Luang Prabang hotels and tours

Luang Prabang Destination Guide

Among the popular tourist attractions in Luang Prabang are the Buddhist temples, steeped in hundreds of years of history, the former Royal Palace and Mount Phousi. Outside of the town itself, the options grow exponentially. Famous attractions like Kuang Si Waterfall, Tad Se waterfall and the Pak Ou caves are very popular. However there are also more active tours such as elephant trekking, kayaking, cycling, rock climbing and trekking to name but a few.

This city is a must-see for any visitor to Laos.

Luang Prabang is small, and just about everywhere can be reached by foot so practically any guesthouse or hotel in Luang Prabang is well located. The town has dozens of temples and religious sites, most of which are located in the old quarter.

Use this Luang Prabang Destination Guide to determine what there is to see and do while you are in Luang Prabang. Our Luang Prabang Tours Guide lists some companies that are able to give you competitive prices on things to do around town. You may also want to speak to your host, as they can give you detailed local information. More general information about things to do around the country can be found in our Laos Country Guide.

Luang Prabang Destination Guide

Luang Prabang may be one of the best places to spend Pii Mai (Laos New Year) in mid-April. The three day water festival is observed by locals with a colorful procession starting from the Wat That Chom Si on Mount Phousi, an entertaining ceremony involving the Royal Palace Museum, the wearing of traditional costumes and, of course, a good quantity of water with which to douse hot celebrants.

Things to See & Do - Luang Prabang

Wat Xieng Thong

Built by King Saisetthathirat in 1560, this temple situated 300m south of the confluence of the Mekong and Khan rivers, is the most stunning in Luang Prabang. It is a classic example of Luang Prabang temple architecture with its low sweeping roof and inside is a rare, uniquely Lao-style reclining Buddha that is as old as the temple itself.

Mount Phousi and Wat That Chom Si

Mount Phousi is 150m and 300 steps above the peninsula with spectacular views of the city and surrounding countryside. The temple Wat Chom Si at the top of the hill was built in 1804. Its gold spired stupa can be seen from most parts of the city. The temple is the starting point for the Lao New Year procession in mid-April.

Ban Phanom Village

Situated 4 km east is a small village famous for its cotton and silk hand-weavings. There is a small market set up here, and you can wander in the village and see village women weaving on their hand looms or bargain with them for their finished products.


Royal Palace Museum (Haw Kham)

The former Royal Palace was built in 1904 for King Sisavang Vong and is a combination of Lao and French designs. It is now a museum housing a collection of artifacts belonging to former rulers of the Kingdom of Lane Xang. Proper dress is required to enter and no shoes or bags are allowed inside the museum. Photography is not allowed.

Pak Ou Caves

Situated 25km upriver from Luang Prabang are two caves, Tham Ting and Tham Phun, known as the Pak Ou Caves. Inside are thousands of Buddha images, many of them Luang Prabang-style standing Buddhas, that have been left over hundreds of years by the Buddhist faithful. Those interested can take a slow boat (which takes about 2 hours) from Luang Prabang. It is relaxing to visit some of the villages such as Ban Xang Hai (see below) along the way and have a picnic lunch at the caves.

Ban Xang Hai

A popular stop on the way to Pak Ou Caves is the village of Ban Xang Hai ("Jar-maker Village"), once famous for its jars but now famous for its manufacture of rice whiskey (lao lao). The villagers carry water from the Mekong and use it to soak rice in large jars which ferment, yielding alcohol which can be drunk as a cloudy liquid, or distilled to make a fine spirit. Ages ago, the village produced pots and jars, some of which have been excavated by archaeologists and found to be over 2,000 years old.

Kuang Si Waterfalls

About 32 km south of Luang Prabang are the magnificent Kuang Si Waterfalls which fall over limestone formations into several turquoise pools of water. There are trails all around the falls and visitors can swim in the lower pools or picnic in the covered area at the bottom where there are also vendors selling food and drinks.





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Meet Lee Sheridan and his team, your local connection in Laos. We operate from our office in the Laos capital of Vientiane, and have a keen interest in tourism marketing and sustainable tourism. Our desire is not only to share this wonderful country with others, but to make sure they will still be able to experience and share in the respect of Laos for years to come.

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