Welcome to Travelfish, original Asia travel intelligence you can trust.
Username: Password: | Join
 

Luang Prabang




























 
 

Luang Prabang

The Lao province of Luang Prabang and its eponymous capital are two of the most atmospheric and popular destinations in Laos.

The riverine town of Luang Prabang, once the capital of Laos and still considered to be its religious heart, breathes a rich meld of French Indochinese architecture and subtle Theravada Buddhist temples, and imparts on visitors an especially unique vibe. Luang Prabang is strikingly situated on a peninsula formed by the confluence of two rivers. Its palm-lined riverbanks, ochredaubed houses, terracotta roofs and saffron-robed monks all come together to form a picture postcard increasingly difficult to find in Southeast Asia.

Somnambulant and languid, its peaceful feel masks its fascinating history of conquest and recapture, and only hints at the intricate culture and complex traditions that take place here every day.

The former royal capital, the town sits on a long thin spit of land set at the confluence of the Mekong and Khan Rivers. Littered with dozens of wats, colonial buildings and trading houses, its tree-lined banks, dotted with temple roofs and the rising peak of Mt Phousi, Luang Prabang has enchanted those who arrive by boat for centuries -- and docking by boat remains one of the best ways to arrive here.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, the town was described by the global body as "an outstanding example of the fusion of traditional architecture and Lao urban structures with those built by the European colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries. Its unique, remarkably well-preserved townscape illustrates a key stage in the blending of these two distinct cultural traditions."


 
















A simple walk about town illustrates these ideas -- Luang Prabang is picturesque, with all the charm of a quaint European town mixed with the wonderful, woodsy spice of Asia.

The city has been considered one of Southeast Asia's must sees for well over a decade, so untouched it's not. With an international airport and daily connections to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, many people fly in and fly out -- in the process seeing nothing more of Laos. This means more foreign visitors per temple than perhaps anywhere else in the region (than perhaps Angkor Wat), so rein in any expectations of having the place to yourself.

With an outstanding range of restaurants, guesthouses and hotels, a gorgeous location and super-friendly people, it does have a frequent habit of wrecking tightly planned itineraries -- be sure to allow at least a few days to really take this wonderful town in.

Sleepy much of the year, Luang Prabang bursts with life during Pimai Lao, Laos' new year. If you're planning on visiting at that time of the year, be sure to book a room well in advance.

With the capital at its centre, Luang Prabang province stretches north to Phongsali and the Vietnamese frontier, east to Hua Phan and Xieng Khuang, south to Vientiane and west to Udomxai and Sainyabuli. The east of the province in particular is a vast, mountainous swath of real estate with next to nothing in the way of development, but to the north you'll find the villages of Nong Kiaow and and Muang Ngoi, laid-back, stunning riverside spots attracting a steady backpacker trade. Both can be reached by boat or road and if you've planned on striking north to Phongsali, you'll definitely want to set aside a day or two in one or the other -- or both.

Add to scrapbook



 
Travelfish Guides: Bringing together the best of the Travelfish site in a concise, easy to read format.
Buy a Remote southern Laos Travelfish Guide Travelfish Guide   Buy a Champasak Travelfish Guide Travelfish Guide   Buy a Luang Prabang Travelfish Guide   Buy a Vientiane 2008 Travelfish Guide   Buy a Laos pack Travelfish Guide  
 

  Search for accommodation


Search for guesthouses & hotels
where in Laos?

Sort results by:
Travelfish ranking (best first)
Price (cheapest first)
Name (A-Z)
Show only properties bookable online


Sponsored listings


Recommended reading

 » Luang Prabang escape
 » Muang Ngoi Escape
 » What is a good guesthouse in Luang Prabang?
 » Is Lao Airlines safe to fly?
 » Malaria in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam
 » Lonely Planet Laos 6 -- worth every kip
 

Luang Prabang reviews

Backchat from the Travelfish community

Gold City
By chaos23 (dabbler - 6 reviews)
Written on 13th June, 2009 after a visit to Luang Prabang in November, 2008

Luang Prabang is home to some 70 wats, 2,000 monks -- and millions of (partly non-respectful) tourists! Depending on what you're after you can find your quiet getaway or a party atmosphere here. After two days, if you're fed you with temples, take a boat trip to the Pak Ou Caves or visit Kuang Si Waterfalls. Watch the morning market and wait for the perfect sundown shot on top of Mount Phou Si.

Be prepared to walk against the direction of all travellers to see different things than all the other hordes. I was taken aback by just how many tourists were there and I fled Luang Prabang after three days. Nonetheless, it is a beautiful city, with nice people, great sceneries and lots of good food! Prices are increasing though.
  Sights & activities
  History & culture
  Scenery & environment
  Eat & drink
  Traveller's scene
  Romance
  Value for money
  I'll be back (or not)
Also reviewed by chaos23: Champasak, Don Dhet, Ko Tao, Pakse, Vientiane,

Have your say

You need to be logged in to add a review.
Username: Password:
Not a member? you can join here.

Review title

Snappiness encouraged ;-)

When did you visit here?

This gives your review a bit of context - especially if you were last in Luang Prabang in 1932.

Your review

(Remotely sensible, non-ranting comments are much appreciated. If you don't like somewhere, please explain why -- it's all far more helpful for others that way.) Serial ranters, loons and spammers will be banished!
And please, no self-promotional URLs -- that's what your signature field is for.


So how does it rate?
On a scale of one to ten (with 10 being outstanding and 1 being bloody awful) how would you rate Luang Prabang for the following criteria?

Note: Ratings are OUT OF TEN -- not five!

Sights & activities:  
History & culture:  
Scenery & environment:  
Eat & drink:  
        
Traveller scene:  
Romance:  
Value for money:  
I'll be back (or not):  

Please note comments are edited for clarity, typos and style before they appear. Ranting tirades, spam and anything else that really belongs somewhere else won't make the cut. If you want to rant, go to Thorntree.

Please login and refresh this screen before writing your review -- thanks!




 
 

 

Vision: Luang Prabang

kuang sii falls opposite pak ou caves weaver view from Mount Phousi Tat KuangSi steps to mount phousi
wat wat xieng thong silk and dyes wat xieng thong hmong village morning monks
hmong village feeding monks fruit boats on mekong bamboo bridge buddah
Khoun and Khone Bungalows, Luang Prabang Khoun and Khone Bungalows, Luang Prabang Khoun and Khone Bungalows, Luang Prabang Airport here we come... Luang Prabang Cheers on a sunset cruise, Luang Prabang

 

The bottom line

This site was constructed out of 100% recycled electrons -- if you don't, you should recycle too!
All material copyright Travelfish Pty Ltd ACN 107 758 985 -- please don't steal our content
Thailand FAQ | Cambodia FAQ | Travel related links | Jobs with Travelfish | Press
For ZoneAlarm Users | Contact Travelfish | Privacy statement | About us
Advertise with Travelfish | How do I get my business listed on Travelfish?
Yahoo! FareChase
Last updated pretty recently ;-)
There are 94 visitors online, PerjalananSambilMotret, darrenh, swag, and your boss!
Travelfish | Blog | Fourelephants | AsiaNewsDesk | BangkokMetro | Affiliates