Luang Prabang (Laos)

In 1995 UNESCO declared that Luang Prabang was Asia's most preserved city. Steeped in a French colonial history this (small) town is a sleepy enclave that nestles between the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. At first Luang Prabang doesn't excite but after a time it just begs that you give it more time and attention.

In order to reach Luang Prabang we took the 2 day slow boat from Huay Xai on the Laos side of the Thai/Laos border. The trip ...
...documentary.

Luang Prabang is the second biggest city in Laos after the capital Vientiane but its laid-back nature means that it espouses the charm of a quiet village back home. Its people are incredibly welcoming, honest and curious to know where you come for. Children warmly say sabaii dii (hello) in the most genuine manner possible.

As you might guess in a culture that is so laid back much of the services within ... more

In 1995 UNESCO declared that Luang Prabang was Asia's most preserved city. Steeped in a French colonial history this (small) town is a sleepy enclave that nestles between the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. At first Luang Prabang doesn't excite but after a time it just begs that you give it more time and attention.

In order to reach Luang Prabang we took the 2 day slow boat from Huay Xai on the Laos side of the Thai/Laos border. The trip is not without its discomforts but the scenery that fills the banks of the Mekong is nothing short of wondrous. We peered from the window of the wooden vessel and imagined we were watching a National Geographic documentary.

Luang Prabang is the second biggest city in Laos after the capital Vientiane but its laid-back nature means that it espouses the charm of a quiet village back home. Its people are incredibly welcoming, honest and curious to know where you come for. Children warmly say sabaii dii (hello) in the most genuine manner possible.

As you might guess in a culture that is so laid back much of the services within the town are not up to western standards. Eating out often leads to incredibly slow service and presentation of wrong orders. The main post office provides a currency exchange service but I had to wait at least 10 minutes until the missing clerk was found. In saying all this, the Lao laissez faire nature adds to the towns charm.

ACCOMMODATION

We stayed at the Vanvisa guest house which is situated at the back of a small shop selling pottery and textiles. The owner is a elderly Thai woman but her English speaking son does all the administrative duties. The guesthouse door is locked by 11pm which is actually the norm in Luang Prabang. Breakfast is available for $2. They have a laundry service, which charges 10,000 (just over 1 euro) per kg of laundry.

Our room was small and pretty if a little dark, it had red brick walls and a huge fan. Towels were provided and there was a private hot shower and toilet. After a few nights the room became a little claustrophobic. The hotel was quite noisy as well, babies crying, radio's emitting the latest Lao soft pop anthems and the close proximity to nearby residences meant that sleep patterns were a scattered affair. At $8 a night this hotel was relatively overpriced but it was so well run we decided to stay put.

EATING OUT

There is an unlimited number of places to eat in town. If want to watch the sun go down over the Mekong then the Riverside restaurant is probably the best. There are several celubrious hotels in the area like the Phousi hotel that offers live entertainment included in the meal prices.

At the top end of eateries is Cafe snack on Thanon Xieng Thong. This place is beautifully laid out and air-conditioned with hugely inflated prices to match. An obligitory toilet stop was the reason we stepped in. Playing golden oldies, the wicker chairs and classy paintings of the local wats adorning the walls all added to an atmosphere that would appeal to an older and wealthier clientele. The staff were extremely attentive and gave us free water after we fainted at the price of a can of coke.

Luang Prabang bakery on thanon Phothisalat is very good for sandwiches and breakfast. A lot of the seating is outdoor on the road side but there are umbrellas for those seeking the shade. This restaurant is perhaps a little more expensive than the average but the food is top notch and it has an impressive shelf of books to browse through. Another cafe/bakery worth checking out on the same road is the Scandinavian bakery which serves s excellent traditional Lao coffee.

Sabaidee restaurant disappointed when my promised pork steak turned out to be a miniature steaklett. Good advise would be to stick to the Lao food here like the chicken laap. Breakfast including fresh hot bread was very nice though. Don't make the mistake while in Lao of ordering white coffee which often means a sweet syrupy type liquid instead of milk will be added. If you don't want black coffee ask for fresh milk in a separate jug.

We ate most at the Indochine restaurant. Initially we chose it because they were showing premiership football and it had colourful Chinese lamps hanging from the ceiling. The food and service was of a high standard and prices were very competitive. You can find it at the beginning of a strip of restaurants on Sisavangvong road.

