Luang Say & Kamu Lodges – Cruise on The Mekong River

Luang Say & Kamu Lodges – Cruise on The Mekong River
3 Days/2 Night Cruise
The Mekong River is rich in legend linking seven Asian nations from Tibet to the South China Sea. Perhaps the most mythical of Mekong experiences is a slow-boat river journey through Northern Laos , a timeless land still rich in exotic mysteries waiting to be discovered.
Luang Say cruise is a journey through remote mountainous stretches of the Mekong between the Northern Thai border at Houeisay and the royal old city of Luang Prabang - in a style fit for a king.
Established in the 14th Century, Luang Prabang sits majestically on the banks of the Mekong River . This charming and much sought-after city was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1995 and is considered one of Asia's best preserved ancient capitals. To wander its quiet, timeless lanes is to enter a living museum of life, architecture and serenity.

Price per person in $US

Validity

2/8 pax

9/24 pax

Single sup.
01 May 08 - 30 Sep 08
343
332
72
01 Nov 08 - 30 Apr 09
545
513
105
01 May 09 - 30 Sep 09
390
377
90
01 Oct 09 - 31 Oct 09
545
513
105
* Minimum 2 persons traveling together for join tour.

Remarks:
* Child Rate: Child under 12 years shares a double room with 2 adults (2 adults + 1 child) charge at 50% from adult rate. Infant (less than 2 years old) = free of charge
* For safety reasons and according to weather conditions, the program may be amended without prior notice.
* The above tour prices exclude current VAT.

Prices include:
• 3 days cruise with stops and visits as mentioned in the program with English-speaking escort (by LuangSay and Kamu boats).
• 2 nights accommodation at LuangSay Lodge & Kamu Lodge
• Meal plan as mentioned in the tour program
• Coffee, tea & drinking water on board and during meals
• Admission fee at visiting points as mentioned in the program
• Transfer from Laos immigration to pier in HoueiSayor v.v
• Services of qualified crews during the cruise
• Group insurance

Prices exclude:
• Transfer from/to hotel to pier in Luang Prabang
• Shuttle boats to Chiang Khong / Houeisay or Houeisay / Chiang Khong
• Immigration fees in Houeisay
• Soft and Alcohol Drinks during the trip.
• Visa approval and fees for Laos
• Services in Luang Prabang
• Personal insurance



PROGRAM DOWN:
· From 01 Nov 08 to 30 Apr 09 and 1-31 Oct 09, depart every Monday, Thursday and Friday
· From 01 Nov 08 to 30 Apr 09 and 1-31 Oct 09, departs as well on Sunday with Pakou1
· From 01 May 09 to 30 Sep 08 departs every Monday & Friday (except from 01–30 Jun’09 no operation)

Day 1: Houei say – Pakbeng
The Luang Say boat departs from Houeisay pier at 09:00 am for a cruise down the Mekong River to Pak Beng. One stop is made to visit and admire the authentic rural life of hill tribe settlements. A delicious Buffet lunch is served on board. The boat will arrive at Luang Say Lodge before sunset for overnight stop. Dinner is served at terrace overlooking the Mekong River.

Day 2: Pakbeng – Kamu lodge
Breakfast served at terrace around 07:30 am. In the morning visit the morning market (Optional) of Pak Beng where the nearby villagers and hill tribes buy and exchange their goods. Luangsay Boat departs at 08:30 a.m. for her second part of trip; boat makes another stop at Ban Baw to observe the processing traditional rice alcohol. Lunch is again served on board; then the boat cruise to Kamu Village . The boat will arrived at 02:00 pm in Kamu Lodge for the check in. In the afternoon you may choose to participate in the different activities. You will be rewarded with a very original Lao experience.
• Rice planting and harvesting in surrounding rice fields
• Gold panning (January to June) in the Mekong. Anything you find is yours! • Jungle walks to search for medicinal plants
• Trekking through the forest to waterfalls (two hour hike and boat ride)
• Traditional fishing techniques. You can sample your catch for dinner!
• Local village visit
• Archery contest Dinner and overnight at the Lodge

Day 3: Kamu lodge – Luang prabang
Breakfast at lodge, after some time to relax and a visit to the village of Kamu, cruise down to Luang Prabang (UNESCO world heritage city) by Kamu boat to Pak Ou village at the mouth of Nam Ou River, boat stops for a trip to visit Tam Ting ‘Caves of thousand Buddha's' then arrive Luang Prabang before Lunch. Lunch at Luang Prabang.  

