Things to do in Luang Prabang

Royal Palace Museum

Referred to as the Palace Museum, Royal Palace Museum or the National Museum, this museum, known to locals as Haw Kham (Golden Hall) was constructed between 1904 an 1909 as a new residence for Luang Prabang's Royalty. Their previous digs were destroyed during the Black Flag invasion.

While built to house Lao royalty, the Museum was built during Laos' French period and its construction reflects the blend of two very distinctive styles. The plans originally held for a more European-styled building, including a spire over the throne room, but King Sisavangvong drew the line there and opted for a more traditional Lao style.

Following the dissolution of the monarchy in 1975, the residence became a museum and it has remained in that role ever since. What was once the official reception area now forms the primary exhibition area. The entrance hallway is given over to religious displays and is flanked by rooms to the left and right (the Secretary's reception and the King's reception rooms respectively). The former is filled with past gifts from foreign states, while the latter contains royal busts. Continuing on into the museum takes you to the Throne Hall, with the highlight being the King's elephant chair. Behind the throne hall are a number of residential rooms left largely in state from when the royals departed.

No cameras or bags are allowed inside with secure storage available free at the door. Respectable dress required -- knees and shoulders must be covered.

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Sisavangvong Rd, just across from Phousi Mountain.
Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 08:30-10:30 and 14:00-16.00

Kwang Si Falls and Phet the tiger

About an hour's scenic drive through rice fields, mountains and dusty ethnic minority villages lies the beautiful Kwang Si Waterfall. Clear water cascades gracefully over limestone formations gathering into layers of stunning turquoise pools. The main part of the waterfall is no longer as spectacular as photos and postcards suggest, as a large section of the limestone deposit formation collapsed relatively recently. This does not stop the rest of the falls from being gorgeous, and the attraction is well worth a visit. Follow the tumbling waters either up or downstream to private shaded swimming areas and scenic views.

Picnic spots, public toilets and changing rooms are available. Bring a baguette or buy simple Lao food at stalls on site. Swimming is permitted in marked pools only and modest bathing costumes are necessary. Lao people swim fully clothed.

Phet the tiger and her several Asiatic Black Bear companions, rescued from the hands of poachers, are in large enclosures halfway between the entrance and the Falls complex. Linger to watch their unusual antics and make a donation to help support these endangered species.

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Opening Hours: Daily 09:30-17:00
How to get there: A tuk tuk will quote about 200,000 kip to go to the falls, stay a couple of hours, and return, regardless of number of people. It is possible to talk them down a bit. Depending on the size of your party, a cheaper and sometimes more convenient option is to go through one of the many tour operators around town. They will charge anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 kip excluding entry so shop around -- as this is purely for transport and a tuk tuk is a tuk tuk is a tuk tuk, you don't have to worry that paying a lower price means shoddy service. It is also possible to go by boat.

Pak Ou Caves

The Pak Ou Caves, also known as Tham Ting, or Limestone Caves, are set into a high vertical cliff face on the banks of the Mekong, about an hour and a half upstream from Luang Prabang. The caves can only be reached by boat, either directly from Luang Prabang or from Baan Pak Ou, a small village one hour's drive from Luang Prabang set in the mouth of the Ou River, and directly across the Mekong from the caves.

There is an upper and lower cave, with the lower cave the highlight, being filled with hundreds of Buddha images of varying sizes and with a lovely view across the river. The unlit upper cave is a 10-minute trek up sometimes slippery steps, where you'll need a torch to see the 'naga', a dragon-shaped vessel once used by the King at Lao New Year to wash the Buddha images, and a small graveyard of broken Buddhas.

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Opening Hours: Daily 8:00-17:00
How to get there: The best way to arrange transport is through a tour company, which can yield better fares than you're bound to get on your own as they coordinate a group rate. To Pak Ou you can go by slow boat for about 70,000 kip/person, by minivan for about 60,000 kip/person, or by tuk tuk for about 50,000 kip/person.

Mount Phou Si

Phou Si, meaning Holy Mountain in Lao, has an excellent view over town, as well as the Mekong and Nam Khan. The temple is striking from a distance but can be disappointing up close. Many people gather here to watch the sunset or sunrise and chat to the novice monks who gather to practise their English. There are two entrances, back and front. If you walk up one side and down the other you'll get great views of each river. Bring mosquito repellent to keep the suckers at bay and water to drink as the steps can be steep.

