Luang Prabang, Laos

Anne Atienza

Luang Prabang is a city in northern Laos that is known for its stunning temples, French colonial architecture, and laid-back atmosphere. It is a popular tourist destination, and for good reason. The city is full of things to see and do, from visiting temples and monasteries to exploring the city's many shops and restaurants. One of the best things about Luang Prabang is its temples. There are over 30 temples in the city, and each one is unique. Some of the most popular temples include Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Phou Si, and Wat Mai. Luang Prabang is also home to a number of French colonial buildings. These buildings date back to the time when Laos was a French colony. Some of the most notable French colonial buildings include the Royal Palace Museum, the Governor's Palace, and the Catholic Cathedral. In addition to its temples and colonial buildings, Luang Prabang is also known for its laid-back atmosphere. The city is a great place to relax and soak up the local culture. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants where you can enjoy a cup of coffee or a meal. You can also take a cooking class, go on a hike, or visit one of the many waterfalls in the area. No matter what you're interested in, Luang Prabang is a great place to visit. It is a city that has something to offer everyone.

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Where To Go

Phousi Hill

@berniceanne

Phu Si, a hill located along Sisavangvong Road. There’s a 300-step climb to get to the top, where there’s a Buddhist temple and a good view of Mekong River and Nam Khan. It was definitely a challenge. We were very worried at first cause we’re all in our 30s and not so good at climbing stairs. I don’t do any exercises so I had to stop from time to time. Oh and there’s a 20,000 kip admission fee – quite pricey I think. And if you plan to use the toilet, you have to pay 2,000 kip.

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Tat Sae Waterfalls

@berniceanne

Tad Sae is really beautiful, it was my first time to see a cascading waterfalls. You get to swim in the main part of it unlike Kuang Si. You can go anywhere freely, even to the topmost layer but you have to be really careful. The water is really strong and perfect for swimming – the water can be quite cold though. I really enjoyed our stay here. The place also has facilities like toilet, changing rooms, restaurants and tables and chairs for a picnic. I just don’t approve of the elephant riding. I felt bad for the elephants.

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Sisavangvong Road

@berniceanne

Sisavangvong Road is a sight itself. Whether during day or night. Everything on this road is beautiful. They also close it at night to make way for the night market. This is also where the 15,000 kip buffet is located.

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Kuang Si Waterfall

@berniceanne

Kuang Si Waterfalls is beyond beautiful. I really have no words! You can’t really swim in the main falls because there’s a sign that says there are monkeys or snakes in the area. It’s really just for taking pictures. But the falls extends and extends to smaller waterfalls, similar to Tat Sae. The water’s super cold. It was cold in Tat Sae but the water here is freezing! Also, it can be quite dangerous because it just gets deep all of a sudden. You really have to be careful or you’ll drown if you can’t swim.

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Luang Prabang Bowling Alley

@berniceanne

The Luang Prabang Bowling Alley is famed for being a late-night drinking hole in addition to being the town’s only ten pin bowling venue. Loud Asian pop music, local whisky and Beer Lao are as popular as the bowling which costs 20,000 kip per person per game. Bowling, drinking and socialising continues until doors close at 02:00 with the crowd consisting mainly of backpackers. The bowling alley is one of the few places in Luang Prabang where you can grab a drink after the strict 23:30 curfew and is best reached by taking a tuk tuk. The bowling alley is located on the outskirts of town. You might want to pre-arrange the fare with the driver to wait for you or alternatively you could pick one up from the Mount Phu Si base where tuk tuks tend to wait to ferry ‘bowlers’ home.

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Where To Eat

Sarika Restaurant

@berniceanne

After 5 days, we’ve all missed the usual eggs and bacon breakfast. It wasn’t that expensive though, I think it was just 35,000 kip with a choice of fresh fruits or juice / coffee or tea. The bread was super abundant! I think they sliced one whole piece of baguette for each person. I ordered pancakes with mine so when I finished it, I stole some of their bread. It was a really nice breakfast. What a great way to end our stay in Luang Prabang.

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Where To Stay

Sabaidee

@berniceanne

We requested for an early check-in and the owner allowed us – with no extra charge. We checked in at 7:00 AM and instead of giving us two separate rooms like what we booked, the owner gave us the family room instead which I actually prefer more since at least we can all be together. I really like the house cause it’s an old colonial house that was turned into a guesthouse. I super love the furniture. I loved everything about our room! The bathroom and toilet is huge! They have a fountain in front of the house and the restaurant/bar is outside. They have bikes that you can rent for 10,000 kip for the entire day. Everyone is really nice in this guesthouse and they helped us heaps in booking our waterfalls day trips. The location is also really good, we can walk from there to anywhere in the town centre. The best thing about it though is the comforter. I swear, I could live in that comforter and never come out.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anne Atienza

Female traveller from Makati, PH I’m a 30-something female traveller. My first flight ever was to Davao back in 2009 and I’ve been in love with travelling since. My trips are mostly in the Philippines and around Asia, but hopefully, I get to venture somewhere farther soon. I like talking about my travel experiences and planning detailed trip itineraries. My most memorable experience so far was staying for 3 1/2 months working and vacationing in the paradise island of Boracay in 2021. All my notes are based on my personal experiences and will only be talking about places I have visited (unless specified). Countries visited: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, UAE, Australia

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