Enquire
A longtail boat glides across a lake toward towering limestone karsts covered in dense jungle.

Journeys · 18 days · Laos

Mekong slow boat & Laos overland

Eighteen days down the length of Laos: two days on the Mekong slow boat to Luang Prabang, five nights there, the fast train to Vientiane, and the far south — Champasak and four nights on the islands of Si Phan Don.

See the leg table

At a glance

Duration
18 days, 17 nights
Travelling
Private, your party only
Starts
Huay Xai, on the Mekong
Ends
Pakse
Internal flights
One, optional: Vientiane–Pakse
Price
On request, per trip
Huay Xai1 nightPakbeng1 nighton the riverLuang Prabang5 nightsVientiane2 nightsby fast trainPakse1 nightChampasak2 nightsVat PhouSi Phan Don4 nightsislandsPakse1 nightto leave

Who this journey is for

For travellers who want one country and to see all of it, north to south. Laos rewards slowness more than its neighbours: the towns are small, the river sets the pace, and the two-day slow boat is the main event rather than a transfer. The route is gentle — no single leg longer than the second day on the boat.

The journey starts in Huay Xai, the Lao river town where the slow boats leave. How you reach it is up to you; we advise on the options when you send the form.

The journey, leg by leg

Day 1

Huay Xai

Meet our local contact at your hotel. Buy snacks, a cushion and water for tomorrow. Early night.

StayGuesthouse in Huay XaiMealsOn your ownTravelShort transferOn footMinimal

Day 2

Slow boat, day one: Huay Xai to Pakbeng

A whole day with nothing to do but watch the river

The boat leaves around nine to half past nine and takes about six hours to Pakbeng. On the public boat the seats are old car seats, not bolted down, so arrive early. A premium boat is an option at a much higher price: modern seats, a meal and a stop at the Pak Ou caves on day two.

StayGuesthouse in PakbengMealsBreakfastTravelAbout 6 h by boatOn footUp the riverbank steps

Day 3

Slow boat, day two: Pakbeng to Luang Prabang

About eight hours, the longer of the two days. You reach Luang Prabang in the late afternoon.

StayHotel in Luang PrabangMealsBreakfastTravelAbout 8 h by boatOn footMinimal

Days 4–7

Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang sits on a peninsula between the Mekong and the Nam Khan, and its mix of Lao temples and colonial houses is inscribed by UNESCO. Day 4 is free. Day 5 is a guided morning through the temples and the old streets; day 6 a car to the Kuang Si waterfall in the afternoon, when the light is softer; day 7 is a rest and laundry day. If you watch the dawn alms round, watch from across the street and keep quiet.

StayHotel in the old town, 5 nights in totalMealsBreakfastsTravelCar to Kuang Si and backOn foot4–5 km on the temple morning

Days 8–9

Fast train to Vientiane

The Laos–China railway, open since December 2021, runs from Luang Prabang to Vientiane in about two hours on the fast trains. Two nights in the capital — the riverfront, That Luang, a slow lunch.

StayHotel in central Vientiane, 2 nightsMealsBreakfastsTravelTrain about 2 h, station transfersOn foot3–4 km

Day 10

Vientiane to Pakse

The one leg where we usually recommend flying. The alternative is a long overnight bus; we quote both and you choose. Either way you sleep in Pakse.

StayHotel in PakseMealsBreakfastTravelShort flight, or a long overnight busOn footMinimal

Days 11–12

Champasak and Vat Phou

A short drive south to Champasak. Vat Phou, the Khmer temple complex on the mountainside, is a morning visit: steep stone steps, a view across the plain, and the old processional axis down to the river.

StayGuesthouse in Champasak, 2 nightsMealsBreakfastsTravelShort driveOn footSteep steps at Vat Phou

Days 13–16

Si Phan Don

Road to the landing at Ban Nakasang, then fifteen to twenty minutes by boat to Don Det or Don Khon. Four nights in the islands: bicycles, the Li Phi falls, a boat to the Khone Phapheng falls, and long afternoons. This is the second laundry stop.

StayGuesthouse on the islands, 4 nightsMealsBreakfastsTravelAbout 2–3 h by road, then a short boatOn footCycling on flat tracks

Days 17–18

Back to Pakse and away

Boat and road back to Pakse for a last night, then your onward travel on day 18.

StayHotel in Pakse, 1 nightMealsBreakfastsTravelAbout 2–3 h by roadOn footMinimal
PDFPrint this itinerary, or save it as a PDFopens a print-ready page in a new tab

Sources: Backpackers Wanderlust, slow boat guide (updated 24 Aug 2026); The Man in Seat 61 — Laos (updated 6 Jun 2026); Backpack Adventures, 4000 Islands guide (modified 29 May 2026); UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Town of Luang Prabang; UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Vat Phou, Champasak · checked . Boat and train times are approximate and change with river level and timetable.

