Luang Prabang is ancient town situated in northern Laos and designated a UNESCO World Heritage city in 1995. The old charm town fortunately survived wars and comunism. French architecture, royal palaces, over 33 temples and natural beauty attract travellers from all over the world. Luang Prabang is home for hundreds of monks who you can meet walking around the town in their robes. Amazing waterfalls, peaks and the cappucino waters of the Mekong River give you opportunity to fully enjoy Luang Prabang. This small and lovely city offers interesting places where to eat, drinks and relax during lazy hot days.
One day is enough to observe old town and visit the main temples and climb popular hill Mount Phousi.
Wat Xieng Toung – the oldest monastery in Luang Prabang and one of the most beautiful
This historic temple is characteristic of the Luang Prabang style and also known as the ‘Golden Tree Monastery’. Its famous for the coronation of Lao kings and as an important gathering place for significant annual festivities. Temple is open daily from 08:00-17:00 and don’t forget to cover shoulders and legs.
Among Mekong river you can see monk houses
Royal Palace Museum, which is also known as Haw Kham
We are not “museum visitor type” so we can’t tell you more. But we have read that it takes a couple of hours if you want to learn about Lao history and culture. When the communists came to power in 1975, they took over the palace and sent the royal family to re-education camps. The palace was converted into a museum that was opened to the public in 1995 after renovation.
Wat Chomsi at the top of the Phousi hill
Rising 150 meters above the center of town you will reach the main hill from which you have 360 degree outlook across the city. You can see many temples, and out over the surrounding landscape to the mountains in the distance. Wat on the top is very small and also place to walk on the top is not for a big group. The hill is popular as a place to watch the sun rise or set over the Mekong River. We didn’t know so we would like to warn about 2 entrances from ground level. 1st facing the Royal Palace, and another one on Sisavang Vatthana Road. The northern entrance has about 300 steps to the top. Second which we skipped is longer and has more points of interest along the way.
The Buddhist Alms Giving Ceremony
This daily ceremony is peaceful and spiritual opportunity to experience Lao tradition. Alms giving takes place daily as the sun rises at 5.30 a.m., beginning on the main street of Luang Prabang. If you want to be part of the Buddhist Alm Giving Ceremony you should buy your offerings (you can buy from a local market but in this case do not negotiate price). Just follow locals by kneeling down ready to give your offering to the monks (gifts include rice, fresh fruit and traditional sweet snacks). The idea of the alms giving is for the Buddhist monks to make merit and also to collect food for their one meal of a day.
You will also see small children kneeling with baskets in the hope that the monks will share some of their alms with them so that they can take food back to their family.
Luang Prabang – walk or take a famous tuk tuk
During the day chill out place and after dark funky music bar – Utopia
Open door school in Luang Prabang
One afternoon when we went for a walk along the river Mekong Tomas was almost attacked by green tree viper snake as we later found out. We just stopped for a moment to admire paints of one street artists. Suddenly we heard some crackles in the tree then we saw something green falling down and hit the ground with splash sound just behind Tomas back. Then he quickly crawled back to the tree. It could have been very unpleasant bite. This specie lives in the trees and jumps on their victims from branches.
Its him :-/
This cute gecko was also scared from the snake he better didn’t move
Streets in Luang Prabang
