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Luang Prabang
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
By Tim Johnson
Having 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
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ACTIVE TEMPLES in Luang Prabang exhibit a variety of architectural styles. The town was designated as UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995.
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.
It’s a spiritual town, too, coursing with monks, who belong to the 33 Buddhist temples here, making their way through the streets to collect alms early every morning. Sprinkling in the main historic sites, I decided to go a little deeper, spending most of my time moving from recommendation to recommendation, and personality to personality.
Which is how I ended up at Emmanuelle, a breezy hole-in-the-wall restaurant suggested by one of my new friends at the motorbike bar, chatting with the co-owner, named Julie.
“You fall in love fast with Luang Prabang,” she said. “It’s a quiet, easy life. Nobody and nothing rushes here.”
She directed me to a few lesser-visited attractions, including an excellent French bakery, and a scattering of smaller temples behind it. “And don’t miss Garavek, the storytellers are amazing,” she added, pointing me to a small theater just a few steps from the river. Arriving for the nightly session, I found the tiny place packed with listeners hanging on every word spoken by the two Laotian men on stage.
One young, and one old, they told a long and winding tale with relish, leaning forward to accentuate the important parts, singing and occasionally picking up an instrument to pluck
You fall in love fast with Luang Prabang. ... Nobody and nothing rushes here.
Julie, restaurant owner
LAOS
Vientiane VIETNAM
Mekong River THAILAND
Luang Prabang
is situated by the Mekong River, 130 miles northwest of Ventiane.
South Rim
Buddhist monks collect alms, a longstanding tradition.
a string. I quickly lost the plot, but caught up with them afterward. They said everyone in Laos knows these stories; they’re an essential part of an upbringing here.
“The tales from this province, they’re about the origins of the rivers, the rocks, the mountains, and the kingdom,” one explained. When I mentioned the rapt attention of their audience that night, the other chimed in: “Oh yes, peo-
means “Royal Buddha Statue.” “Prabang” refers to the Buddha statue in Haw Phra Bang Temple. ple want to learn. They want to know the history behind it. They want to hold it in their hands.”
The following days were full. I joined some of my pub friends for a fishing trip on the river, catching precious little but soaking up plenty of sun. I spent plenty of time lingering with a local beer on patios all over town, chatting with whomever happened to be close by.
Hopping in a tuk-tuk and making my way to a crafts village where beautiful pashminas, robes, and shirts were made, I took buildings set among the lush forest. A guide led me through, noting that 60 percent of their textiles are sourced from more than 400 weavers all over the country, and the remainder made right there on site. Weaving is an increasingly rare skill and a painstaking process.
“Kids learn from their mothers, that’s how we pass on the knowledge,” she told me. “It takes two weeks, full-time, to create two meters of cloth.”
Finishing the tour at a table overlooking the Mekong river, I grabbed a cup of tea, as the light began to fade, just one little boat left in the middle of the vast Mekong. I rose to return to the tuk-tuk, wondering what new adventure would await tomorrow.
If You Go When to Go:
The dry season prevails from November through March; the rainy season is June to August. The months of December and January are cool.
Getting There:
Fly from Vientiane or other cities in southeast Asia.
Getting Around:
Luang Prabang can be explored by foot or bike; you can also easily hail tuk-tuks. Side Trips: Head to the Mekong River for a boat excursion, see the Buddha statues at the Pak Ou Caves, or visit the nearby Kuang Si and Tad Sae waterfalls.
Tim Johnson is based in Toronto. He has visited 140 countries across all seven continents.
