{"id":38325,"date":"2019-10-22T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2019-10-21T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?p=38325&preview=true&preview_id=38325"},"modified":"2024-09-18T16:40:27","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T06:40:27","slug":"top-things-to-do-in-luang-prabang-laos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/top-things-to-do-in-luang-prabang-laos\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Luang Prabang is perfect for every kind of traveller"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s often overlooked in favour of its more established neighbours Thailand<\/a>, Vietnam<\/a> and Cambodia<\/a>. But make no mistake \u2013 Laos<\/a> is not to be missed.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n

If this land-locked country is the forgotten sibling of Southeast Asia, then Luang Prabang is the underdog that will make it rise to the top. Forget about tourist-ridden Vang Vieng and meander up the Mekong to this laid-back gem of a city. It\u2019s perfect for you, whether you\u2019re a backpacker, flashpacker, or anything in between. Here\u2019s why:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. The mouth-watering fusion food<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"A

Photo by filmlandscape.<\/p><\/div>\n

Luang Prabang residents are big fans of sticky rice. And sticky noodles. Especially when dipped in sticky sauce. But there\u2019s much more to the local cuisine than this! As a former French colony, you\u2019ll find plenty of golden brown baguettes filled with fresh ingredients. This colonial chapter of the city\u2019s history \u2013 along with influences from its neighbours \u2013 has resulted in a unique combination of French-Indo-Chinese cooking that foodies and philistines alike won\u2019t be able to get enough of. Oh, and the coffee is the best you\u2019ll get anywhere on the continent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

EXPLORE OUR FULL RANGE OF SMALL GROUP ADVENTURES IN LAOS HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

2. The stunning forest hikes<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Waterfalls

Photo by lkunl.<\/p><\/div>\n

Laos doesn\u2019t have the sprawling, smog-choked metropolises that other Asian countries have. Within half an hour of leaving the centre of Luang Prabang you\u2019ll be surrounded by tree-topped hills, rice fields and the slow flow of the Mekong River. So for the traveller who loves exploring nature and hitting the trails, there\u2019s no better place. Top of the list is the\u00a0<\/span>three-ish hour trek to Kuang Si waterfalls (the place you see in all those tourism photos of Laos), which passes indigenous villages, orchards, and rice paddies on the way. Cool off in the falls, then visit a bear rescue centre,\u00a0set up to protect, preserve and enrich the lives of Asiatic bears who have been rescued from trafficking, on the way home.<\/p>\n

SPLASH ABOUT IN KUANG SI FALLS ON OUR 12-DAY CAMBODIA & LAOS ENCOUNTER TOUR\u00a0\u2013 DETAILS HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

3. The chilled out night markets<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"A

Photo by Natalia Schuchardt.<\/p><\/div>\n

There aren\u2019t many cities in the world where, after 5pm, streets turn into sprawling night markets. But that\u2019s Luang Prabang for you. The city\u2019s extensive night market is a place for locals and tourists alike to shop, eat, drink and meet. Pick up some authentic hand-crafted souvenirs (you\u2019ll find nothing mass-produced for tourist dollars here), chill out with a few bottles of Beerlao, snack on some hot-off-the-grill street food, or just make friends with the locals. Whatever you\u2019re into, the night market is something you\u2019ll want to experience every time the sun sets.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: 6 MARKETS EVERYONE SHOULD EXPERIENCE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

4. The dazzling temples<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"A

Photo by Suthikait Teerawattanaphan.<\/p><\/div>\n

Luang Prabang was once the royal and religious hub of Laos. As a result, this tiny little city has 30 separate temples to its name. They\u2019re dotted all over town, some nestling in side streets and some up in the hills with beautiful views of the city and the Mekong. Not to be missed are Haw Pha Bang, the temple inside the Royal Palace which was only completed in 2006; the golden-gilded Wat Xieng Thong at the end of Luang Prabang\u2019s old town, easily the city\u2019s most beautiful; and Wat Chom Si. Located on top of Mount Phousi, this temple isn\u2019t as impressive as the others but what it lacks in opulence, it makes up for with a stellar view of the city below. Stay to watch the sunset for an even better view, but bring a torch for the 300-step descent.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: THE BEST DESTINATIONS IN LAOS, SOUTH EAST ASIA’S UNSUNG HERO<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

5. The good clean fun!<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"Riverside

Photo by Em Campos.<\/p><\/div>\n

If all you want to do is kick back with a drink or two while the sun goes down, Luang Prabang is where you need to be. And we really mean \u2018a drink or two\u2019 \u2013 the party scene is so laid back here that most places are shutting up shop by midnight. Except, that is, for the bowling alley just outside of town. You\u2019ll see tuk tuks heading there en masse when bars close, and while it may seem a little random, it\u2019s worth the short trip; this place serves up drinks and tunes well into the small hours. If there\u2019s one thing Luang Prabang can teach you, it\u2019s that bowling is ten times more fun when new friends and cheesy pop hits are involved.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: 10 THINGS TO DO IN LUANG PRABANG<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

6. The hidden gem day trips<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"A

Photo by gjee.<\/p><\/div>\n

There\u2019s plenty in Luang Prabang to keep any traveller entertained for days. But if you\u2019re yearning to get off the beaten path, there\u2019s a plethora of day trips to whet your appetite too. Most of them involve a slow boat up the Mekong, which is a worthy experience in itself. The Ban Pak Ou caves are an intriguing adventure; they\u2019re filled with intricately carved Buddha statues. Nong Kiaw is a picturesque town north of Luang Prabang with more caves, waterfalls, hikes and adventure sports to keep adrenaline junkies entertained.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>It\u2019s far from a day trip, but the Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre in the heart of Luang Prabang is also highly recommended if you don\u2019t fancy straying too far.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fancy checking out Luang Prabang for yourself? Visit this vibrant city on a small group adventure with Intrepid\u00a0\u2013 check out our full range of trips here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Feature photo by\u00a0Torjrtrx via Shutterstock.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s often overlooked in favour of its more popular neighbours Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. But make no mistake \u2013 Laos’ Luang Prabang can’t be missed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16066,"featured_media":38332,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1313],"tags":[180,71,385,2052],"class_list":["post-38325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","tag-asia","tag-laos","tag-south-east-asia","tag-things-to-do","ipf_region-laos"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n6 Awesome Reasons To Visit Luang Prabang, Laos | Intrepid Travel Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It\u2019s often overlooked in favour of its more popular neighbours Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. 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