Public boat or premium boat

Public slow boatPremium slow boat
SeatsOld car seats, looseModern seats, room to move
MealsBring your ownIncluded
StopsPakbeng onlyPakbeng and the Pak Ou caves
Ticket (published guide, check before you travel)About 300,000–500,000 kipAbout USD 250 per person

We book either. The public boat is a real slice of river life and is full of travellers doing the same thing. The premium boat is calmer and costs many times more. The full sourced leg list is on the overland legs page.

Sources: Backpackers Wanderlust, slow boat guide (updated 24 Aug 2026) · checked .

Price

Travelling partyComfortable rooms, named hotelsLarger rooms, river or garden views
Private, 1 travellerOn requestOn request
Private, 2 travellersOn requestOn request
Private, 3 – 4 travellersOn requestOn request
Private, 5 – 6 travellersOn requestOn request
Quoted per trip after you send dates and hotel level; confirm before travel. Every quote lists hotels by name and each leg by vehicle, boat or train class.

The choice between public and premium boat and the choice between flight and bus on day 10 make the biggest difference to this price. See pricing and how to book.

What the price includes

  • 17 nights in named hotels and guesthouses, breakfast where served
  • Slow boat tickets Huay Xai–Luang Prabang (public or premium)
  • Laos–China railway tickets Luang Prabang–Vientiane
  • Vientiane–Pakse by flight or overnight bus, as you choose
  • Road transfers and the island boats
  • Guided mornings in Luang Prabang, Vientiane and at Vat Phou

What it does not include

  • International flights and your journey to Huay Xai
  • Lao visa
  • Travel insurance
  • Lunches and dinners, except on the premium boat
  • Entrance tickets
  • Laundry, tips and personal spending

Who this journey is not for

  • Anyone who will be uncomfortable on a wooden bench-type boat for six and then eight hours.
  • Travellers who want air-conditioned hotels every night: Pakbeng and the islands are simple.
  • People travelling in the rainy months who mind high, brown water and some muddy island tracks.
  • Anyone wanting a second country in the same trip — look at The Long Way Round instead.

Pictures from the route

Boats moored along the riverbank at a small village with wooden houses in Xieng Kok, Laos.
A muddy river winds between steep limestone cliffs near Nong Khiaw, Laos, with a small sandy island dotted with shrubs.
Barefoot monks in orange robes walk in a line at dawn as kneeling locals offer alms in Luang Prabang.
A person crosses a bamboo bridge over the Nam Khan River near Luang Prabang, with wooden boats moored on the sandy bank.
A tiled, low-sloped roof and open pavilion line the courtyard of Wat Si Saket temple in Vientiane, framed by potted flowers.
A two-story guesthouse with wooden upper walls and white ground floor on Don Det, Si Phan Don, Laos.

Common questions

Questions travellers ask most

Can we do the slow boat downstream only?

Downstream, Huay Xai to Luang Prabang, is the direction we plan. Upstream is slower and few travellers choose it.

Is the overnight bus to Pakse bearable?

For some people, yes. Sleeper buses are cramped for anyone tall. We quote the flight alongside so you can choose with the numbers in front of you.

Will we see dolphins in the islands?

No. The last Irrawaddy dolphin in the pool on the Lao–Cambodian border died in 2022. Cambodia's remaining river dolphins live further south, towards Kratie.

Can we start in Luang Prabang instead?

Yes, and drop the boat. But the boat is the reason this journey exists, so we would suggest a different one.

Related

Read next

A woman in a light dress sits amid rows of wooden boats on a muddy riverbank in Laos.

Journeys

Journeys

All four journeys side by side: days, legs, flights and who each one suits.

View this journey
A gilded temple with steep tiered roofs and naga staircases stands among palm trees under a clear sky in Luang Prabang.

Destinations · Northern Laos

Luang Prabang

Five nights at the end of the slow boat: temples, the two rivers and a rest day.

View this journey
A large wooden pirogue rests propped on stilts along a sandy riverbank in Si Phan Don, Laos.

Destinations · Southern Laos

Si Phan Don

Four nights in the islands at the bottom of Laos: bicycles, waterfalls and very little else.

View this journey
A Lao flag flutters on a stone cairn above the Nam Ou River winding through green mountains near Nong Khiaw.

Plan · Overland legs

Overland legs

The leg table: hours, mode, comfort and relative cost for every overland leg we use.

View this journey
Aerial view from a viewpoint over Nong Khiaw village, the muddy river bend, and surrounding limestone mountains in Laos.

Journeys · Prices

Prices

How we price a three-to-five-week private journey, and the third-party fares behind it.

View this journey
A blank notebook, smartphone, pencil, glasses, and laptop arranged neatly on a white office desk.

Journeys · How to book

How to book

The steps from the first form to the printed leg sheet, and what we need at each one.

View this journey
A longtail boat glides across a lake toward towering limestone karsts covered in dense jungle.

Start planning

Tell us about the long trip you have in mind

Weeks available, month and party size are enough to start. You get questions first, then a leg-by-leg outline, not a brochure.

Add more detail optional — the more you tell us, the closer the first draft lands
We reply within one working day.

We reply by email to the address you give