Land on the 13th. By the time the balloon lifts over Vang Vieng two mornings later, Valentine’s Day will already be behind you — spent watching light hit a limestone karst instead of a fixed-menu dinner.
This is Alaya’s very first departure, and it runs the length of the country’s most-loved stretch: the capital, Vientiane, the karst country around Vang Vieng, and the old royal city of Luang Prabang. Three things anchor it — a home-cooked meal in a Vientiane kitchen, a hot air balloon over Vang Vieng’s limestone karsts, and a morning working a rice paddy outside Luang Prabang. Five days, four nights, capped at 10 travelers, led in person by both of us.
30% deposit holds your place. Balance due 60 days before departure.
Day by day
What’s included
✅ In the price
- Filipino tour leader
- All ground transport
- 4 nights’ accommodation
- English-speaking Lao tour guides
- Entrance fees
- Activity fees
- Park and permit fees
❌ Not included
- International flights (we can assist)
- Travel insurance (we can assist)
- Meals not indicated on the itinerary
- Tips
- Personal spending
- Hot air balloon activity fee
Getting ready
Filipino passport holders enter Laos visa-free for up to 30 days — just make sure your passport has at least 6 months’ validity left. February is cool and dry, the best time of year to go, but mornings are genuinely cold; bring a light jacket for the pre-dawn balloon launch and the Sai Bat procession. Shoulders and knees covered for Pha That Luang and Pak Ou. Bring closed shoes and clothes you don’t mind getting muddy for the rice paddy outside Luang Prabang — this is real fieldwork, not a photo stop. The hot air balloon is booked locally as an optional add-on and is weather-dependent, so keep the morning after flexible.
Your guide
This one’s led by both of us, Merald and Mirjan — Alaya’s first-ever departure, and neither of us is sending a substitute.
