Luang Prabang was formerly the capital of a Kingdom of Laos. Now a large city with a vast variety of natural and historical sights, fast growing into one of the most visited cities in Laos.
For a big city, Luang Prabang is very laid back. The city centre itself is fairly small, dotted with cute cafes, crafty stores and small winding streets. It instantly feels like this place is somewhere I could chill for a while.
How to get here
Luang Prabang is located in the North of Laos, with lots of transportation options making it a very easy destination to get to.
An international airport located only 5 km from the city centre.
National and international Buses go to and from popular destinations within Laos and neighbouring countries. Due to the poor road conditions, most journeys can take a very long time. Many destinations include overnight travel option. Ensure you get a hotel pick-up/drop off included because the bus station is away from the city centre.
Many travellers also travel to and from Luang Prabang by a slow-boat connecting to Chiang Rai, Thailand.
You can purchase a bus ticket or a slow-boat ticket from any of the travel agents in the city centre. Shop around for the best prices and don’t be shy to negotiate a small discount.
Where to Stay
I stayed at a Friendly Backpackers Hostel, conveniently located less than 5 minutes walk from the night market.
Friendly Backpackers is a basic but also VERY cheap hostel, only $3 per night with breakfast included. If you’re on a tight budget, this place is perfect for you!
You can book this accommodation directly with Booking.com through this link: Friendly Backpackers Hostel.
Use my code to earn £15 back from your stay: V0OBUC54
Pro Tip:
They also offer some of the cheapest laundry service and motorbike rentals in Luang Prabang.
Where to Eat
Definitely check out the Night Market, you can find a good variety of delicious local foods at very cheap prices. Look out for the ‘all you can eat’ buffet, amazing food for only Kip 15,000 and it’s located around here.
For a delicious sit-down meal, I would highly recommend to try BOUANG Asian Eatery. They had really delicious food and a great variety of options. You can find them here.
Kuang Si Falls
Located 30 km away from central Luang Prabang, near a small local town, hidden in the forest you can find pools of turquoise waters cascading through multiple levels of the famous Kuang Si Falls. This is a must-visit sight in Luang Prabang, and an absolute MUST SEE while in Laos.
It’s possible to walk around and explore the area, some travellers also attempt to hike to the top of the tallest waterfall for the panoramic views. I was hoping to get to the top, however, the day I went to the Kuang Si Falls I wasn’t feeling well and decided to stick with an easy walk around the main area instead. It was still very beautiful!
Beware that most tour groups arrive around 9 am and it will only get busier from then. Plan to arrive as early as possible to avoid crowds.
Opening times: 8 am – 5 pm
Entrance Fee: Kip 20, 000
How to get there
You can take a tuk-tuk from Luang Prabang, shop around for the best prices and don’t be shy to bargain!
You can also rent a scooter and drive to the Kuang Si Falls. I’ve decided to rent a scooter from the Friendly Backpackers Hostel for Kip 80, 000 and split the cost two ways with a friend. The drive was fairly easy, some winding roads and sections of gravel. One way took approximately 1 hour.
Phou Si Hill (Sunset Point)
In the heart of the city, Phou Si Hill is a popular sunset and sunrise spot.
You can hike to the top of the hill in 15 minutes and find panoramic views of Luang Prabang city. Arrive before the sunset and enjoy the mesmerising view of the sun setting over the Mekong River.
It gets very crowded, arrive early to grab yourself a seat.
When I went to watch the sunset in May, it took a while for the sun to set and even longer for the pink skies to cover the sky. Stay on the top of the hill for a while, especially if it’s not cloudy and hopefully you will be treated with deep pink skies.
From the Phousi Hill, you can walk down directly to the Night Market.
Entrance Fee: Kip 20, 000
How to get there:
There are multiple entrances, the easiest and the most direct way to go up is from the night market street, just opposite the Haw Pha Bang temple. Look for stairs going up around here.
Luang Prabang Night Market
Night Market runs daily from 5 pm until 11 pm along the Sisavangvong Road where you can find a vast variety of unique souvenirs, many of which are handmade by locals. This is probably the best place to get a good bargain for your gifts and souvenirs, make sure to pick up anything you need before leaving Luang Prabang.
On the side road off the main Night Market street, there is a small alley, this is where you’ll find the food street market. It’s located around here.
Opening times: 5 pm – 11 pm
How to get there
The main, straight road in Luang Prabang leads directly to the Night Market. It is located within a walking distance from most accommodations.
Bamboo Bridge
You can only find this Bamboo Bridge in Luang Prabang standing for 6 months per year. During the rainy season, this bridge has to be removed because water levels rise and currents are too strong, they would destroy the bridge.
Every year, a local Lao family rebuilds this bridge so that we can easily access the other side of the river and locals can have easier access to get to work.
What truly amazes me, is that this bridge is made entirely out of the bamboo with some wood and a tape to hold it all together. You won’t find a single nail. Despite the rustic engineering of the bridge, it’s actually very sturdy.
Entrance Fee: Kip 5, 000 to help support local families who rebuild the Bamboo Bridge
How to get there
Located just 5 minutes from the Night Market Street, you can easily walk to the Bamboo Bridge from most accommodation.
Alms Ceremony
A very authentic and unique experience in Luang Prabang is to observe locals offering Alms to the passing Monks. This occurs daily at sunrise and tourists can come to observe from a distance.
Please be very mindful and respectful to the community and the Monks during the ceremony. Wear appropriate clothing that will cover your knees and shoulders. Also, make sure not to be noisy or disturb the Monks, it’s a very traditional and special ritual for the whole of the Luang Prabang local community.
I personally decided not to view the ceremony, for various reasons. However I still wanted to provide you with the information.
Starting time: Sunrise
How to get there
Alms are offered from the streets of Luang Prabang, I recommend you to find a quieter street, somewhere off the main road in the city centre. It’s not only to enjoy the ritual without other tourists, but it’s also in consideration that the main street will have significantly more people which creates more distraction and noise during the ceremony.
Overall I really enjoyed Luang Prabang, even though at the time I went there, I was recovering from food poisoning. I only had a few days to spend in Luang Prabang, but with limited time and restricted by illness I still managed to make the most out of my stay. Hopefully one day I can return and enjoy this beautiful city with my regular levels of energy!
For now, I hope you enjoyed this blog post and found the information helpful to plan your next trip in Laos.
Roni on the Run 