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw
On day 3, take a shared minivan from Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw. The van only departs in the morning (around 9 or 10 a.m) and the trip takes around 3 hours.
You can book the van on 12go.asia or from any tour operator in Luang Prabang.
Phanoy Viewpoint
Since it’s your first day here, I recommend starting with an easy hike. The hike to Phanoy Viewpoint takes only about 25 minutes and offers a nice view of Nam Ou River.
It’s also not very popular, meaning you’ll most likely have the place all to yourself.
If you don’t mind hiking in the dark, you can watch the sunset from the top or head down to Nong Khiaw Bridge and watch the sunset from there instead.
Entrance fee: 30k Kip.
Pha Daeng Viewpoint (Nong Khiaw Viewpoint)
Day 4 of your Laos itinerary will be quite packed as you’ll today be hiking to three viewpoints.
Start off with Pha Daeng Peak. If you can wake up early, I highly recommend arriving at the summit before 9 a.m when you can literally stand above the clouds!
After 9/9:30 a.m the clouds start to clear up to reveal the gorgeous view below. From the top, you can see the town and Nam Ou River meandering around the various mountain peaks.
The hike isn’t particularly challenging but since it goes straight uphill, it takes around 1.5 hours to complete. It’s also quite chilly in the morning so I recommend wearing warm clothes.
Note: Avoid wandering off trail as there are still some unexploded bombs scattered around this area.
Entrance fee: 40k Kip
Som Nang Viewpoint
Som Nang is the most popular viewpoint in Nong Khiaw since it takes only around 30 minutes to reach the summit.
It’s very popular at sunset so if you want to avoid the crowds, I recommend visiting in the morning or around 1 p.m, like I did.
It was very hot at this time though but on the bright side, there were only two other people at the top.
The view is quite similar to Pha Daeng Peak, except that it sits slightly lower.
Entrance fee: 30k Kip
Sleeping Lady Viewpoint/Phar Nangnon Viewpoint
Sleeping Lady Viewpoint is another relatively easy hike that you can do in Nong Khiaw. It does require some rock scrambling, but luckily it takes only about 20 minutes to reach the first viewpoint.
There’s also another viewpoint sitting slightly higher but I didn’t hike to this one since the view from the first viewpoint was already amazing.
Entrance fee: 20k Kip
Muang Ngoy Day Trip
On day 5, I recommend taking a day trip to Muang Ngoy, a small town located about 20 km north of Nong Khiaw.
While you can take the public boat to the village, I recommend booking a tour instead.
I booked mine from a local operator in Nong Khiaw and paid 30 USD. I did shop around but all the other operators were charging the same rate.
The tour started at 9 a.m and after a 1-hour boat ride, we arrived at Phanoi Viewpoint and Cave.
The trail leading to the cave and viewpoint is quite steep and uneven so be sure to wear good hiking shoes.
The cave wasn’t very big so we spent only about 20 minutes inside. To be honest, the cave wasn’t that impressive but the shimmering rocks looked cool. The viewpoint, on the other hand, was breathtaking.
Afterward, we walked through Muang Ngoy village and then hopped back on the boat.
The next stop was Sop Keng, another small village located along the river’s edge. We hiked for around 45 minutes through local farms and eventually made it to Tad Mook Waterfall.
The pool below is of a stunning emerald-green color and while it’s possible to swim there, I found the water to be very cold.
We then had lunch near the waterfall before making our way to Yensabai Organic Farm. You’ll also find a small café here with a terrace overlooking the rice fields and mountains.
At around 4 p.m, we jumped back on the boat and slowly made our way to Nong Khiaw.
If you’re fit enough, you can also opt to kayak back to town. Just note that you’ll have to paddle against the current so it does require a bit of effort.
Day 6-7: Luang Prabang
Travel from Nong Khiaw to Luang Prabang
For the next part of this 10 days in Laos itinerary, take the bus from Nong Khiaw and travel back to Luang Prabang where you’ll spend another two days.
