One Week in Luang Prabang, Laos

After a failed attempt to visit Laos with a friend eight years ago, thankfully, I got a second chance. Luang Prabang had been on my travel wish list ever since. My first stop on a five-and-a-half-week trip, this delightful little town on the Mekong was the perfect place to begin to adjust to a new time zone. The town caters well to travelers. And the coffee culture. And the food. Don’t get me started.

[PRO TIP: Apply for your Lao eVisa prior to entering the country; you will need it in advance of your travel.]

Monks in evening prayer in one of the many temples

DAY 1 | Arrival

First impressions of Luang Prabang—mellow, quaint, unpretentious yet regal. Inhabited since at least 8000 BC, the first Lao Kingdom was founded here in the 14th century. Even after the capital moved to Vientiane in 1545 Luang Prabang remained the country’s spiritual and religious center.

One very cool attraction is the Luang Prabang Night Market which happens every night of the week from 5pm until about 11pm. Vendors sell crafts, t-shirts, loads of inexpensive souvenirs and food. You can’t miss it; it lines the main street in town. One walk up the length of the main street and you’ll realize the plethora of shops and restaurants you’ll want to patronize throughout your stay.

My friend and I scored a lovely outdoor table at Manola, an excellent first dinner in a food lovers’ town.

View of the Night Market descending Phousi Hill

[PRO TIP: The main street in town becomes a pedestrian only thoroughfare every night for the market, so we chose to stay at Cozy An Boutique Hotel based on reviews, location, comfort and value. It was an excellent choice as it’s very easy to find and walk around from here.]

DAY 2 | Getting to Know Laos

[**PRO TIP**: Keep these simple rules in mind when visiting Buddhist temples: remove your shoes, cover your knees and shoulders and speak quietly and respectfully.]

Laos, once known as Lane Xang, means the “Land of a Million Elephants.” Sadly, their numbers are in sharp decline, because of habitat loss, hunting, and capture. Estimates vary widely, but compared to centuries ago, they now number in the hundreds. Still, they are an important symbol of the country’s national identity.

I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t know the county’s political system is communist in ideology and practice. Officially the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, it is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. With a population between seven and eight million, who represent more than 50 tribes, people mostly practice Buddhism. The currency is called the Kip and is one of the world’s lowest-value national currencies by exchange rate.

Laos has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, one of which is Luang Prabang itself.

One of the few countries where the national language’s script, Lao, has no uppercase and lowercase distinction similar to but simpler than Thai script.

We enjoyed dinner at Khaiphaen, a social enterprise opened in 2014 to help children and youth living in poverty. The restaurant serves as a training program for the students. Everything you spend directly supports their on-the-job training as they take steps toward an independent future. The food is delicious. Try the ubiquitous River Weed here.

[PRO TIP: Make a reservation at Khaiphaen or you may not get a table!]

Day 3 | A Guided Walkabout

Luang Prabang in fact means “Royal Buddha Image.” Named so because an important gilded bronze Buddha, symbol of protection and royal authority, was housed there when the town became the capital in the 16th century. There are 33 Buddhist temples around Luang Prabang, one reason UNESCO inscribed World Heritage status, along with its well-preserved monasteries, and traditional wooden houses. To learn more about traditional Lao heritage, culture and architecture visit Heuan Chan Heritage Luang Prabang, set up like an ethnographic museum.

Also on order was The National Museum (former Royal Palace), aka the Luang Prabang Royal Palace Museum because it is housed in the former royal residence built in 1904–1909 under King Sisavang Vong, during the French protectorate. It was used by Lao royalty until 1975. After the monarchy ended it was converted into a national museum in 1976.

**Haw Phra Bang** – Temple housing the sacred Buddha image part of Royal Palace

We made an interesting discovery at Wat Wisuranat, aka Wat Visoun. Built in 1513, then rebuilt in the late 19th century it is the oldest operating temple in Luang Prabang. Upon entering we noticed what looked like a large calendar off to the side. This is the “Tāngrā” a kind of game (called “mak khao” in Laos) used for teaching the Buddhist calendar and astrology. Our guide explained that you shake a can of sticks with numbers on them. When one falls out that is your number and you essentially select what is a fortune.

About an hour before sunset, I climbed to the top of the sacred Phousi Hill, along with a small army of other humans. There is an entrance fee, and the climb is paved or has stairs but is steep. You’ll break a sweat! After my descent, my friend and I enjoyed dinner at the fabulous Lanzhou Hand Pulled Noodles. Shopping the market a final treat at Gelato del Lao ended a long day.

[PRO TIP: Go up Phousi too early and you’ll wait for a long time to get the best photos of the sunset but climb up too late and you’ll have a hard time finding a good viewing spot, or a seat. It’s a tossup.]