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Opening Hours: Open daily.

The temples of Luang Prabang

Before the Black Flag invasion of 1887, there were 60-odd temples in Luang Prabang. Now there are 43, housing more than 700 monks and novices. An amazing spectacle is watching each of these saffron-robed monks walking barefoot in the misty dawn to receive their daily alms. Photos are allowed, but be respectfully dressed and keep your distance to avoid causing offence.

Keep in mind there are many other temples aside from the following to visit -- the best thing about Luang Prabang is wandering around and finding your favourite. Be prepared for every novice monk in every temple to want to practise their English.

Wat Xieng Thong
Wat Xieng Thong is considered to be the most historically significant and magnificent of Luang Prabang's many temples. Set near the confluence of the Mekong and Khan rivers, with its sweeping two-tiered roof and elaborately decorated interior columns, Wat Xieng Thong is considered to be an outstanding example of the classic Luang Prabang style.

The site of royal coronations and the centrepiece of many festivals, it was, for a time, the end point of journeys to Luang Prabang. Visitors would be received at Wat Xieng Maen on the east bank of the Mekong and would then be shuttled across by boat to Wat Xieng Thong.

The compound is dominated by the central sim, but there's around twenty other structures within the compound, including many stupas, a drum tower, monk quarters, a library and a chapel. This chapel (known as the Red Chapel by the French) contains an outstanding reclining Buddha which is believed to date back to the wat's original construction.

Upon the rear of the sim you'll notice the depiction of a large tree -- this relates to a legend surrounding the foundation of the temple. The story holds that two hermits settled on the temple's present location, placing it near a large flame tree and also near the home of the nagas which lay at the junction of the two rivers.

Less fantastic perhaps, Wat Xieng Thong had its origins in the mid 16th century, when King Setthathilat founded it in honour of the legendary first King of Luang Prabang. From that point onwards until the termination of the monarchy in 1975, Wat Xieng Thong remained under royal patronage.

A historical quirk spared the temple during the Black Flag invasion. While many of Luang Prabang's temples were badly damaged or razed, Wat Xieng Thong was spared sacking because the leader of the invasion, Deo Van Tri, spent time as a novice monk in the temple when he was a young man.
Entrance fee: 5,000kip

Wat Mai
Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham -- also known as Wat Mai (The New Monastery) is one of Luang Prabang's largest wats. Centrally located and an important site during the annual Pimai Lao festival, Wat Mai is one of the city's most photographed temples -- and rightly so.

Founded at the end of the 18th century, construction, additions and expansions didn't see the temple largely finished until the late 1890s (the temple was spared during the Black Flag invasion), with further structures being added to the compound through the 20th century, with the latest renovation being completed in the early 1960s. The wat's sim is the highlight -- its five-tiered roof extends protection over the spectacular gilded bas relief on the front of the sim. This relief depicts scenes from the Ramayana set in the surrounds of Luang Prabang

Wat Mai once played host to Luang Prabang's most valuable artifact -- the Prabang -- an 83cm tall, mostly golden (90%) Buddha statue which is believed to weigh some 50kg. In 1947 it was shifted to the Royal Palace Musuem (or duplicated, with the original shifted to a bank vault in Vientiane or Moscow depending on your penchant for conspiracies). Every year during the Pimai Lao festival the Prabang is shifted from the Museum to Wat Mai, ceremonially washed and then displayed out front for three days.
Entry fee: 5,000kip

Wat Wisunalat (also known as Wat Visoun)
This wat is named after the King whose reign it was constructed in -- King Wisunarat -- making it, along with the sims at Wat That Luang, Wat Mai and Wat Manorom, among the oldest of the operating temples in Luang Prabang.

The original structure was spectacular indeed -- it's believed that some 4,000 trees were required to complete the construction. The dozen pillars which supported the interior were each 100 feet tall and the building's exterior, made entirely of wood, created Luang Prabang's finest example of classic architecture.

Unfortunately this beauty didn't sway the above-mentioned Deo Van Tri of the Black Flag invasion of 1887 -- he had the temple razed to the ground.

A decade later work began on the rebuilding of the temple, with the new construction being of brick and plaster -- much to the relief of Luang Prabang's remaining forests -- and while the new structure tries to adapt the original style to brick, with many wooden balustrades in the windows, it doesn't really pull it off.

Nevertheless the site remains an important repository of religious art -- including a large number of cast Buddha statues.

