Visiting Luang Prabang in Laos

Luang Prabang Laos
Luang Prabang in Laos was voted the number one destination to visit by the New York Times in 2008, and coincidentally, I was there in February that year.

This old charm town, once the capital of Laos, is located 425 kilometres north of Vientiane and is only 300 meters wide by one kilometre long and is currently my favourite place I have visited in years.

Visiting Luang Prabang in Laos

Photo of Luang PrabangNao's Place, Sports Bar, Grill, Bakery and Restaurant.

Luang Prabang was built by the European colonials in the 19th and 20th-century era and houses one of the best collections of French provincial-style homes that many have been converted into cafes, restaurants, or even boutique hotels.

Due to its UNESCO status (which was awarded in 1995), the beauty of this place is that there are no modern buildings here, making it a perfect place to enjoy Laos's natural culture and heritage.

Luang Prabang HotelOne of the most beautiful boutique hotels.

Walking around the main town, I could not help but notice the pure French Indochinese architectural marvels of that era.

Some of them stand out in the night as they are beautifully lit. Most of the beautiful bungalow homes you see have been converted into high-end boutique hotels.

Entering one of them, a Lao doorman dressed in the 40s concierge attire welcomed me in perfect English, a site rarely seen nowadays.

Streets in Luang PrabangThe main street in the day.

Back to Luang Prabang town. The town is tiny, with one main street called Sisavangvong Road, where everything happens.

All the main restaurants, cafes, travel agents, Internet cafes, spas, money exchange, antique shops and boutiques are here. So in the mornings, the town will be very busy with tourists.

When I arrived in Luang Prabang, I noticed that most tourists were all Caucasians. Lilian and I were probably the only Southeast Asians there throughout our stay of 4 whole nights.

Night Photo of Luang PrabangSisavangvong Street at night.

At night, restaurants, cafes and Internet cafes come alive. Travellers catch up with one another, asking for information on Laos's other places while having dinner and drinks in town.

People are generally friendly, from travellers to locals. Occasionally, you see orange-robed monks checking emails or surfing the web in Internet cafes.

Luang Prabang GuesthouseSayo Guesthouse in Luang Prabang.

Luang Prabang's town is fascinating when you explore the other little roads and lanes (you can actually walk the entire city in a couple of hours).

Here is where you will find many guest houses catering to the budget travellers of backpackers.

Like the one in the picture above, some of the guesthouses, called Sayo Guest Houses, are remarkably maintained. There are various temples and homegrown businesses that you will come across.

Luang Prabang Bakery Guest HouseLuang Prabang Bakery Guesthouse.

Another popular place is the Bakery Guest House right smack in town. This cafe serves excellent food and doubles as a nice little cosy hotel.

The menu is fantastic as they serve wine, cocktails, pizzas, steaks, pasta, burger, sandwich, soup, and spicy Lao food.

Lao restaurant Luang Prabang Local Lao restaurant in town.

Generally, we tried most of the restaurants on Sisavangvong Road as we visited the main street daily for our tours to Pak Ou Caves, Whisky Village and other places of interest. Lao food is much tastier than Cambodian or Thai food.

Something about the fresh herbs they use here makes it so much nicer. We even tried Indian food for a change. So, there is a variety if you must know.

Tour Packages in Luang PrabangTour packages in town.

Tour companies or travel agents are all found along Sisavangvong (Main) Road. You can book sightseeing tours or tickets to other places in Laos or the neighbouring countries.

Prices for the tours are surprisingly cheap too. The most popular tours would be the Kuang Si Waterfall Tours, Elephant Ride tours, Pak Ou Caves and Rural Village visits.

Massage in Luang PrabangMassage services (proper ones too).

There are many things to do in Luang Prabang, so please only try to book a 48-hour trip there, as you will miss out on many things. I recommend a minimum of 4 nights to enjoy your stay and experience the traditional Lao Spa.

Well, ladies, this would be a shocker as it costs a fraction of what you pay back home. Anyway, 10,000 KIP = US$1.00, so from the picture above, a Lao Massage costs only US$4.00 and hour.