You can book your van on 12go.asia or from any tour operator in Nong Khiaw.
Phousi Hill
Since you’ll most likely arrive in Luang Prabang in the afternoon or later, I recommend taking it easy and simply heading to Phousi Hill in the evening to watch the sunset.
Note that this is the most popular time to visit so you should expect crowds. I decided to visit 2 hours before sunset and luckily, there weren’t too many people.
On one side, you get a panoramic view of the Mekong River and on the other, you can watch planes take off as the airport is very close by.
Entrance fee: 20k Kip
Pak Ou Caves
On day 7, I recommend visiting some attractions located outside of the city center. The first stop is Pak Ou Caves.
You can either visit with a guided tour or take the public boat. I opted for the latter and booked the boat ticket for 150k Kip near Saffron Coffee.
The boat departed at 8 a.m and after roughly a 1-hour ride, we arrived at the Whisky Village.
This is where you’ll find these bug-infused whisky bottles, some with snakes, scorpions, and even baby crocodiles, which creeped me out, to be honest!
If you have no interest in buying whisky, you can instead browse around the stalls selling hand-made scarves or visit the village temple.
The next stop was Pak Ou Caves, two cave temples featuring thousands of Buddha statues.
The lower cave is the most popular one and has a nice view of the river and surrounding limestone mountains.
The upper cave, on the other hand, is bigger and dominated by a huge metal gate and has more Buddha statues.
Note that entrance to Pak Ou Caves costs 20k Kip, which isn’t included in the boat fee.
We spent about 45 minutes there and then returned back to Luang Prabang at 1 p.m
Kuang Si Waterfall
After visiting Pak Ou Caves, I recommend heading to Kuang Si Waterfall. Kuang Si is actually made up of several waterfalls that cascade over limestone rocks before dropping into milky blue pools.
There are several levels to explore but the largest and most impressive one is found at the end of the park.
Note that swimming isn’t allowed there and that you can only swim in the lower pools.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even hike to the top of the largest waterfall but keep in mind that the trail is very steep and slippery.
I did go up and although the view from the top was nice, it was nothing spectacular. If you’d like, you can even hike further to a cave.
To get to Kuang Si, you can hire a private tuk tuk (550-600k Kip), rent a motorbike, or take a shared mini-van (100k Kip).
Note that the mini-van only departs at around 11:30 a.m and it will pick you back from the waterfall at 3:30 p.m.
Entrance fee: 60k Kip
Tip: If you’d like to visit both Pak Ou Caves and Kuang Si Waterfall as part of a guided tour, you can book this one which includes all transportation, lunch, water, entrance fees, and a licensed tour guide.
Travel from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng
In the evening, I recommend taking the train from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng (200k Kip).
As mentioned above, you can book your train ticket on the LCR Ticket app or at the Railway ticket office in Luang Prabang city center.
Note that you first need to book a shared minivan (50k Kip) or taxi to get to the train station. The trip by train should then take only around 1 hour.
Finally, take a shared tuk tuk (30k Kip) from Vang Vieng train station to the town center.
Day 8-10: Vang Vieng
Also known as the adventure capital of Laos, Vang Vieng is famous for its mountainous landscapes and blue lagoons.
And even if you’re not very active, Vang Vieng is still worth visiting with more relaxing activities such as hot air ballooning or river boat trips.
Where to stay in Vang Vieng?
I stayed at Domon Riverside Hotel, which is located in the middle of Vang Vieng near a wide selection of restaurants and street food stalls.
The hotel restaurant had a nice view of the river and mountains, which was perfect for watching the sunset and hot air balloons. Although the room was a bit dated, it was affordable and breakfast was included.
More hotels in Vang Vieng: Riverside Boutique Resort, Amari Resort (luxury/mid-range); Lily Backpacker Hostel, Sokxay Guesthouse, Bountang Mountain View Riverside Hotel (budget)
Nam Xay Viewpoint
Start off day 8 with a hike to Nam Xay Viewpoint, one of the most popular attractions in Vang Vieng. This is where you’ll find two motorbikes overlooking rows of limestone mountains and rice paddies.
