Meet at your hotel, we are exploring this charming city of UNESCO world heritage site, The Luang Prabang is a small, dream-like town on the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers, in a beautiful mountain setting. From 1353 until 1545 it was the capital of Lane Xang before power was transferred to Vientiane. Despite the move Luang Prabang remained the seat of monarchical power, and when the kingdom broke up in 1694, one of the deceased king's grandsons established a rival kingdom to those in Vientiane and Champassak. Though weakened, the Luang Prabang royalty endured until 1975, when after the reign of 63 kings it was formally dissolved. You spend the day exploring the temples and sites in what is called one of the last Shangri-La's of Southeast Asia.

<br>We start our half-day tour with a visit to to the magnificent Wat Xiengthong built in 1560 with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents the classical architecture of Luang Prabang temples. Within a short walk, we continue to the shrine of Wat Khili. This is the only surviving temple in Laos built in the Xieng Khuang style, as all the temples in the Xieng Khuang area were destroyed during the American bombing raids of the Vietnam War. Leave Wat Khili, we go to Wat Mai where the Prabang Buddha image begins its journey in the Lao New Year procession. Our last stop on this trip is the National Museum. Housed in the former Royal Palace, left uninhabited since the Royal family was deposed in 1975, the Museum showcases many treasures of Laos' royal past, in addition to allowing visitors to catch a glimpse of the private and public quarters of Lao royalty. Also displayed here is the Prabang, the sacred Buddha image for which Luang Prabang was named.