Today, the main attraction within the compound is the That Pathum (Stupa of the Great Lotus) which sits in front of the sim. It's more popularly known as the That Makmo -- or watermelon stupa -- because that's just what it looks like. Also destroyed (and pillaged) during the Black Flag invasion, the stupa was rebuilt in the late 1920s.


Wat Aham
Constructed in 1823, Wat Aham "Temple of the Opened Heart" is a sleepy, beautiful temple that attracts a fraction of the tourists that the bigger, better known temples attract. The spacious grounds are graced by two large banyan trees, which are believed to host the guardian spirits of Luang Prbaang -- Pu No and Na No.

The main attraction here, aside from the peaceful, relatively untouristed grounds, are the murals within the sim that depict the various stages of hell and torment -- keep an eye out for the two demons sawing a sinner in half.

Wat That Luang
Legend has it, Wat That Luang dates back to the 3rd century BC, but there's little concrete evidence to date the site much earlier than the early 19th century. Within the compound grounds you'll find a chedi containing the ashes of King Sisavang Vong and his brother and a larger stupa which is said to contain a relic of Buddha. The sim is similar in style to that of Wat Mai and Wat Wisunalat, but the main attraction is the large bronze Buddha image -- it weighs some 600kg.

Wat Manorom
Built to inter the ashes of King Samsenthai who died in 1416, the badly weathered sim was home to the Prabang for a decade in the early 16th century. Today, Wat Manorom (also known as Wat Mano) is best known for housing one of Laos' oldest Buddha images -- a large (two tonne), armless bronze statue which dates to the late 14th century. The story goes that the statue lost its arm during furious fighting between the French and Thai armies, and that once matters settled down, the French nicked the arm. Ever since the statue has had to make do with a concrete prosthetic -- it's not a great fit.

If you like to spend time having a yarn with novices, you're in the right place at Wat Mano -- it has the largest number of monks and novices of any wat in Luang Prabang.

Wat Sene
Built in 1718, Wat Sene is known for its large standing Buddha and is set midway up the promontory towards the confluence of the two rivers. 'Sene' means 100,000 kip in Lao and that's what it cost to build the temple -- supposedly the cash came from a lucky find in the waters of the nearby Khan River. 100,000 kip now equates to around US$10.

Tad Sae Waterfall

An hour out of Luang Prabang by tuk tuk followed by a short boat ride is a waterfall well worth the trip because of its limestone cascades. During the dry season, the waterfall often has no water, so is not so spectacular. There are rarely any visitors at this time. Modest swimwear is required so as not to cause offence to the mostly Lao visitors. Restaurants and facilities are available.

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Opening Hours: Open daily
How to get there: A tuk tuk can only get as far as the banks of the river and then a boat serves as transport across to the falls. As with other attractions, tour operators have streamlined the process and offer combined transport at better rates than you can negotiate for yourself unless you're travelling with a sizeable party. Travelling by tuk tuk, expect to pay 40,000 kip/person, and by minivan, 50,000 kip/person.

Weaving villages of Ban Phanom, Ban Xieng Lek

On the outskirts of Luang Prabang, these two villages are principally devoted to textiles. It is possible to watch the women at work as well as observe the entire silk-making process from silkworm, through to dyeing and weaving, to wall hanging. As expected, you can also buy here, although expect to bargain hard.

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outskirts of Luang Prabang
How to get there: It is possible to bicycle here, though it's a long and hilly ride. Be sure to get a well-marked map and bring plenty of water. Otherwise, a tuk tuk should set you back about 150,000 kip. Another option is to arrange a ride through one of the many tour companies around town. Whichever way you go, these villages can easily be combined with a trip to Mahout's grave and are sometimes included in organised local treks.

Ban Had Hian

Ban Had Hian is a small village about 5km from Luang Prabang where you can watch blacksmith families crafting many different kinds of knife, shovel and spade. Keep an eye out for the bellows used to heat the metal, as many of them and other tools are remnants of bomb casings from the Vietnam War. You might also be interested to note the elaborate safety precautions.

Ban Xieng Maen

It's a short boat ride across the Mekong to this very traditional Lao village. Do climb to the top of Wat Chompet to see the great view back over Luang Prabang, though the temple itself is almost in ruins.

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How to get there: Catch a boat from the pier. You can hire your own or talk your way onto one that's leaving for a far better price.

