Our highlights of Luang Prabang, Laos
We added this stop to our journey based on a recommendation from a friend, and are so glad we did. We are not massive fans of bustling cities so this offered us just what we were looking for – a quiet little traditional town set on the edge of the Mekong River, but get there soon before too many tourists ruin it!
We spent four nights here, and as Laura was injured we didn’t do too much outside of the town, but it was the perfect serene place for a rest and relax.
Temple time
Wherever you turn in Luang Prabang there are temples and most are free to have a little wander through. It just so happened we were staying very close to two temples and every morning we enjoyed a relaxing breakfast outside listening to the monks singing and chanting.
We also spent one very hot morning exploring the largest temple in the town, Wat Xiengthong – it is worth a visit and has a small entrance fee.
Monks
If visiting the temples isn’t enough for you there are two opportunities to see the monks.
1) attend a monk chat where younger monks practice their English and widen their knowledge of other cultures and countries.
2) if you can get yourself up early enough, watch the monks procession at dawn where you can hand them food which is their only meal of the day.
Pak Ou Caves
We were lured to do this day trip with the promise of spiritual caves filled with Buddha shrines. You take a long boat up the Mekong River for around 1.5 hours stopping at a whiskey village along the way.
The boat trip is the best bit as you see the locals fishing and going about their daily routine. The whiskey village is a gimmick to attract tourists, with one man selling whiskey as you disembark the boat.
The caves themselves – there are two caves which require you to climb up and down around 100+ steps and are disappointingly filled with Buddha statutes, which in the most part look like anyone could have just placed there. There is no tour guide or further explanation and unfortunately feels like a tourist trap.
Have a wander!
Spend a few hours just wandering around the town. There are lots of little side streets to explore; along the river bank is also really nice and you can always stop off for a coffee in one of the many little cafes. There are two bamboo bridges in the town connecting smaller villages across the river; cross these for a wander too if you want to see even more of the real Laos.
Go further afield with a bike
Because of Laura’s injuries we were pretty limited to what we could do, but are planning on going back to Luang Prabang when we are next in SE Asia, primarily to explore the surrounding areas and see the untouched villages hidden amongst the countryside. We were told we could hop on a boat up the Mekong river and hop off again to do this, and it would get us further afield than just walking.
Sunset views
It is worth spending one evening watching the beautiful sunset over the Mekong River. Sunset boat tours are offered but our recommendation is Riverside Sunset Bar and Restaurant – spend the money on beers with an uninterrupted view of the sunset.
Food Market
Meat, meat and more meat – if you like meat this is the food market for you. Good quality meat on large skewers; you are handed a tray, you pile it up with your selection and they heat it up on the bbq – so tasty and cheap.
Top Tip: There is a good selection of bars and restaurants but most restaurants close by 10pm and the bars by 11pm. This is definitely not a party town.
Food recommendations:
Blue Lagoon: if you are willing to pay a bit more or want a special night out then we would recommend this restaurant (we justified this as date night!) It is definitely more pricey than the average restaurant in Luang Prabang but the beef carpaccio, beef roll, and the Malbec served in huge wine glasses makes it totally worth it.
Dyen Sabai: Located on the edge of the other side of the river Phousi, you have to cross a little Bamboo foot bridge costing about 50p. This multi level restaurant built on the river bank, invites you to take your shoes off and relax on low level seating as you look out on to the river. The perfect meal is the tasting platter to start to sample local foods, followed by the fondue with a selection of meat or tofu that you cook yourself along with a huge basket full of vegetables and noodles cooked in water and seasoning to your taste. Their cocktails are pretty good too!
Saffron Coffee Shop: a specialised coffee house you can get a coffee made any which way you like with Loan coffee. If that isn’t enough to tempt you, the food is healthy and super tasty and the WiFi is good too!
