The capital opens up by TukTuk, which collects you at the hotel and drops you at the Phatuxay Monument. From there it is on foot down Lane Xang Avenue, with pauses at the Morning Market, then at the Cooperative Orthotic & Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE). Wat Si Muang and Wat Sisaket come next, then the Presidential Palace. Refuel over Lao coffee and a croissant in Anouvong Park. A run of temples follows before you reach the banks of the Mekong. Another TukTuk returns you to the hotel to get ready for the road to Vang Vieng.

A pretty walk crosses the Nam Song River and reaches Ban Phan Thao, a Hmong village. The path traces a narrow canal, with limestone karst peaks and green rice fields opening out on both sides. Caves can be added if you feel like it. Carry on to the paddies at Ban Nadoa Village and to Tam Chang Cave. The afternoon is a drive through big mountain country, calling at further Hmong villages before Luang Prabang.

Take the old quarter of Luang Prabang slowly and on foot. The busy morning market comes first, then the handsome main street, followed by the National Museum. Wat Xienthong follows, held to be the country's finest temple. To close the day, board a boat and watch the sun drop over the Mekong.

A brief drive out of Luang Prabang reaches Kuang Si Waterfall, turquoise water stepping down tier by tier, rated among the loveliest falls in Southeast Asia. The Bear Rescue Centre stands alongside, home to rescued Asiatic bears. Returning, call at the Ock Pop Tok Weaving Centre, where the craft of Lao textiles is shown in full. Tips: • Pull in at Buffalo Dairy, where the ice cream is churned from genuine buffalo milk! The evening brings a bamboo presentation, dinner and a 'baci' ceremony at Bamboo Experience.

A punctual transfer delivers you to the airport for the flight home or onward.