Travel Southeast Asia
A street in old town Luang Prabang at sunset.
Insider’s Laos: Exploring Luang Prabang This tranquil riverside town is rich in culture—and serendipitous experiences
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By Tim Johnson
58 I N S I G H T November 19 – 25, 2021
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mixing me a cocktail. Soon, she introduced me to the rest of the patrons in the bar. By the end of the night, I felt like I knew half the people in town. With that one visit to the bar, my entire time in this ancient capital was transformed. Sometimes, truly experiencing a place relies on who you know there—or who you meet upon arrival. While guided tours can show you the sights and provide a safe experience, there’s value in arriving in a new destination and making your plans day by day. Asking locals for recommendations. Just going with the flow, wherever it takes you. In Luang Prabang, a compact town surrounded on three sides by water, that’s what I did. Once, this small city was home to the Laotian royal family, and the handsome French BeauxArts palace in the heart of town stands testament to their wealth and prestige. It’s now a museum, and you can walk through to view the pure gold serving vessels, the red throne room, and the ornate bedrooms of the king and queen.
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: F11PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK, BEIBAOKE/SHUTTERSTOCK, THE EPOCH TIMES, NUT IAMSUPASIT/SHUTTERSTOCK
aving landed that morning in Luang Prabang, Laos, an almost-mystical city of temples and palaces cradled high in the mountains, I made my way to the night market. Set close to a big bend of the mighty Mekong River, this famous market features hundreds of vendors, a swirl of color and light under red and blue tents, selling everything from hand-painted artwork to pop-up postcards. Reaching the end, the clatter and illumination of the night market fading behind me, the street quickly grew quiet and dark. I debated returning to the hotel but decided to walk a few more blocks, toward the sound of laughter and clinking glasses. I arrived at a small, motorcycle-themed pub, where the owner explained that she’d ridden all over Southeast Asia, and that her happiest times were on the back of a bike. “I love it so much. Most of the time, I don’t have a plan—I’m just gone,” she said, while
