Having spent time in both Vientiane and Vang Vieng it was time to head further north to Luang Prabang. The expectation was for much of the same, a non-spectacular town with outstandingly stunning surrounding areas and villages, but upon arrival, we realised how wrong we could be as we found ourselves in a wonderfully preserved architectural town. A town that had gained status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we were completely blown away, not only by its beauty but by how it totally differentiates itself from the rest of Laos without losing it’s ‘Asianness’.

 

We chose to stay at the Maison Souvannaphoum Hotel as it was situated close to the famous night market and just a stone’s throw away from the Mekong River. It turned out to be a good choice as the grounds were stunning and the room was perfect…….although we were offered a tour that included elephant riding, something we swiftly declined, pointing out in no uncertain terms that a hotel of that calibre should not be offering such tours when claiming to be an eco-hotel and that as advocates for the well being of elephants we were very disappointed that they had such leaflets on display.

 

Having rented ourselves a motorbike to get about, we headed off to Kuang Si Waterfall, 30 km ride from town. Bike parked, 20,000 Kip (€2) entry fee paid and in we went……the photos show how stunning it is

 

Site seeing aside, Luang Prabang has some of the funkiest and coolest cafes and restaurants too. Saffron Coffee was one of our favourite places to sit and enjoy a drink and a snack. So relaxing to sit, chill and enjoy an ice-coffee, right on the bank of the Mekong River

Indigo Cafe was another of our regular haunts during our time in Luang Prabang, they served the best drinks in town and was always busy and bustling with locals

The Tea House we stumbled upon as we rode through a lovely little village called Ban Xang Khong, as we parked up to have a walk around we realised we found ourselves in a  village that specialised in traditional arts and crafts. There was a wonderful array of shops and small family-run museums selling and displaying all types of paintings, cards and traditional artworks created on Saa paper which is made from the bark of the Mulberry Bush. We were shown how it is made and what had been a quick stop for a refreshing drink, turned into an amazing afternoon learning and appreciating this very fine local tradition.

Bouang Asian Eatery is a must-visit when in Luang Prabang, we knew it had a great reputation and had won a few awards for excellence but we never imagined that we would yearn to return more than once. We were blown away and were lucky to be able to find ourselves a table on each of our visits as it isn’t a big place. Possibly some of the best vegetarian food we have enjoyed in Asia…..with top service and reasonable prices to boot!

Special mention must go to the beautiful Zurich Bread Artisan Bakery where we enjoyed lunch and bought some delicious pastries to take back to the wonderful staff at our hotel

Wandering through the streets and narrow lanes of Luang Prabang is a joy, your eyes constantly darting left and right so not to miss another stunning piece of the rich history here, be it the oldest temple in the city, Wat Visoun, and the many other ancient temples, the French colonial architecture that separates this city from every other in Laos, the swathes of monks, young and old, walking through the city collecting alms, the steady flow of the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers that sweep through this part of the country…..to the wonderfully vibrant night market that takes over one of the city’s four main streets, it is full of traders selling their wares and the equally crazy, noisy and always packed food street where you can grab a meal for two for less than €3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We always urge people to experience South East Asia, be it Bangkok, Hoi-An or Singapore but the delights of Laos and especially Luang Prabang have etched memories into our hearts that has made us yearn for this place and I know it will be part of our travel plans again very very soon

Mick & Andria