At first glance, Luang Prabang is the kind of town where you come to rest. Apparently, there is not much to see and where you do not intend to stay for more than 2-3 days. But then you realize that it’s not time to go yet, that there are still places to visit, that you still just want to sit and feel the energy of the town, to lose yourself in its streets, eat on the terraces in the marketplace, sit in a hammock on a terrace or attend a yoga class.

Luang Prabang made us feel at home, we already have our favorite places where we love to go, we have our own routine.

Every morning, at breakfast, tourists would come to the reception to ask if their room is still available to stay a few more nights. We first booked 3 nights at Singharat Guest House, then we booked 5 more at Lakangthong 2 Friendly House.

This little town has its own charm, a familiarity that makes you want to stay more. What’s so special about it?

Night Market

The Night Market is open only by night. You can find almost anything you want there. The food is delicious, the prices are very low, the sellers negotiate anything and eventually ask you for the price you are willing to pay. It’s hard to avoid it, we got there almost every night. Even the simple fact of smelling the food and losing yourself in the crowd has a special charm.

The Phousi Mountain

Phousi Mountain takes you out of your comfort zone because you have to climb many stairs, but the sunset on this mountain is absolutely amazing and clearly worth the effort. The proof stands in the images below. Entry costs 20,000 kip (about 12,5 $) / person.

The Royal Palace

At the Royal Palace, I saw for the first time pieces of moon rock. The King received them as a gift from the President of the United States and they stand in one of the palace’s rooms alongside with other gifts. Unfortunately, all your belongings, including the camera, must be left at the entrance to a cloakroom, so you cannot take photographs. In addition to the palace, you can admire the vintage cars that the King has had over the years.

The entry costs 30,000 kip (approx. 3,6 $) / person.

Temples

Luang Prabang has many little temples, most of which are on the same street, which means they can be visited in only one day.

The place where the Mekong meets Nam Khan

It was fascinating for me to see how two different rivers meet and how their colors are so different. Above the rivers, there is also a terrace for those who want to stay longer and to admire the scenery for a morning coffee or for an evening wine.

Kwang Si waterfall

A little crowded and full of tourists, but certainly a place you do not want to miss. I’ve seen many waterfalls, but this one is really spectacular.

The waterfall is 1 hour away from Luang Prabang, but almost every hotel offers transport up to 40,000 kip (about 5$) / person. Waterfall entry costs another 20,000 kip (about 2.5 $) / person. The road up there is not very comfortable as there are many curves and you get out of the bus a bit dizzy, but there is a good opportunity to admire the surrounding villages and to surprise some pictures of what Laos rural life means from a distance. You can also rent a scooter to get there, but given the fact that we see everyday tourists who are lame or bandaged, we have not yet ventured to rent one.

Its turquoise color is superb, with several terraces, and you can also bathe in some places, although the water is quite cold. We were there on a chilly day and we did not get into the water, there were a few brave ones, but we were not among them. I found out that when it’s hot, the place is more crowded, which is understandable, as can be seen in the pictures below.

For these places, for the energy this town has and for the beautiful moments spent with friends we met there, Luang Prabang is one of our favorite places so far.

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Safe travels,
Ancuța

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