Ban Sang Hai

Aged in a matter of minutes, lao lao is an acquired taste. In this village you can watch its production and purchase a bottle, which will often including scorpions and snakes to improve one's sexual vitality. A 45-minute boat ride up the Mekong, Ban Sang Hai can be visited in conjunction with Pak Ou Caves.

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How to get there: The best way to visit is on the way to or from Pak Ou, but if that's not on the itinerary, you can usually hire a boat from the pier for about 150,000 for one to three people.

Ban Chan Pottery Village

This village on the Mekong produces a variety of pottery from vases to knick-knacks. Here, you can not only watch the artisans in action, but with advance notice, participate and make your own pieces for a truly original souvenir.

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How to get there: For a first visit, you can hire a boat from the pier. While there, arrange to set up the artistic experience for yourself for another day.

Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre

At the base of Phousi Hill behind Dara Market, a beautiful restored French colonial building houses this small museum devoted to Lao ethnography. Various items are on display and include clothing, religious artefacts, and handicrafts. All are received through direct contact with villages in northern Laos, with whom TEAC works directly to preserve their rich histories and cultures. Exhibits are accompanied by information in Lao, French, and English that helps to explain the significance of the artefacts on display. Many items in the museum shop are made in these local villages themselves. All proceeds from admission and donations go directly into these preservation and sustainability efforts.

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Behind Dara Market
Opening Hours: 09:00-18:00 Tues-Sun
How to get there: Just up behind Dara Market – walk up from the Kitsarat Rd side.

Volunteer!

Luang Prabang offers many opportunities to give something back as you travel through. Heed the call, Stay Another Day, and get involved with one of the following. Most opportunities require some advance notice.

Help out with proofreading at Big Brother Mouse -- for more information check out www.bigbrothermouse.com
Share your time helping students practise their English at My Library – www.thelanguageproject.org
Donate blood or get a massage (really this is not just self-indulgence!) at the Lao Red Cross
Share your artistic talents with kids at the Children's Cultural Centre. Email them at cccluangprabang@gmail.com
Teach English in a Kamu village school in the nearby mountains. Contact Tiger Trail for assistance with setting this up at info@laos-adventures.com

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http://www.stay-another-day.org

Elephant mahout training and Eelephant rides

Several camps have been established in the area to care for elephants previously mishandled or overworked. Many of these are injured when they arrive at the camp, where they are nursed back to health and then trained to work with tourists who supply the necessary dollars for this high standard of care.

Elephant rides are usually relatively short jaunts through the jungle with riders perched atop in small bench seats. Mahout training -- while it certainly won't leave you with any sort of certification -- does entail a significant amount of interaction with the gentle giants, at a price.

Neither option will offer enough interaction for some, but with either, you'll get closer than most ever do -- and you're supporting a good cause. Almost every tour company offers some variation on these trips. Look around and see which one appeals.

Kamu and Hmong village treks and homestays

The possibilities are virtually limitless for trekking in the area. Nearby mountains provide perfect fodder for frolicking and trails are often not strenuous, but lengthy, many taking six hours or more. The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful as you forge through forests, jungles and small villages.

These spots are slowly growing accustomed to the influx of foreigners, but remain largely untouched and what you'll get a glimpse of is authentic village life. Many villages offer home stay opportunities or very basic bungalow accommodation to allow for a more in-depth experience. Take them up on it -- despite preservation efforts, who knows how long these sparkling snippets will remain.

Many tour companies organise treks through the countryside and can arrange home stays or accommodation.

Please be mindful and book through a company that shares its proceeds with participating villages. Tiger Trail is one.
Tiger Trail Sisavangvong Rd, Luang Prabang. Tel: (071) 212 311 www.laos-adventures.com

Henri Mouhot's Grave

The first foreigner to see Angkor Wat in its jungle setting, Henri Mouhot died of malaria in 1861 at the age of 35 while living in Luang Prabang. The grave is not particularly interesting, but the scenery on the Nam Khan make it worth the visit. A great picnic spot, but no amenities are available.

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How to get there: It is possible to bicycle here, though it's a long and hilly ride. Be sure to get a well-marked map and bring plenty of water. Otherwise, a tuk tuk should set you back about 150,000 kip. Another option is to arrange a ride through one of the many tour companies around town. Whichever way you go, Mohout's grave can easily be combined with a trip to the weaving villages and a stop is sometimes included in organised local treks.