PROGRAM UP:
· From 01 Nov 08 to 30 Apr 09 and 1-31 Oct 09, departs every Friday, Monday and Tuesday
· From 01 May 09 - 30 Sep 09, departs every Friday and Tuesday (except from 01–30 Jun’09, no operation)

Day 1: Luang prabang – Kamu lodge
The Kamu boat departs from Luang Prabang pier at 09:00 am for a cruise up the Mekong River to Kamu Village. On the way to Pak Ou Village, at the mouth of the Nam Ou River a visit is organized to Tam Ting “Caves of a thousand Buddha's”. Then boat to Kamu Village, arrival at Kamu lodge and check-in. Lunch at the Lodge's Sala. In the afternoon you may choose to participate in the different activities. You will be rewarded with a very original Lao experience.
• Rice planting and harvesting in surrounding rice fields
• Gold panning (January to June) in the Mekong. Anything you find is yours!
• Jungle walks to search for medicinal plants
• Trekking through the forest to waterfalls (two hour hike and boat ride)
• Traditional fishing techniques. You can sample your catch for dinner!
• Local village visit
• Archery contest

Dinner and overnight at Kamu lodge

Day 2: Kamu lodge- Pakbeng
Breakfast at lodge, after some time to relax and a visit to the village of Kamu , the Luangsay cruise pick-up you at 11:00 am. A delicious Buffet lunch is served on board and a brief stop is made at Ban Baw to observe the processing traditional rice alcohol. The boat will arrived at Luang Say Lodge before sunset for overnight stop. Dinner is served at terrace overlooking the Mekong River.

Day 3: Pakbeng - Houeisay
Breakfast served at terrace around 6.30 am. In the morning visit the morning market (Optional) of Pak Beng where the nearby villagers and hill tribes buy and exchange their goods. Boat departs at 07:30 a.m. for her second part of trip. One stop is made to visit and admire the authentic rural life of hill tribe settlements. Lunch is again served on board. Reaching Houeisay before 17:00 hrs (you may proceed to Chiang Rai in the same day.)



Specific information

1. LuangSay Lodge hired a dance teacher to teach Khamu and Hmong people tribal dancing, which is now performed regularly. The Lodge also supports the financing of local musical instruments. Dancers and musicians are now able to earn their living without sacrificing their culture and traditions, as LuangSay was able to revive these old traditions for them which had been lost from the Pakbeng area.
2. Our LuangSay Cruises stop in local Mekong riverside villages every day that we cruise. In these villages we help the local community by supporting the locals by buying their handicrafts. We also help the village school and temple with donations and aid the villagers to clear litter and other debris from their paths.
3. Pakbeng has no proper water supply system or sewerage system in place, everything from the guesthouses tends to get put straight into the Mekong River. At LuangSay Lodge we have installed our own sewerage system to prevent this happening. We have also built our own water supply from mountain streams, while adding pipes so that local villages in the area can use the same water system.
4. All bottles, cans and plastics that are used at the Lodge are recycled.
5. Many of the vegetables at the LuangSay Lodge are organically grown in our own garden, using fertiliser from our compost bin instead of pesticides.
6. The opening of the Lodge gave employment to 37 villagers and tribal people and wages earned at the Lodge are three to four hundred percent higher than the local standard. Villagers around the Lodge are encouraged to grow fruits and vegetables and raise livestock and all their products are purchased by the Lodge.
7. In Ban Houay Xeng Kham village, a very poor Khamu village close to the Lodge, we have helped build a small school and supply the school with books to help the children with their education.
8. The riverbank across from the LuangSay Lodge has been denuded by logging. We are in the process of getting permission from the Sayabouli province (not the same province as our Lodge which is why it is taking a long time to organise), to replant teak trees on this land.

