Joanna James
Considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in South East, Luang Prabang is a charming city located between 2 mountains. Here are 5 things not miss while visiting Luang Prabang.
Recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the old town of Luang Prabang is one of the most interesting things to see in Luang Prabang. One of the main reasons that the Old town is recognized as a World Heritage Site are its well-maintained buildings that showcase colonial French architecture and traditional Lao wooden architecture side by side. The streets of the old town are home to shops selling coffee, handicraft and is a great place to buy souvenirs.
The Wat Xieng Thong is the oldest but most important temple in Luang Prabang that garner large amounts of both local and foreign tourists. It is one of the best examples of the architecture that Laos used for its Buddhist temple. The temple was built in 1560 as the Royal Temple and was one of the only temples that were not looted or vandalised during the devastation that occurred in the area in 1878.
Located adjacent to the Ho Kham Royal Palace (which operates a museum in present day) in the old town of Luang Prabang the night market has hundreds of stalls that sell various items like souvenirs, embroidered bags, t-shirts, purses and that are made in Laos. The main street of the old town is closed from 5 PM- 11 PM, the time that the night market is held but shops down the old street remain open. At the end of the night market, you'll find the night food market that sells a variety of food in case you want to grab something to eat or drink.
While there are many things to do in Luang Prabang, trying out the local cuisine should be on top of your itinerary. The Lao cuisine while being vastly different from Thai cuisine is however very similar to that of Isan. Khao Jee, a dish famous amongst the locals is a dish made using fresh baguette with various types sausage fillings like cheese and onions. From fancy hotels like AVANI+ Luang Prabang to small cafes on the banks of the Mekong river; there plenty of places dining options to choose from to try Lao food. The food can be washed down nicely with a Beer Lao, a popular brand of beer found in Laos.
The cascading Tat Kuang Si waterfall is a good place to plan a day trip. Located 30 kilometres away from the Luang Prabang city, the Tat Kuang Si waterfall is a great place to go on a morning nature hike when there aren't many visitors around. The waterfall is 50 meters high and is made up of several natural pools filled with turquoise water. Located a short distance from the entrance gate is the Tat Kuang Si Bear rescue centre which rescues Asiatic black bears from illegal wildlife traders and poachers. The bears inhabit an enclosure that has swings, trees and other play items. You can observe these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat from a viewing platform at no additional cost. The centre is run by Free the Bears Fund, a charity organization that helps rescue and save bears in many Asian countries from bear bile farms.
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