We recommend Little Lao Culture Bar for chill vibes, a historic setting and good food and drinks. As a coffee lover, I was thrilled when my online search for coffee bars came up gangbusters! I tried many spots in town, but hands down the best latte I had (oat milk at that) was from Sanid Slowbar. Aromdee serves a fantastic pour over.

DAY 4 | Crusin’ the Mekong

At least once during your stay cruise the Mekong River. We hired our own boat and guide to visit the Pak Ou Caves.

Where the Ou River and Mekong River meet at Ban Pak Ou, two limestone caves, once ceremonially visited by the royal family, are now a popular attraction. The lower and the upper caves are filled with thousands of Buddha statues of every imaginable material, shape and size. It makes for a nice stopping point of the water, but the main attraction for us was the boat ride and the sunset. If you are up for the climb, I recommend seeing both the caves, although the lower cave which is easiest to access has more Buddhas.

Back in the city we booked at table at the wildly popular Lost In Baan. This was one of my favorite restaurants with its uber hip atmosphere, music, creative cocktails and buzz worthy food. Highly recommend.

DAY 5 | A Chef’s Taste

This morning we booked a A Chef’s Tour food tour. One of the things I love most about this type of tour is having a local take you off the beaten path. This tour was all that and more. We explored on foot and also took a few tuk tuk rides to get further outside the center of town. We ate breakfast, lunch and snacks at food stalls, from street vendors, toured the daily Morning Market and ate at restaurants. Highly recommend!

[One of the most interesting and certainly tasty treats we tried! This was a local joint we would not have found on our own.]

Luang Prabang, well known for its Night Market, also has a Morning Market which is more focused on textiles and produce and other ingredients for home cooks. I loved this market and visited it several times. Wandering slowly through the market is a great, free, cultural immersion. I’m particularly fond of dried butterfly pea flowers for making tea, and I bought a bag in the market to bring home.

We booked a table at The Belle Rive Terrace at sunset and dined on the river under the tree canopy outside. Another perfect end to a long day.

[Sunset view over the Mekong from Belle Rive Terrace restaurant.]

DAY 6 | Alms and the Arts

What to say about Alms Giving? This is a daily ritual known as tak bat all over Laos. There are several locations around Luang Prabang where you can see it, as well as participate. A tradition dating back over 600 years, monks rise before dawn and walk through town collecting food from the community.

Our location, quite near our hotel and in front of the visitor’s center, is one of the most popular routes and therefore littered with tourists and locals selling seats and packaged food, which seems to violate the spirit of the ritual. It felt like a circus show, and so I recommend you seek out a quieter more contemplative location.

After the early morning alms fiasco, I was more than happy to have an embroidery class scheduled at the renowned Ock Pop Tock (East meets West in Lao). Since 2000, this artisan social enterprise, based in Luang Prabang, has been merging traditions from the east with innovation from the west to elevate the profile of Lao textiles and contribute to its cultural preservation. You can take classes, tours, eat at their restaurant and even stay overnight on the property. Everything is handmade and exquisite!

Check the website for all their offerings, and to reserve lodging and restaurant tables. We took the Hmong embroidery class and booked at table on the river to watch the sunset while we dined.

DAY 7 | Wrapping with a Bow on Top

Today was our last full day, which I like to use if I have the time, to do all the things I noted earlier, at a more relaxed pace. I returned to all the shops in town that interested me and found a few new ones along the way. I was happy to find a lovely locally made dress, which I would be wearing on the rest of my trip. I liked it much better than one I brought from home, so decided to make a trade to keep my bag light!

We recommend Italian woodfired pizza for lunch at Popolo.

There is a little village outside of town, once accessible on foot by bridge. Now that the bridge isn’t available, we hired a tuk tuk to take us the five kilometers to Ban Xang Khong. The village (a street lined with a few shops and workshops) is known for its traditional Saa (mulberry bark) papermaking. There is also an interesting cafe on the street that sells Matcha drinks, if you are into that.

[PRO TIP: Barter with a tuk tuk driver in town to take you there, wait for you, and return you to town.]

Ending our adventure on a high, we saved one of the city’s most loved local dining experiences for last, booking a table at the amazing Manda de Laos. Our most expensive and only fine dining experience of the week (you can eat well for $2!) this magical gourmet restaurant, tucked away on the site of the original home owned by Maman Phiew’s family, continues to celebrate the very best of traditional Laotian cuisine.

DAY 8 | Departure

[PRO TIP: If you are heading to Thailand as I was, remember to fill out another Digital Arrival Card in advance.]

An afternoon departure afforded me one more opportunity to have a latte and grab a bit at Joma, the bakery cafe (founded by a Canadian) with several locations in Laos. I easily arranged a private airport transfer with the help of the staff at the hotel.