Luang Prabang is one of my favorite cities in South-East Asia. It is a charming laid-back town with a mix of elegant colonial architecture and Buddhist temples, vibrant markets, fancy restaurants, and cafes. Nature lovers will be busy exploring the nearby natural wonders.
To help you make the most of your visit, here are my favorite things to do in Luang Prabang.
Kuang Si Falls
It’s worth visiting Luang Prabang for Kuang Si Falls alone. These waterfalls look like out of this world. They cascade down the hills into stunning turquoise pools. This color is real! When the water passes through the limestone mountains, it collects calcium carbonate which is a type of limestone. The reflection of calcium carbonate creates this incredible turquoise color.
Don’t forget to take a swimsuit. You can swim in some of the pools.
How to get there: Kuang Si Falls is about a 30km ride from Luang Prabang. You can rent a bike and ride there on your own or join a group tour. You can also take a shared or a private tuk-tuk.
Best time to visit: During monsoon season Kuang Si Falls lose its turquoise color and become muddy brown. The best time to visit is a few months after the monsoon season from November/December to April/May. Also, note that there are more visitors on weekends.
The entrance fee (20,000 kip) includes visit to Bear Rescue Centre. It’s a home to Asiatic black bears saved from trafficking and bile harvesting industry. It’s well worth the visit.
Entrance fee: 20,000 kip ($1.75).
Climb Mt Phousi for breathtaking views
Located in the heart of Luang Prabang, Mount Phousi (also known as Phu Si, and translated as ‘sacred hill’) is a 100-metre-high hill with stunning views over the city, the Mekong and the Nam Khan River and surrounding mountains. You need to climb about 300 steps to get to the top, there are two stairways on either side of the hill. Keep in mind that the route starting from across the Royal Palace is more popular and more crowded.
There is a small temple – Wat Chom Si on the top of the mountain and a cave with a Buddha statue. Halfway up the hill on the Nam Khan side is Wat Tham Phou Si.
Mount Phousi is the most popular spot for sunset watching in the city. So if you want to climb there for sunset, plan to get to the top an hour before sunset. If you come here during the day, the view is still stunning and it’s not overcrowded.
Entrance fee: 20,000 kip ($1.75).
Explore the Temples of Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is known for its Buddhist spirituality. There are more than 30 temples throughout the town, and most of them welcome tourists and are free to enter, except Wat Xieng Thong which has a small entry fee of 20,000 kip ($1.75). It is one of the best-known and richly decorated temples in the town. Wat Xieng Thong was built in 1559-1560 and was the place where Lao kings were crowned until 1975.
Explore the Nam Khan and Mekong River
Luang Prabang sits on a narrow peninsula between the Mekong and the Nam Khan rivers. One of the best ways to explore the surrounding of Luang Prabang is to take a cruise along the Mekong. There is a number of options from basic to luxury cruises. You can choose from short cruises to longer ones taking you to Pak Ou Caves, where the Mekong and Nam Ou rivers meet.
If you don’t want to take a cruise, you can just observe from the banks. Then don’t miss the little bamboo bridge on the Nam Kahn River. The bridge is built every year during the dry season, during the monsoon season the river washes it away. It costs 10,000 kip to use the bridge
Luang Prabang Night Market
Every night Sisavangvong Road turns into a vibrant and colorful night market. The market works from 5pm to 11pm. It’s a great place to take colorful photos and buy some souvenirs. You can find usual souvenir type of things like elephant pants, handbags, scarves, bracelets, wood carvings, local whiskey, and other trinkets.
If you travel on a budget, don’t miss a market-style buffet just off the main market street for cheap and tasty local food.
Alms Giving Ceremony
I wasn’t sure if alms giving ceremony (or Tak Bat) should be included in the list. While being a sacred ceremony, sadly, it has been turned into a tourist attraction. But at the same time observing alms giving ceremony or Tak Bat is one of the most unique things to do in Luang Prabang.
It takes place every morning at sunrise. Hundreds of Buddhist monks walk through the city to collect donations of rice or food from the local people.
Unfortunately, some tourists coming to observe the ceremony behave intrusively, are noisy, come too close to take perfect shots. It feels awkward. If you decide to go, remember that this is a sacred ceremony for locals and the monks, and be respectful.