Luang Prabang is a charming town in northern Laos that exemplifies the fusion of traditional Asian culture with French influence. At sunrise, you’ll find monks participating in the daily alms giving ceremony with a backdrop of French colonial style architecture. At the night market, you can chow down on some delicious larb and then satisfy your sweet tooth with a fresh-baked croissant or pain au chocolat.
THINGS TO DO
Go wat hopping around the city. There is no lack of stunning temples around Luang Prabang, and most are conveniently located walking distance from each other. But if you’re feeling a bit lazy (or burning season has made it impossible to walk for longer than 5 minutes) you can zip between them on a motorbike. Make sure to dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered.
Visit the night market. Every night, the main road closes to cars and fills with stalls selling various goods from scarves to lanterns to bracelets made from bombs the US dropped on Laos during the secret war (a not so gentle reminder of the vicious impact the US had on all of SE Asia during the Vietnam War). The night market is definitely smaller and less overwhelming than others in SE Asia, which makes it a more relaxed shopping experience.
There’s also a food section of the market that satisfies all the cravings, from papaya salad to shabu to sushi. Extra points for the number of veg options. You can enjoy your food and a (or many) Beer Lao at the tables in the center.
Visit Kuang Si Falls. *Disclaimer: please don’t read any further if you (like Julia) were too hungover to make it to the waterfall and don’t want to feel worse about yourself*
If you’re still reading, I can tell you that Kuang Si Falls is one of the most stunning waterfalls I’ve seen in my time in SE Asia, with turquoise waters that glow in contrast with its lush green jungle surroundings.
Getting there: There are a few options, including a group minivan (most hostels have organized tours to the falls), a shared tuktuk (which you can get from the center of town), or renting your own motorbikes (which we did). The drive is about an hour long and is a pretty easy scenic drive (just watch out for potholes). I recommend going in the morning at around 9 or 10 AM to beat the crowds.
Cost: The entrance fee is 20,000 kip.
Swimming: You can swim in some of the pools at the lower level of the falls, so definitely bring a swimsuit. You can change in the bathrooms near the bottom level.
Bonus: If you’re feeling ambitious, you can hike to the top of the waterfall. It’s not too strenuous, but I wouldn’t recommend doing this in flip flops due to the slippery terrain (note Alec's stylsih watershoes). There is a pretty view overlooking the jungle and you can take a bamboo raft to the source of the falls for around 10,000 kip (you can negotiate with the man there especially if you have a group of people).
Bear Sanctuary: On the way to the falls, you’ll walk through a bear sanctuary that houses a number of Asiatic black bears that were rescued from unethical circumstances. The enclosure has lots of trees, swings, and hammocks for the bears to play. The rescue center is operated by Free the Bears and relies on donations.
Butterfly Park: Before the falls entrance, you’ll see signs directing you to the butterfly garden, which offers a pretty stroll and a deal on apple pie and pumpkin soup (I was just as confused as you are reading that sentence). The admission fee is a little pricey for Lao standards, but the proceeds go to a nonprofit for education.
Watch the morning alms giving ceremony. If you’re like me and thinking that nothing sounds worse than a 6am wakeup during holiday, I assure you this is worth it (and you can go back to sleep immediately after). The alms giving ceremony is a long-lasting Lao tradition in which locals prepare food---mainly sticky rice-- to give as offerings to monks who pass through each morning. We watched it from Phou Vao Road--a quieter and less touristy location--where they passed us at around 6:30 am. Proper etiquette involves modest clothing, remaining silent, and tucking your feet behind you.
Treat yourself to a massage at Silver Naga Spa & Beauty. It may not sound like an activity that fits with the backpacker lifestyle, but because of their affordability, I was able to get a massage almost weekly during my travels. Here, I paid 80,000 kip for a 1hr Lao massage, which is similar to a Thai massage with a little less pressure.
Climb Mount Phousi. This is quite a steep climb, so it's recommended to go at sunrise or sunset to avoid* the heat (*the heat can never actually be avoided in SE Asia). The view from the top is nice, and I’m sure it would’ve been even better had the sky not been on fire from burning season. The entrance fee is 20,000 kip, and I would suggest modest clothing as "Phou Si" translates to sacred hill.
Try the Luang Prabang edition of Beer Lao. There are plenty of bars and restaurants both along the main road and overlooking the Mekong, where you can people-watch and sip on a cold Beer Lao.
NIGHTLIFE
The infamous bowling alley: This is the only place in Luang Prabang that serves alcohol after 11:30pm, so you can easily follow the hajj of backpackers headed here to continue their nights. Songthaews line up outside Mad Monkey waiting to take everyone here after pregaming, or tuk tuks around town will know where to take you if you just say “bowling alley.”
There was also a Lao bar that people migrated to after leaving the bowling alley if you ask around/follow the crowd. Can’t say I made it here myself but our local legend Alec surely did.
WHERE TO STAY
Mad Monkey: Your classic Mad Monkey, it had a social vibe and was new/clean but a bit removed from the center of the city.
Pongkhum Residence: Alec and I decided to stay in a calmer accommodation before delving into chaos for the rest of our trip. The guesthouse had free breakfast and bicycles to use, and the owner was able to organize our transportation to Vang Vieng as well as help us rent motorbikes. Some things were broken in the room, but overall it was a great value and a good location.
