Looking for what to do in Luang Prabang? Can’t decide on an itinerary for the old capital of Laos? Luang Prabang isn’t just “another city”. I falsely made this assumption before I arrived on a marathon journey from the land border of Vietnam and this lovely land-locked country (the only in South East Asia to not have a shoreline).

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What To Do In Luang Prabang

I expected a city. Full of noise and dust, and no character at all. How wrong I was! From buzzing night markets to fantastic day trips to waterfalls and swimming holes, this lovely, well preserved UNESCO World Heritage city, is full of life. This “city” feels a lot like a comfortable, quiet by day, bustling by night, big “small town”. Make sure your Luang Prabang must-see itinerary includes these gems!

 

Luang Prabang Royal Palace

I had heard many backpackers along my journey speak highly of this city, yet I had to visit it myself before I realized how right they really were. Luang Prabang’s Imperial City, although quite small, is no exception to this pleasant surprise. It’s quite stunning.

Only a 10-minute walk from my hostel Mad Monkey (which was within walking distance to the whole city – think of it more like a town anyways). The first structure to greet you is a temple made of wood and covered in gold-leaf. Wat Ho Pha Bang has intricate and beautiful designs all around. It provides a beautiful picture, and the complex has much more to offer. It holds one of the most sacred Buddha’s in all of Laos.

Continuing along the well-manicured pathway leads to a museum of Laos history. Most texts describing the exhibits are translated into English, and there are a lot of them! This National Museum is housed in the Royal Palace (which ceased being the royal palace in 1975 when the monarchy ended). Embroidery and pottery lined the walls and cabinets, all incredibly intact as it was in 1975.

I’m not usually one for museums, but I thoroughly enjoyed my experience here. In the end, there’s an interesting collection of gifts given to Laos from other countries. And they varied. To put it in perspective, Australia’s gift was a traditional boomerang, while the United States gifted a rock from the moon. Show-offs, right?!

Another building in this complex, the Traditional Theatre holds even more exhibits. There was also quite a disturbing image of a seven-meter fish/snake/dragon/who knows! It looked ferocious and apparently was caught in the fast flowing Mekong River that traverses its way through many southeast Asian countries. Not that I was contemplating swimming in there, but I’m definitely not now!

 

Luang Prabang Night Market

South East Asia is well known for its night markets. Many cities and towns have their own, slightly varied versions. Of all the ones I visited in South East Asia, the northern Thailand town of Pai, and Luang Prabang’s night markets were BY FAR my favourite. These two broke free from the usual constraints of many stalls selling the same trinkets. They were unique. They were friendly. And maybe most important of all, the food was amazing!

For dinner, a small narrow street can be found just passed the main intersection, towards the Royal Palace Museum (check out directions on the map below). Down this little alley, a wide range of meals can be found. Stir fry and spring rolls were unbeatable here, but I ate much more than my belly was happy with! It was just too good.

My top recommendation for food might be a little harder to find. You might need a little luck on your side. Look for a small vendor on the side of the street grilling bananas. They are stuffed with coconut shreds and were incredibly delicious. Every time I noticed her I would go out of my way to get a handful of these little treats!

For a more established kitchen meal, try Indigo Restaurant (very close to the narrow alley on the main strip). A “bamboo charred burger” is delicious!

 

Kuang Si Falls Day Trip

Humidity is a real drain on energy while in Asia. Before the wet season’s monsoon rains dampen everything (and I do mean everything) each afternoon, the sun’s bite can be ferocious, and humidity can be well into the 90 percent range. Many destinations have a place to escape the in the form of a swimming hole. Kuang Si Falls is Luang Prabang’s answer to the uncomfortable sweatiness of tropical South East Asia.

It is around a 45min – 1h drive one-way to these falls, and costs around 50,000 KIP all up. I won’t go too much into detail, but for more information, check out my post on Kuang Si Falls here.

You can also book transport, a shared minivan, ahead of time online here.

 

How to visit Luang Prabang, Laos – Information

Laos’ local currency is the KIP. $1 Australia Dollar equates roughly to 6325 KIP.

During my time in Laos, I caught a lot of buses. They were by far the most common form of transport in the country, and they were always a source for stories. Be they great, strange or disturbing. One bus had a live goose tied to the ladder rack in a hessian bag. Somehow it even fell asleep on the bumpy, windy roads through Laos. Be prepared for livestock on your public transport.

My partner and I eventually coined a term in Laos. The “Laos Loop”, as it became known, was common and reared its ugly, confusing head multiple times. Basically, you’d board a bus, and after making a roundabout journey around the city making no stops, you would end up back where you started, only to pick up more people to board the often already crowded bus. It was as if the driver was trying to disorientate you.

There is a point to this rambling.

A traveler I spoke with had bought a cheaper 3rd party ticket from a vendor on the street and the minivan picked her up from the hostel. The driver then drove JUST HER down the road and parked for 20 minutes. He then drove back to the SAME HOSTEL to pick up the passengers who had bought the exact same ticket, just a little more pricey. Point is – Laos’ public transport operates in its own unique way. Don’t expect to always be on time, or to leave at the time printed on your ticket. Frustration won’t help your cause either, it’s just the way it works here!

 

Visiting Luang Prabang, Laos – Tips

Luang Prabang’s bus station is outside of the main section of town, it is walkable. But if you’re a decent barterer, you can find a reasonable price for both parties directly at the bus station. If not, leaving the station to find a random tuk-tuk/songthaew is another way to secure a fair price.

Try ALL the foods you can here. Fruit platters are common. There is an incredible variety of foods, and a lot of them are healthy. A good place to recharge those “health batteries” that are often forgotten about with copious amounts of beers and Lao Whiskey.

You can book a wide range of tours in Luang Prabang as well as airport shuttles and transport online before you get to this ancient city of Laos.

Laos can get quite hot in the middle of the day, I always loved the option to head back to the hostel for a swim. A pool quickly became a big plus when looking for online accommodation. A lot of hostels have them, so it’s not too hard to be a little picky.

Seeing as buses are Laos’ main form of transport, I thought I’d include a couple of tips to make the journey a little easier:

• The roads are incredibly windy and bumpy. This doesn’t make for an enjoyable trip if you’re prone to motion sickness. I suggest taking some sea sickness tablets to counter the windy corners.
• As Laos is the most heavily bombed country in the entire world, a lot of explosives (UXO) linger around. Rest stops on longer buses are sometimes just the side of the road. I highly suggest NOT wandering off the side of the road to find a secluded bathroom. A large scarf/sarong can be used to provide a little more privacy.

If you’re getting t0 Laos from Vietnam over a land border check out this post for more information.

Visiting Vang Vieng – Check out Blue Lagoon 3!

 

Luang Prabang, Laos – Highlights

• Visiting Kuang Si Falls is easy to get to and well worth the trip!
• Trust me, find those coconut bananas near the night market
• Walk the streets of this amazing city to find the character I’m glad I didn’t miss out on!

 

Have you visited Luang Prabang? What did you think? What was your favorite thing to do? As always, questions or concerns are more than welcome, drop me a comment below! 🙂

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