Pakou Boat
Vessel Name
Pakou 1
Pakou 2
Pakou 3
Construction material Steel Steel + wood Steel + wood
Number of engines 2 1 1
Power (HP) 2 x 160 HP 420 HP 420 HP
Length (Meter) 17 32 35
Draft (Meter) 0.7 0.8 0.8
Beam (Meter) 3.80 4.2 4.2
Date last surveyed June 2005 June 2005 June 2005
Cruising speed (knots) 9-10 14-16 14-16
Capacity passenger insured 40 pax, 6 staff 46 pax, 6 staff 46 pax, 6 staff
Life Jacket 50 pax 55 pax 55 pax

• Comfortable seats with open air vista
• Sun deck and solarium roof
• Toilet facility
• Ample luggage space
• Library + game for literature and fun
• Bar and cooler for light refreshment

Luangsay Lodge: Luang Say lodge which is located and built in a very romantic setting. On the river bank, amidst the lush green hills the lodge gives the feeling that you have discovered paradise. Constructed in traditional Lao architectural style with solid wooden logs, it offers accommodation on separate pavilions: each unit has a bath which has running water for hot and cold showers, electric fans and mosquito nets. Private balconies offer beautiful scenery of the Mekong river and hills. A central riverbank restaurant is reached by wooden walkways from the pavilions. Mouth-watering local dishes are served in the dining rooms in the center overlooking the river. A small bar offers drinks of choice at reasonable rates. On days when house guests exceed over 20 persons, the management provides hill tribe folk dances performed by the villagers.
• 16 pavilions with a total of 19 rooms and 38 beds
• Privates shower bathrooms with toilets and hot shower
• Ceiling fan in the rooms
• Bar and restaurant

About Kamu Lodge: Only 3 hours from Luang Prabang and overlooking the mighty Mekong , a unique lodge is about to open on a wonderful site. The Kamu Lodge features 20 canvas tents covered by a thatched roof in harmony with the surrounding nature and adapted to the local style. Each tent is decorated with bamboo and wooden furniture items and has an attached private bathroom with shower and toilet and solar-powered warm water and electricity. With only wilderness surrounding the lodge except for a neighboring village, this exclusive and ecological experience in a traditional and simple setting is what we invite you to discover. Travel back to the beginnings of the 20th century when people came to Indochina to explore and discover!

Transfers between thailand and luangsay pier in Houeisay / Laos Luang Say cruises start or end at the pier next to the Immigration checkpoint at Houeisay, the Lao border town on the north bank of Mekong River . On the opposite bank to Houeisay on the south bank of Mekong River , is Chiang Khong (Chiang Rai province) the Thai border town. Crossing the river from one checkpoint to the other takes only 5 minutes by regular shuttle boats. Chiang Khong is linked by good roads to Chiang Rai town and airport (2 hours drive) or Chiang Saen (1 hour drive). Luang Say may arrange individual or group transfers between Chiang Rai or Chiang Saen and Houeisay or vice versa at extra costs that include road transportation, shuttle boat, porter age of luggage and assistance for immigration formalities both sides of the Mekong River.

Departure times The Luang Say Cruise Down starts from the pier near the Immigration checkpoint at Houeisay. The Pak Ou (LuangSay boat) Boat leaves this pier at 09:00 AM. It is not possible for the boat to wait for passengers who are arriving late at the border, and Luang Say Ltd will not be responsible for payment of speedboat charges or any charges incurred by clients who arrive late and have to catch up with the already departed cruise. The Luang Say Cruise Up leaves the Luang Prabang Pier at 09:00 AM, by Kamu Boat and the same conditions apply for late arrivals.

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