At the meeting point of two rivers, home to the former royal family and the centre of Laos’ culture, Luang Prabang is a beautiful, fascinating town. Here are some of the best things to do here.
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Straight from the 55-minute high-speed train ride from Vang Vieng (a journey that would normally take upwards of five hours by road), we dive into a walking tour of the town.
Our guide here, AK, used to be a monk in Luang Prabang and takes us round several of his favourite temples, telling us exactly what we’re looking at.
But AK’s extensive knowledge isn’t limited to just temples. He’s done everything, from rescuing Asiatic black bears to running market stalls to working for the government.
So from the moment AK picks us up from the train station, we can’t help but soak up the culture here in Luang Prabang.
We’ve travelled to Laos with InsideAsia Tours on their Laos by Rail itinerary, which you can book here.
You can read our overview of the trip here but if you want more detail on each of the places we’ve been to in Laos, click here.
Things to Do in Luang Prabang
This story is all about the things you should do in town in Luang Prabang. There are also lots of things to do out of town in the countryside, which you can find here.
Temples
Monks in Luang Prabang are tasked with maintaining the temples using traditional methods. This is not only a self-regulating process, but one decreed by UNESCO. It’s not uncommon to see young monks doing restorative work to temples here.
Vat Xieng Thong is a beautiful temple at the end of the town’s peninsula. It’s Loas’ most historic temple, built in 1559.
Vat Sene Souk Haram is just up the road from Vat Xieng Thong and also has monks’ living quarters here. Though not quite as old as Xieng Thong, it’s still been here for over 300 years.
Vat Xieng Muan is a small, quiet temple but is right next to the Huan Chan Heritage House (see below) so is an easy temple to add to your list as you’re wandering around town.
There are so many temples squeezed into this charming town, it’s hard not to find yourself stumbling into one. In fact, as they have many exits and entrances into the temple complex, navigating through them using what we like to call ‘Wat Way’ is a neat shortcut!
Museums
The Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre is an excellent museum that teaches you about the multitudes of cultures and ethnic groups in Laos. This is important for any visitor who wants to understand this fascinating country better.
It also highlights how ethnic groups’ fabric and decorative designs have been misappropriated by things like top-end fashion houses without any credit, permission or consultation.
The former Royal Palace now National Museum was built during French occupation in 1904. It’s a fascinating insight into Laos before the overthrow of the monarchy in 1975 and there are many artefacts here from those times.
The historical Huan Chuan House is a Laos home built in the traditional style and is now a cultural museum. It has lots of objects that Lao people have used through the centuries and its layout gives you an idea of what life here would have been like.
Cultural Experiences
Tiao Nath’s house and Baci ceremony
Tiao Nithakhong Somsanith is a renowned artist and descendent of the former royal family. He rarely allows people into his house, which doubles as his art studio.
From commissions from local temples to sculptures in the Smithsonian in Chicago, Tiao Nith is a remarkable person and his house is a grotto of creation.
While you’re here, you can also have a Baci ceremony with a Buddhist master. This celebration of the spirit pre-dates Buddhism and conducted in Sanskrit, it’s still common in Lao culture.
Markets
Luang Prabang’s night markets are awesome. They take over most of Sisavangvong Road – the main street that runs through the middle of the peninsula, starting at the Good Night Market open-air food court.
You can find all kinds of interesting things here, from clothes to woodcraft to jewellery. There are also food stalls here and in other adjoining streets. Highly recommended.
Sunset cruise on the Mekong
Winding its 4,350km way from the Tibetan Plateau, through six countries, the Mekong is the longest river in Southeast Asia. Our sunset cruise on this mighty river is incredible. It’s just us, the pilot and our excellent IAT guide, AK on a traditional Lao riverboat.
While we motor along, AK plates up some delicious local canapés and opens a surprisingly good bottle of wine (with Thailand just next door, we’re not expecting a fine Valpolicella from Venezia). The views are stupendous, with the sun setting in a glorious golden bath in the sky, turning the water to filigree.
Our 90-minute cruise ends all to soon and we disembark on the riverbank an easy walk to the centre of town and its night markets, now in full flow.
Monks’ Morning Quest for Alms
Known as ‘sai bat’, the giving of alms to monks at dawn is a daily ceremony around Lao. You’ll find the streets nearby bigger temples lined with plastic chairs.
Locals sell sticky rice between 20,000 and 50,000 kip (AU$1.50-$3.60) that you can hand to the monks as their procession goes by.
This is a very important cultural ceremony but also a fascinating spectacle. It’s important to obey the rules of conduct if you’re only there to watch.
Finding Coffee
The coffee in Lao is arguably the best in Southeast Asia. They grow their own beans here and have perfected the roasting process. You’ll find good filter drip coffee here, but also great espresso too.
This is not exclusive to cafes and restaurants.
A guy with a stall set up on the street outside his shop had a unique system of making superb espresso unlike anything we’ve seen before. After an intricate three-stage tamping process, the guy poured boiling water into a machine connected to a compressor, which he could set to different pressures.
The result was smooth, rich and invigorating — especially for just 20,000 kip a cup.
