Luang Prabang is a small city in Laos situated near the Mekhong River. It was the former capital of the country and now a UNESCO world heritage site.
Here are my top 10 things to do in Luang Prabang.
1. Temples and Palaces
The most important historic treasure in Laos can be found in this temple: Pha Bang is an 83 cm tall golden Buddah statue for which the whole city was named. Find out the interesting history behind this Buddah. No photographs is allowed inside the temple. Make sure you dress appropriately (no sleeveless shirts and no short shorts) when entering the temple grounds.
Another Temple that shouldn't be missed is the Wat Xieng Thong. It is LP's best known and most visited monastery.
Impressive work of art on the walls of the temples depicting the way of life of the Laos people.
2. Explore the town by Foot or Bike
There are a lot of bicycle rentals in the city. Hop on the bike and peddle your way through the town. I guaranteed you that there is a lot to see and you might find yourself stopping every now and then to check out something new and interesting.
3. Markets in the Morning
We were not able to wake up earlier for the Monk alms giving ceremony (which they say is a must!) so we made up for it by heading to the morning market. There is loads of local produce and interesting things that you won't find in your market at home! I personally enjoyed the market and its colorful vibe.
4. Caves
We traveled by boat for almost 2 hours to get to Pak Ou Cave. Going up to the cave was a steep climb. The caves are cut into the limestone cliffs. Historically, when pilgrims completed the difficult journey to the caves, they left behind a Buddah idol. Over time they have added up and the caves are now filled with thousands of Buddha images of varying sizes and styles.
5. Mekhong River Cruise
A great way to see the life nearby the river is to hop on a boat, best before sunset! There are a lot of monasteries and saffron robed monks that you can see along the way.
6. The Old Quarter
French colonial architecture has made a big impact in Luang Prabang. This main street is filled with restaurants and travel tour shops.
Enjoy a 5,000 Kip (.60 cents USD) fruit shake to quench your thirst after exploring.
7. Night Market
There's nothing much to do at the end of the day except to hit the night market in front of the Royal Palace. Starts at 5:00 pm and closes at 10:00 pm every day. Usually markets like these get crowded, but there's something about Luang Prabang's night market that is relaxing, even if there's a lot of tourists around.
8. Tat Kuang Xi Waterfall
I said to myself when I saw the waterfall that if waterfalls are girls, this is the fairest of all I've seen.
Tourists are welcome to take a dip in the mini waterfalls and naturally turquoise water. The water is cold by the way!
The water is so blue because there are rich calcium carbonate deposits in it, so when it hits the light, it emits this kind of jade/turquoise almost glowing color.
Aside from the waterfalls, they also have a bear sanctuary. Bears are endangered in Asia because they are killed for their bile, which some believe make you strong after drinking it.
9. Enjoy the sunset
There are three ways you can enjoy the sunset. You can go to to the top of the hill at Phusi Temple for a higher view.
But you have to share it with quite a crowd. Don't think you're the only one who wants to take a photo of the sunset!
You can also enjoy the sunset by hopping on a sunset cruise.
Or you can find a riverside restaurant, get a drink, or eat at buffet and enjoy the sunset scene from your table.
10. EAT!
Aside from taking photos, this is my favorite thing to do when we travel: EAT! And Laos food did not disappoint us from day one until the last day.
We ate at Tamarind restaurant - highly recommended. We had barbecued cured pork - skewers of soured pork bites wrapped in lemongrass with tamarind ginger dipping sauce.
Stuffed lemon grass (Oua Si Khai). Lemongrass stuffed with chicken, kaffir lime, coriander. With lime-peanut side dipping sauce.
Another restaurant that we highly recommend is Dyen Sabai restaurant and bar.
If I can have two words to describe LP it would be "Chill Zone". You will find yourself slowing down while taking in the cultural and natural beauty that surrounds the city.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post and it somehow gave you an idea of what Luang Prabang is like.
Let me know if you have any questions or thoughts regarding this post and I'd be happy to respond!
