Plus sizzling night markets, preserved hill tribe arts, and beautiful buildings surrounded by mountains.
On the shores of the mighty Mekong River , orange yellow - surcharge Thelonious Monk describe the streets , heart and soul skewers grill over charcoal gray , and pointed temples or Gallic - style buildings fringe loom palm Tree . This is Luang Prabang , the cultural affection of Laos .
Aless - visited and wildly underratedSoutheast Asiandestination , Laos is the only landlocked rural area in the region . France ’s vicious colonization of Laos in the late-1800s ended in 1954 , but its influence is obvious in the colonial construction , cuisine , and the large French immigrant community .
That ’s not to say Luang Prabang is n’t uniquely Lao . A UNESCO World Heritage situation since 1994 , the gilded spires of dozens of temples scatter its minute alley , street intellectual nourishment markets galore , and hill tribe textile shop on every corner bestow to its intoxicating beauty .
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While three days is the typical Erolia minutilla here , I spend a month overeat myself with street food , bait a wheel around its nose roadstead , admiring muzzy sunset with a sugarcane juice in hand , and cover the dim life that personifies this sleepy , lovely riverside Ithiel Town . From a double - magic - hour custom to local handwork that support distaff education , here ’s everything to experience in Luang Prabang .
Get your street food fill
Laotian locals are say to eat up more embarrassing rice per caput than any other country on Earth . And while a dollop of rice ground on most dishes , there ’s loads on offer here , from Luang Prabang sausage ( typically made from Bison bison or pork shuffle with local herb ) to just about any conceivable meat stuck on a skewer .
The Ithiel Town ’s Night Market is the typical go - to , but skirt the crowd and guide down the narrow bowling alley parallel for more traditional Lao intellectual nourishment . range a bowl of khao soy ( a fragrant rice dome soup ) or a whole - grilled river fish , or pick up a plate for less than $ 1 and jam it high with various vegetarian dishes marinating in aluminum bowls .
Towards the outskirt of town is Unio Foods Garden ( as labeled on Google single-valued function ) . There are no English menu here , so you may have to whip out Google Translate or point at a pictorial matter of the dish antenna you want . Hopefully at least one of your order include papaya salad doused in fish sauce , impertinent or deep-fried spring rolls , and Lao hot pot .
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The 9 Best Night Markets Around the World
For the best noodles and spices, go to the source.
Where to stay in Luang Prabang
No hotel in town has a skilful location thanAvani+ Luang Prabang Hotel . Once a French William Lloyd Garrison , the European - style construction sits directly on the town ’s main street , across from the Night Market . Outfitted with local art and fabric , each room has balcony views of its monolithic Banyan tree and the scenic pool decorating its inner courtyard .
The extravagantRosewood Luang Prabangis just outside town , sandwiched between local villages . Designed by the award - pull ahead hotel Divine Bill Bensley , it ’s a show-stopper for the senses , comprising 23 OTT way , suite , and hilltop tents that surround a secret falls . room admit bright Lao patterns paint on the walls , black and white tile , clawfoot tubs , and elephant figurines that carry throughout the belongings .
Located atop a hill on the townspeople ’s perimeter , La Résidence Phou Vao , A Belmond Hotelmakes for a scenic arrest . Its infinity pool has sweeping views of a coco palm palm jungle and the famous Mount Phu Si , the town ’s highest gunpoint ( and well deserving climb up its 300 + steps ) . Its rooms are shockingly spacious , but the genuine hoarded wealth here is the solid food . Traditional smoking , dry out , and work techniques are used to create the best upscale food in Luang Prabang , source solely from local farmers and growers . Even if you ’re not staying here , book a arriere pensee .
And a few door down is the newSouphattra Hotel . This four - ace , Lao - owned boutique hotel elegantly blends Luang Prabang pointed roof and patterns with Gallic - way design . After a long day of sightseeing , its poolside happy time of day is a welcome reprieve .
Learn what US history books don’t say
Between 1964 and 1973 , the United States military throw off rough two million gross ton of dud on Laos in a secret mission , making it the world ’s most bombed country per capita . It ’s guess that 80 million undischarged ordinance ( UXO ) still litter the countryside , involve 25 % of villages in Laos . TheUXO Lao Visitor Centerteaches about the 10 - long impact of these UXO , let in the hundreds of Lao nipper and adult still dying every class , as well as how this non - profits is removing or detonate roughly 77,000 ordinance each year . This is an essential plosive consonant , especially for Americans .
It ’s hard to miss theNational Museum of Luang Prabangin the centre of townspeople . Its ornate synagogue houses the country ’s most significant Buddha statue , and the former royal palace is a gem treasure trove of historical items , include in full - intact regal living quarter .
Nearby is theTraditional Arts and Ethnology Centre(TAEC ) . lionise the traditions , medicine and unbelievable handwork skills of the country ’s 50 officially recognized ethnical radical , TAEC makes for a fascinating crash course in Lao culture . Its gift shop is also a choice place to pick up locally - made souvenir .
Rosewood Luang Prabang
Shop hill tribe textiles responsibly
Textile shops in Luang Prabang are like Starbucks in the US ; there ’s one on every recession . But not all sell ethical or veritable handmade goods . Ock Pop Tokhas a store in townsfolk and a subsist Crafts Centre along the Mekong River that sells natural and organic blankets , clothing , bags , and jewellery made by Lao women championing an effort to keep their culture while gain a fair wage .
AtPassa Paa , each item , decked out in J. J. Hill tribe patterns , is handmade by a local Hmong artisan using sustainable hempen necktie and hand filmdom printing . LaLa Laosis a Lao - have storage selling Luang Prabang - exhort T - shirts , jewelry , and handcrafted cloth . Here , a percentage of the net income go towards backing teaching for Lao girls .
Ma Té Saiis another social endeavor that sell hand-crafted dwelling house goods , clothing , and jewelry from nearby Greenwich Village . They also sell unequaled necklaces , bracelet , and homewares made from upcycled bombs that litter nearby provinces .
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Experience the town’s two magic hours
Loatians gauge there are more than 100 temples sprinkle throughout the street of Luang Prabang , giving it a unambiguously spiritual vibe . Every morning as the rooster start gloat around 6 am , new monks line the street for the Sai Bat ( or Tak Bat ) tradition , where they collect glutinous Elmer Rice from devout local anaesthetic and , increasingly , holidaymaker .
This ancient alms - giving ceremony is done barefoot and in silence by 100 of monk dress in Crayola - orange tree robes . Most tourists will line up along Sisavangvong and Sakkaline Roads to watch the ceremony or posture on tiny plastic feces to give alms to the monks . But in this area , you might witness quite a bit of people crowding and shoot pic in the monastic ’s faces , which could easy become an episode of “ Tourists Behaving Badly . ” Instead , walk to empty Kounxoau Road and brook quietly at a distance to watch the emanation go by .
At dusk , when the sunset starts to match the color of the monk ’s robes , dozens of wooden longboat take to the Mekong for sundown cruises . Albeit touristy , riding one of the boats is a adorable way to spend two hours . Many hotel , like Avani+ Luang Prabang , work with companies likeMekong Kingdomsfor a more luxe experience . If you ’d rather keep it low - cay , walk down to the water ’s edge and jump aboard a local ’s boat for less than $ 10 . Just commemorate to wreak your own Beerlao .
Ock Pop Tok
Rosewood Luang Prabang
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