Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang has been on my bucket list for many years and it lived up to expectations.
A clean, slow paced and pretty town that is really nice to to walk around day and night.
Walk down to where the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers meet and then wander back and forth along the small streets finding little craft shops, stopping at one of the many cafes for lunch or coffee with a very tempting cake!
At night you can walk along the riverside which is lit up and eat at a seafood restaurant or try L'Elephant for french cuisine. You can also go to the night market which starts at 5 pm and finishes at 10 pm to buy your souvenirs, they actually have some genuine items at reasonable prices, you can bargain!
A good day trip is Kuang Si Falls which are beautifully and do visit the Free the Bears sanctuary which is at the start, buy a T shirt to support them. The Kuang Si Butterfly Park is close by and worth a visit.
You can also take part in the giving of alms ritual early in the morning, your hotel can arrange this as there are strict rules on what you should do.
How to get there
Fly - Bangkok Airways fly in from Bangkok, Lao Airlines fly in from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Siem Reap and Hanoi, Silk Air fly in via Vientiane and Thai Air Asia fly in from Bangkok.
Buses/Minivans - from Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Vientiane
Boat - Slowboat, speedboat, ferry or luxury cruise out of Luang Prabang to Huay Xai and the Thai border via Pakbeng.
Where to stay
Full of lots of small boutique options plus a few brands, the top of the line is Amantaka.
You also have a new Rosewood and the Belmond La Residence Phou Vao which is out of town.
The Sofitel rates highly and for an excellent location have a look at Avani. The 3 Nagas is also in a great location and I also liked the look of The Luang Say Residence but again this was further out of town.
Restaurants
L’Elephant - laotian/french fusion. Famous restaurant and you need to book.
3 Nagas - traditional Lao food - ate here twice and it was very good
Indigo Cafe - this restaurant is located at the far end of the night market so extremely convenient for a drink and to eat which we did for 3 nights.
Tangor - french and international bistro
Tamarind - Lao cooking school and restaurant
L’Etranger - Books and Tea - Phousi Road - soups salads sandwiches
Utopia - stumbled across this place looking for a rest and drink during the day…great views over the river, perhaps better for drinks.
Shopping
The Boutique by Ock Pop Tok and Ock Pop Tok Heritage Shop - both are close to the 3 Nagas hotel, some nice textiles in both of these, not cheap though.
Ma Te Sai - nice selection of crafts and textiles.
There are loads of little shops as you walk down the main road from the 3 Nagas to the night market, each has interesting crafts and textiles. Also some down on the river road and dotted around the town.
I also found an excellent shop selling silver jewellery on the same main road but was perhaps half way down the night market section on your left (same direction as above) it was a proper shop with glass doors and air conditioning. The bracelets were far better quality than all the others I had seen.
What to see
Kwang Si Falls and Save the Bears Sanctuary
Stunning waterfall and you must visit the bear sanctuary either before or after and buy a T-shirt to support them. Take swimming gear so you can take a dip in the pools. Toilets are awful.
Mount Phousi
For a panoramic view over the city. Two entrances, one opposite the Royal Palace and the other on the road running along the Nam Khan. We did not manage it as it was boiling hot and I had fluid on the knee so the 300 steps to get there was not possible.
Royal Temple Museum
Museum showing the Royal family’s belongings and where they lived. Not brilliant and slightly sad to see the personal belongings of the family on show. Fair enough exhibiting the ceremonial stuff but the rest is personal and does not belong to the state. Admission charge is 30000 kip and you have to lock away cameras and personal belongings in a different building. Also the opening hours are not followed.
Open 8 am to 11.30 am and 1.30 pm to 4 pm
Wat Xieng Thong
Elaborate temples within the Heritage site.
Entrance Fee and guided tours
Open 8 am to 5 pm
River Cruise
There are many day and sunset cruises available or you can book one or two day cruises down the Mekong. It is even possible to travel to neighbouring countries by this route.
Kuang Si Butterfly Park
Call in here when visiting the Falls, well run park with ticket options to have coffee, cake or lunch.
Open 10.30 am to 4.30 pm
Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center
Museum, library, cafe and shop selling hand crafted items. You can take a handicraft workshop to learn new skills!
Open 9 am to 6 pm
Night Market
Good market open from 5 pm to 10 pm every night of the week, go have dinner and walk off the excess while browsing for tourist items and some nice handicrafts.
Morning Market
If you do a cooking class, the chef will take you here to buy your ingredients. Ask you hotel for directions if you want to go by yourself.
Bamboo Bridge
Seasonal bridge across the Nam Khan river, light up at night.
Pak Ou Caves
Thought to be occupied by spirits and Buddhists bring statues to the caves. Get there by boat on the Mekong.
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