Luang Prabang: UNESCO Town on the Mekong

Every morning around 5:30am, monks from Luang Prabang’s 30-odd monasteries walk in single file through the streets collecting sticky rice from townspeople in an alms-giving ceremony called Tak Bat. It has been happening daily for centuries. The presence of tourists with cameras has made parts of this ceremony genuinely uncomfortable for the monks who participate in it, and some monasteries have changed routes to avoid the heavier traffic areas. If you watch: stand quietly on the pavement, do not use flash, do not approach or touch the monks, and do not buy rice from street touts (it is often contaminated with non-rice materials and harms the monks who eat it). The section near Wat Sene has the longest procession. The way to participate respectfully is to be a silent observer, not a photographer getting close for a better angle.

Luang Prabang itself sits where the Nam Khan meets the Mekong, 300km north of Vientiane, on a forested peninsula. The UNESCO listing in 1995 preserved the French colonial shophouses and Buddhist temples; it also accelerated a tourism economy that has reshaped the town’s character. It is now heavily oriented toward international visitors, which makes some longtime travellers uncomfortable. It is also genuinely beautiful and worth several days.

Temples

Wat Xieng Thong at the northern tip of the peninsula, built in 1560, is the most important and the most beautiful temple in Luang Prabang. The roofline sweeps close to the ground on the sides in a style found nowhere else; the rear walls carry coloured glass mosaics. The funeral carriage pavilion behind the main building holds an ornate royal funeral boat covered in gold nagas. Entry 20,000 LAK (around $1). Open 8am-5pm.

Mount Phousi in the centre of town takes 15 minutes to climb and gives the best views of the river confluence. Go at sunrise if you can manage it before the monks’ alms round; the light is exceptional and the summit is quiet.

Royal Palace Museum

Built for King Sisavang Vong in 1904, it became a museum after the Pathet Lao takeover in 1975. The collection includes royal regalia and the Prabang, the sacred gold Buddha image the city is named after. The former throne hall and the king’s personal quarters are accessible. Nixon presented the museum with a moon rock in 1969, which remains on display in context with other foreign gifts. Entry 30,000 LAK. Photography not permitted inside.

Kuang Si Falls

30km from town, accessible by tuk-tuk (around $10 each way) or rented motorbike. The falls drop into turquoise limestone pools that are genuinely beautiful. Arrive before 9am to beat the tour groups. The walk to the upper tiers takes 20 minutes and the pools there are quieter. The bear rescue centre at the entrance is worth a brief stop: Asiatic black bears confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade are kept in large forested enclosures.

Where to Eat

The night market on Sisavangvong Road runs from dusk with cheap street food; the set vegetarian buffet stalls at the north end are particularly good value at around 15,000 LAK per plate.

Tamarind Restaurant runs cooking classes and serves reliable Lao food: mok (fish steamed in banana leaf), laap (minced meat salad), jaew (chilli dipping sauce). A good introduction to dishes not on most tourist menus.

French bread and coffee from the baguette stalls near the morning market (a sandwich for around $0.50) is the best breakfast deal in Laos, the residue of colonial infrastructure applied to local flavours.

Getting There

Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) has direct connections from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, and Siem Reap. The slow boat from Huay Xai on the Thai border takes two days down the Mekong for around $50; the scenery is excellent and the journey is an experience in itself.

Best months: November through March, dry and cooler at 20-25C. April is Lao New Year and genuinely chaotic in a festive way if you’re prepared for it.