Luang Prabang was our first stop in Laos. We had a bit of a nightmare journey from Thailand which you can read about here, but it basically included a 18.5 hour van service which was packed and extremely uncomfortable. So, when we arrived in Luang Prabang, it is safe to say we were extremely tired. We decided to power through, go for lunch with the people we met on the way, before heading back to our room to get changed and have a rest.
Once we actually had the energy to explore Luang Prabang, it was obvious that it was a beautiful place. The town is situated between two rivers, the largest of the two being River Mekong and the smaller, Nam Khan river.
There is plenty to keep you occupied for a couple of days here. We would suggest staying for 2 nights.
Things to do
Kaung Si Falls
This is a must do whilst you are in Luang Prabang. We have been to a lot of waterfalls whilst travelling and to be truthful some have been a bit underwhelming. We looked up things to do and saw the Kaung Si Falls appear quite a lot. Having searched on Google maps the pictures looked amazing, however we were a bit sceptical as to whether that is what it would look like when we got there. We were pleasantly surprised, and they are without a doubt the best waterfalls we have ever seen.
You are able to swim in some parts of it, which is great on a hot day. There is also a bear sanctuary there, plenty of restaurants and shops and hiking trails, which makes it a great night out.
There are many Tuk Tuks around Luang Prabang that have the falls written on a sign on the car. You can pay them to take you there and they will sit and wait for you, so that they can take you home too.
Phousi Hill
Phousi Hill is found in the centre of Luang Prabang and offers stunning views of the surrounding areas. Most people tend to climb up Luang Prabang to watch the sunset, but you can go at any time of the day if you would like it to be a bit quieter.
There are temples along the way up, so be sure to wear something respectful. The steps are quite step but don’t take too long to climb, however if you are climbing in the day then bring plenty of water!
Pha Tad Ke Botanical Gardens
We didn’t get the chance to visit this gardens as we ran out of time, however we have heard that they are stunning to walk around. To get to the Botanical Gardens you will need to get across the River Mekong by using a boat service. You can then either cycle or drive to the gardens from there.
La Pisoche Swimming Pool & Bar
If you are desperate to go swimming, but don’t want to travel to far, then there is a public swimming pool in Luang Prabang. It also has a bar and restaurant so you can eat and drink there too. We ended up being the only tourists there when we arrived and there were a lot of kids in the pool, so it definitely wasn’t a relaxing experience, but nice to cool off in.
The Night Market
The night market in Luang Prabang is huge and offers a large array of street food options, as well as clothes, trinkets and more. The night market has tables and chairs, so you can go there to enjoy some food or even just a drink and it was always very lively when we were there.
Luang Prabang was a beautiful place to visit, and we are glad we got to spend a few days there to explore. If you would like to check out what we suggest for a one-week trip to Laos, then you can check out our blog here.
Without A Paddle Travel 