Hmong Market Luang PrabangHmong Day Market.

You can walk around the day market called Hmong Market on Sisavangvong Road and Setthathilat Road. At this morning market, the Hmong Hill Tribe people of Luang Prabang will be selling their wares.

You can find quilted bags, silver jewellery, t-shirts, fabrics, and cushion covers in Lao designs. These Hmong tribe people belong to the Lau Soung ethnolinguistic group known for their silver ornaments and textile skills.

Night Market in Luang PrabangLuang Prabang Handicraft Market at night.

There is also the most popular Luang Prabang Night Market, which starts at the corner of Sisavangvong Road and Kitsarat Road, and this market is open daily from 5.00 pm right till about 11.00 pm at night.

Hundreds of traders from all over Luang Prabang will sell their wares here, ranging from catchy T-Shirts, Silver Jewelry, Lamps, Silk Scarves, Traditional shoes and headgear, original paintings, antiques, blankets, pillowcases and many other souvenir items.

Luang Prabang Night Market Video

I must have visited this handicraft market four nights in a row. It was rather significant, with so many unique things to see. Unlike in the Bangkok markets, the items here were exciting and, most importantly, cheap.

And you could also bargain with the locals. Don't worry; if they speak some English, a calculator will be whipped out of them.

I bought over 20 paintings and about $100.00 worth of silver earrings and bracelets as souvenirs, remembering the beautiful Lao design cushion covers.

Antiques in Luang PrabangChinese antiques are being passed off as Lao antiques, so be careful.

In other parts of Luang Prabang, you would also see some shops selling antiques like the picture above. But be aware that most of these are brought in via China, Vietnam, and Thailand.

Even if you ask the shopkeeper, they will insist that these are authentic Lao antiques, so keep an eye out for those who can tell the difference, as you would want to avoid being taken for a ride. 

Places of interest around Luang Prabang
  • Kuang Si Waterfall Tours
  • Elephant Ride tours
  • Pak Ou Caves
  • Rural Village visits
  • Phousi Hill
  • National Museum
  • Vat Xiengthong
Markets and Shopping in Luang Prabang
  • Hmong Day Market
  • Dara Market
  • Handicraft Night Market
  • Shops along Sisavangvong Road
Best time to visit Luang Prabang
  • Between October and March - Highly recommended.
  • May till October - Rainy Season
  • March till May - Temperature of 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit

What else to do around Luang Prabang?

When I travelled around Luang Prabang Town, there were many activities for me, but the one that captured my attention was the river tours.

I ended up taking a longboat tour along the beautiful river. I visited a local and traditional place called Whisky Village in Luang Prabang, which was interesting, especially if you were a first-timer.

After the village, the boat will continue its journey to the fantastic Pak Ou Buddha Caves. This is an easy visit as there is a proper jetty here, and walking up the caves is only a short walk. But inside the caves, that is what totally captivated me.

To explore the main town area, visit Phu Si Hill in Luang Prabang for an amazing Lao sunset.

Be prepared for a decent hike uphill via stairs here, and for those who are not that fit, I recommend you make a few stops to catch your breath. Tip: Go early to get a good spot.

Map of Luang Prabang

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Conclusion

If you have plans for visiting Luang Prabang in Laos, I recommend doing it as it is one of Indochina's most beautiful and least-visited places.

Here is a list of things to do in Luang Prabang, Laos, for anyone planning a journey or trip here; remember, this is not another commercial city but a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Malaysia Asia

Blogging since 2007, but writing online since 1997. I belong to the 1st generation of worldwide bloggers, which is of course old-school. Since 2008, I created Malaysia Asia and this travel, flood, gadget and lifestyle blog has won numerous physical awards from tourism boards around Malaysia. (Not those online awards). After 12 years of blogging, I have semi-retired and now blog about things I like, do product reviews and enjoy life. My work has been featured in Lonely Planet, CNN Travel, Yahoo Travel, Wall Street Journal, and many other international publications. Find out more about me and thank you.

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