I highly recommend arriving early, at least before 10 a.m, as it’s super popular. While the hike takes only about 25 minutes, the trail is steep and requires some rock scrambling.
Nevertheless, the view is worth it, making Nam Xay a must-visit on any Laos itinerary.
Entrance fee: 20k Kip
Phapoungkham Viewpoint
This is another viewpoint, or rather two viewpoints, located not too far from Nam Xay. On one end, you’ll find an airplane replica, and on another, you’ll find a unicorn statue.
The best part is very few people know about Phapoungkham so you won’t have to deal with crowds as opposed to Nam Xay Viewpoint.
Although short, the trail requires a moderate level of fitness as it’s steep in some places.
Blue Lagoon
There are several blue lagoons scattered all over Vang Vieng. They are well set up for tourists with rope swings, zip lines, floating rings, bamboo rafts, restaurants, etc.
The most popular one is Blue Lagoon 1 but like with every popular attraction, there’s always a big crowd.
I opted to visit Blue Lagoons 2 and 3 as they are known to be the most scenic and aren’t too crowded.
Blue Lagoon 2 is bigger with several pools while Blue Lagoon 3 has only one pool but also features a viewpoint and a cave.
Entrance to each blue lagoon costs 20k Kip.
Vang Vieng Night Market
Finally, end day 6 at Vang Vieng Night Market. The market is open daily from 5/6 p.m and features several stalls selling clothes, souvenirs, and food.
Pha Ngern Silver Cliff Viewpoint
On day 9, I recommend visiting another lesser-known viewpoint – Pha Ngern Silver Cliff.
Keep in mind that there are several viewpoints with the exact same or similar name but the one I recommend visiting is located here.
Finding the entrance can be a bit tricky, so be sure to read my guide to hiking Pha Ngern Silver Cliff for details on how to visit.
The terrain is very uneven and steep with sharp rocks, especially near the summit so make sure to wear good hiking shoes.
Entrance fee: 20k Kip
Tham Chang Cave
The next stop is Tham Chang, a small but impressive cave featuring sparkly stalagmites and stalactites, Buddhist shrines, and viewpoints.
After visiting the cave, you can also check out the blue lagoon or simply relax at one of the small wooden huts by the river.
Entrance fee: 15k Kip
Visit the Temples
If you have time, you can also visit a few temples in Vang Vieng such as Wat Kang, Wat That, and Wat Si Sou Mang.
Hot Air Balloon Ride or Paragliding
Your time in Vang Vieng is almost coming to an end but if you’d like to squeeze in one more activity on your last day in Laos, I recommend taking a hot air balloon ride.
You can book this activity from any hotel or tour operator in town, but from what I’ve heard, Above Laos is the best company out there.
Alternatively, if you prefer something more active, you can opt for paragliding instead. The great thing about paragliding is that you don’t have to share the experience with others as it’s just you and the pilot.
You’ll also get to see more of Vang Vieng’s landscape as the pilot can control the direction, unlike the hot air balloon which can only go up and down.
Fly back home or travel to your next destination
It’s now time to head back home or to your next destination in Southeast Asia.
Since I was traveling back to Thailand, I took the high-speed train from Vang Vieng to Vientiane. Afterward, I took a taxi (240k Kip) from Vientiane train station to the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge.
Note that you might need to pay an exit fee when leaving Laos, which is around 20 baht or 10k Kip.
From there, I took a bus (30 baht or 15k Kip) to the Thai immigration office followed by a tuk tuk to Nong Khai Train Station where I took the night train to Bangkok.
If you prefer to travel by plane, you can instead take a taxi from Vientiane train station to the airport and fly back home or to your next destination.
I hope you found this Laos itinerary for 10 days helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comment section below.