8 Things to Love About Luang Prabang

[Day 5-7] My favorite leg during our Indochina trip. Luang Prabang sure made enduring a 30 bus trip from Hanoi worth it. :)

Good morning, sunshine! Our first photo in LPQ. :)

There are so many things to do in Luang Prabang and I could list down about a hundred things I love about this town. But here's a whip of what really got me and what I think makes the place really special. :)

1. The structures.

This is what Luang Prabang is most famous for- it’s heritage structures that earned the UNESCO stamp. It's really what catches your eye when you get to LPQ. 

The Luang Prabang National Museum. 

2. The really, really, really friendly people.

And then there's the people. Sa bai dee (which means "hello"), is something you’d hear a hundred times a day in Luang Prabang. Locals greet you without even trying to sell you anything, you won't worry about getting lost 'cause someone would already approach you the moment they see you with a dumb, confused look, map in hand (which happened to me, thankyouverymuch). When God showered politeness and pleasantness, people in this place were probably wide awake. 

3. The adventure on the outskirts.

Now there are natural wonders and historical marvels to enjoy outside the town center. You have several options on doing this;

• book a tour with a travel agency or your guesthouse; most convenient, usually a door-to-door package, air-conditioned van, includes meals, snacks, and tour guide, a bit pricey though
• hire a tuktuk and have a DIY itinerary; cheaper, you won’t have trouble finding a tuktuk and the drivers are very friendly and safe, most have suggested itineraries too, 
• rent bikes and pedal your way; cheapest and most adventurous option

Since we've been quite stingy with our accommodation and transport to Laos (hello, sleeper bus?), we felt we deserve a little spoiling so we went with the first option. We visited the Thousand Buddha Cave, Whiskey Village, Khuang Si Waterfalls.

Oh and we got to ride elephants, too. Read all about that here. :)

On board Bono, our gentle giant friend during our tour at the Elephant Village. 

4. The night market.

Back in the town center, every afternoon, at around 4:30, it’s a sight to see the main road (Sisavangvong Rd)  transform into one big shopping haven. The night market is open from 5pm to 12 midnight, where you can find all sorts of native Laos products, souvenirs and all sorts of knick knacks. A piece of advise: prices in LPQ can be bit steep, so if you’re headed to other cities in Laos like Vientaine or Vang Vieng, you may want to do your shopping there instead. It's still fun to go around the night market, though.:)

Street vendors getting ready for their nightly shenanigans, with some monks spotted.

All these good finds (albeit a little pricey) at the night market. Photos by Mau. 

5. The bike-friendliness.

I have a confession to make- I don’t know how to ride a bike (boo me).

We rented bikes one afternoon and while I'm really supposed to feel like such a loser, I actually enjoyed trying to learn how to ride a bike. Haha. Every time I fell down, people on the streets would cheer me on and, in broken English,  try to teach me how to balance. Several times did monks passing by stopped and asked me if I’m alright, and they wouldn’t go back on their way until they see firmly back on my seat. One tourist even offered to hold my bike until I get a hang of all the pedaling.  I felt like the entire neighborhood got my back in that little endeavor of mine.

Clockwise: Bri and Mau- the legit bikers, bike-friendly streets, and my ultimate poser shot. 

6. The endless foodie finds.

Oh, the foooood. Luang Prabang has a wide spectrum of food spots to suit your palate and your wallet. There are the endless restaurants along the Mehkong River that serve authentic Lao food and French cuisine. There are fancy European cafes if you want to splurge, market stalls with all sorts of chow (the grilled sausages are a must try). 

Clockwise: affordable food finds at the street markets, Bri and our LPQ friends, solo travelers Sophia and Yarek,
the killer sausages. Photos by Mau. 

Along the streets, there are bahn mi stands and crepe kiosks and all you can eat veggie dishes and fruits for 10,000 kip (a little more than 1 USD). And there’s BeerLao. Which goes with about anything.

Clockwise: my first Lao meal- iced coffee and pho, Beerlao, a definite meal staple;
and our only-fancy-meal brunch as a French resto. 

7. The accessibility. 
You won’t have to worry about looking for ATM or money exchangers or travel agencies, there’s one in probably every street corner. It’s amazing how the place can be so remote and distant from the capital (it’s a 6-8 hour bus ride from Vientaine), yet it’s so connected.  I tell you, it’s a win-win destination for any traveller.

8. The cool, calm, step-back-and-reflect vibe.

Don’t get me wrong, even with all its convenience (not to mention Wifi connection in almost every establishment), there’s still that secluded intimacy in the whole town. It’s where you wake up before dusk and witness centuries old ritual of alms giving, where you brunch and enjoy iced Lao coffee, visit temples and pray, sit on the sidewalk beer(Lao) in hand and watch people go by, where you get lost in the simplicity and authenticity of things. It’s a place to walk the streets and breathe in all the beauty around you.

The Buddhist tradition of alms giving. Tourists are allowed to partake in the sacred ritual,
 provided they follow the rules such as being properly clothed (no shorts or sleeveless tops), keeping silent,
and not touching the monks.  Photos are allowed to be taken from a distance. 

Journal time. Found a reading/writing nook during my solo-walk of the town. 

Happy traveller.:)
Me during our trek on Phousi Hill, which offers the view of the entire town. 

If there’s one thing to hate about Luang Prabang- it’s leaving the town. 

"A feeling of sadness only bus stations have." - Jack Kerouac | Getting ready to board our sleeper bus to Vientaine.

Author Marthe Bassenne wrote of Luang Prabang in 1909;

What a delightful paradise this country protects, by the fierce barrier of the stream, against progress and ambition for which it has no need! Will Luang Prabang be, in our century of exact science, of quick profits, of victory by money, the refuge of the last dreamers, the last loved ones, the last troubadours? 

Indeed it has. A refuge for the tired and burnt out, the searching and the lost, the romantics, the ever hopefuls.

We leave Luang Prabang with a happy but heavy heart- and a promise to come back to this little paradise someday. :)



Next stop: our Vientiane fling!



*Note: Haven't bought my decent camera, Chuck, during this time yet. So thanks Mau for the better photos in this post. :)