Laos 2 Day Itinerary

Two days in Laos means a choice: Vientiane alone, Luang Prabang alone, or a split that requires a domestic flight and accepts that you will not do justice to either. The more honest itinerary is to pick one city and do it properly. If you have to choose between them, choose Luang Prabang; Vientiane is a pleasant capital but Luang Prabang is the reason people remember Laos.

Visas

Most Western passport holders (US, UK, Canada, Australia, EU) require a visa. Options are a 30-day visa on arrival (approximately USD 30-42 depending on nationality, available at Vientiane and Luang Prabang international airports) or an e-visa applied for in advance (USD 35-50, processed in roughly three business days). From September 2025, Laos introduced a Lao Digital Immigration Form (LDIF) for major airports; this is an additional entry registration separate from the visa itself. Carry USD cash for the visa fee; card machines at border counters are not always functioning. Visa-free entry applies to citizens of several ASEAN countries and Russia.

Day 1: Vientiane

Wat Sisaket, built in 1818, survived the Siamese sacking of the city because the invaders left it standing while destroying everything else. It now holds approximately 6,840 Buddha images in its cloister niches, making it the largest single collection of Buddha statues in Laos. Entry is 10,000 kip. Walk five minutes to Haw Phra Kaew, originally built to house the Emerald Buddha (now in Bangkok) and functioning today as a national museum for religious art.

The Patuxay Monument, Vientiane’s answer to the Arc de Triomphe, was built in the 1960s using American-supplied concrete intended for an airport runway; climb the interior staircase for a rooftop view of the city’s wide boulevards. That Luang Stupa, the gold-painted national monument dating to the 16th century, is best in the late afternoon light, surrounded by its garden enclosure.

For dinner, Lao Kitchen on Hengboun Street offers the best accessible introduction to Lao cuisine in Vientiane: larb gai (spiced minced chicken salad), mok pa (fish steamed in banana leaf with lemongrass), and khao niew (sticky rice served in a woven bamboo container). The restaurant is popular with expats and food-minded travellers for good reason. Skip Bourbon Street; the nightlife in Vientiane is quiet by regional standards and an early night makes more sense given the early morning commitment on Day 2.

Day 2: Luang Prabang

The morning alms-giving ceremony, Tak Bat, begins at around 6am and runs through the streets of Luang Prabang as dozens of monks from local wats collect rice and food from residents. The ceremony is entirely silent and is conducted as a form of moving meditation. If you choose to observe: stand at a respectful distance of several metres, do not use flash photography, do not approach the monks or touch them, and do not buy rice from hawkers on the street to give as alms (it is frequently days-old rice that causes the monks digestive illness). The appropriate role for a non-Buddhist observer is quiet witness, not participant. The ceremony is conducted daily and does not require a ticket or booking; just wake up early and walk to the main streets of the old town.

Wat Xieng Thong, at the northern tip of the peninsula where the Nam Khan meets the Mekong, is the most architecturally significant temple in Luang Prabang. Built in 1560, its sweeping curved rooflines and coloured glass mosaics on the rear exterior wall are the defining images of Lao Buddhist art. Entry is 20,000 kip. Walk the main street, Sisavangvong Road, from the temple toward Phousi Mountain; the central market and handicraft stalls along this stretch are reliable for textile and silverwork purchases.

Climb Phousi Mountain (328 steps, 30 minutes) in mid-afternoon for a full panorama of the Mekong and the old city. Entry is 20,000 kip.

Kuang Si Waterfalls, 29 kilometres south of Luang Prabang, cascade through a series of turquoise travertine pools in a multi-tiered limestone formation. Entry is 60,000 kip and includes the Free the Bears rescue centre at the base. Swimming in the lower pools is permitted. Aim to arrive before 10am or after 3pm to avoid the midday tour-group peak. Return to Luang Prabang for dinner at Tamarind Restaurant, which offers a Lao tasting set that works its way through seven traditional preparations, an efficient and delicious way to cover the cuisine on a short visit.

Practical Notes

Currency is the Lao Kip (LAK); USD is accepted widely at tourist businesses in Luang Prabang, though you will receive worse value for change than if paying in kip. ATMs are available in both cities. Tuk tuks and shared songthaew (covered pickup trucks) are the standard transport; negotiate the fare before getting in. Temple dress code: cover shoulders and knees, remove shoes before entering temple buildings. November to February is the dry cool season, the most comfortable time to visit; April and May are the hottest months.