Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is a perfect blend of Lao and French culture, with a zen, relaxed aura about the city that is contagious. Lively night markets, turquoise blue waterfalls, and decadent bakeries that could compete with Paris, we were pleasantly surprised by this UNESCO World Heritage city.
How to get to Luang Prabang?
We took the slow boat to Luang Prabang from Thailand, for more information on that experience, check out our blog post here Once our boat arrived, we took a tuk-tuk into the center of Luang Prabang, which cost about US$3.
Where to stay in Luang Prabang?
We stayed at Le Sen Boutique, which was about a 15-20 minute walk from the center of Luang Prabang. It was a perfect, relaxing getaway in the heart of Luang Prabang. The staff were incredible, and the rooms were exactly what we needed (especially after the 2 day slow boat).
Budget: City Central Hostel
Luxury: AVANI Luang Prabang
Where to eat In Luang Prabang?
The Night Market: There are tons of food stalls, that have take-away and also sit-down communal areas. For us, the vegetarian budget with US$1/plate was our favorite meal. The food was ridiculously cheap, and there’s such a variety.
A few of our favorite things in Luang Prabang:
Kuang Si Waterfalls: Kuang Si Waterfall is about a 45 minute motorbike ride away from Luang Prabang town. This natural wonder is famous for its bright blue pools of water. There are large pools to swim in, and you can also hike up to different areas of the waterfall. There is also an Asian black bear sanctuary, which you will pass on the way to the falls. Entrance fee is about 20,000 kip (US$1)/person.
Kuang Si Waterfalls
Mount Phousi: Mount Phousi is located in the center of Luang Prabang town, and famously one of the best places to watch the sunset. It is located at the top of a hill, up about 300 steps, which takes roughly 10-15 minutes. Although super crowded (we went for the sunset) the views were stunning. You have a 360-degree view of Luang Prabang town, the Mekong River, and the different mountain ranges in the distance. Entrance fee is 20,000kip (US$1).
Alms Giving Ceremony: The alms giving ceremony happens every morning at 5:30AM. Hundreds of local monks walk single-file down the road while both locals and travelers give rice and other goods to them. This is meant to bring on good karma. It is encouraged for foreigners to go, but make sure to be respectful, and (obviously) do not touch the monks, or take photos with a flash camera.
Night Market: The night market is a great place to go for incredibly cheap food, and also for souvenirs and shopping. The market takes place along Sisavangvong Road, which is completely closed off to cars and motorbikes. We found that this night market had a lot unique things, different to what we had seen a lot of in Thailand or other countries in Southeast Asia.
Alms Giving Ceremony