ATTRACTIONS

Luang Prabang is distinguished by it wats and temples. The best one the town has to offer is Phou Si situated on a hill overlooking the town. To get to the temple you must climb 238 steps from the main street Phothisalat. At the summit there are incredible views of the Luang Prabang area. The Mekong in all its glorious browness is the overriding feature although in the background the mist covered forest laden mountains are spectacular. The Nam Khan river is also visible with several patchwork paddy fields usurping a small island.

Phu Si temple itself is not very impressive but there are number of other items on the hill that are worth seeing. Just at the back of the small temple at the summit is an artillery piece which was probably used quite effectively during the Indochine war. There is a colourful reclining Buddha in a rock formation, a golden Buddha in a cave just beside a building with a large drum, banisters shaped like a serpents body and the imprint of Buddha foot in a dark room. As you reach the bottom of one of the sets of steps there is a very active monastery with bustling monks walking every which way. Entry to Phou Si costs 8000 kip (1 euro).

In Luang Prabang province there are 2 main attractions which are easily accessible from the town. Pak Ou caves have Buddha images adorning the caves walls and are about 25 km from Luang Prabang. The general consensus on these caves seems to be that they are worth a visit but if you are stopping off in Vang Vieng on the way to the capital Vientiane you'd be better off visiting the caves there.

Luang Prabang's biggest attraction is the Kuang Si Falls that lie 32 km out of town. The falls has several tiers with powerful water flushing around the trees that somehow stand up in the rapids. There is a bridge that brings you within inches of the falls and the mist that is spat out is overpowering. There are some good places to eat near the entrance to the falls.

A challenging climb to the summit of the falls is a let down. The promised lagoon for swimming was muddy and the water was shallow. A wasted journey then save for some useful exercise. The entry price to the falls is 8,000 kip and a shared tuk tuk there should not cost more than 70,000 kip.

Because Luang Prabang is so small bike rental is the most convenient way to see all its attractions. Bikes can be rented from several places on Thanon Phothisalat for 10,000 kip a day and although they can be in a shoddy condition they do the job. What could be more authentic than viewing a heritage city on the saddle of a high nellie.

ENTERTAINMENT

There aren't that many dedicated pubs in Luang Prabang and the place is practically closed by 11 pm. Most restaurants serve alcohol at pub prices and one or two show films or CNN. Believe me watching the news becomes a pleasure after a couple of weeks on the road.

There is a nightclub in the Rama hotel but because the public airing of non Lao music is banned you can imagine the scene. There are 2 bars on Thanon Wisunalat worth a look. The Makidi bar is classy, quiet and expensive. Just 2 doors down the street is an unnamed pub that exudes much more atmosphere. This places stays open for as long as people can keep drinking and even pumps out some of that illegal falang music.

SHOPPING

There are no department stores in Luang Prabang and if there were they would look totally out of place. Talaat Dala is main outdoor market and is certainly worth visiting as it has lots of hill tribe handicrafts as well as a huge range of miscellaneous products. Talaat That Luang is the fresh food market that opens for several hours in the evening. Here you find many fine things to tempt the palate such as chicken feet, maggot soup and roast bananas.

The Lao currency is the kip. Its exchange rate of 9,500 to the dollar means that carrying huge unwieldy lumps of currency is inevitable. The problem is extenuated by the fact that the largest denomination available is the 5,000 kip note. For this reason both the US dollar and Thai baht are accepted in most shops for larger purchases.

There are several internet cafes available in town but on the whole the lines are incredibly slow. This problem is not unique to Luang Prabang as the whole country is in its web infancy. Planet Internet on the main street is the one we used most but at 200 Kip per minute your time and money would be better utilised in the evening time when the speed picks up a little.

Most people leave Luang Prabang heading north by slow boat to the Thai border or south to the capital Vientiane. The trip to Vientiane takes 10 hours by bus (you can also fly) and buses leave from southern bus station about 3 km out of town. An excellent overnight stop to break up the journey is Vang Vieng which has clean, incredibly cheap accommodation and some lively activities.

For anyone considering Laos, Luang Prabang is an essential part of an itinerary. In many ways it has more appeal than the capital Vientiane which is a mere shell of a city lacking soul. Once in Luang Prabang you'll feel the pace of life drop a notch so it is essential that you just go with the flow.

 

...less