Top things to do in Luang Prabang, Laos

Glowing orange paper umbrellas at the Luang Prabang night market

Luang Prabang

City Guide: Top things to do

The UNESCO Heritage Listed city of Luang Prabang  should be on everybody’s bucket list. Nestled away amidst the mountains and rivers of Northern Laos, this picturesque ‘town’ is the perfect place to relax, unwind and immerse yourself in the best of South East Asia.

Food

Khaiphaen. Great way to support social causes and have an incredible meal at the same time. Friends International runs a vocational training program for marginalized local youth. Creative, tasty local dishes. Google Map Link.  

Khaiphaen, a Luang Prabang restaurant that trains local youth

Elephant Verte. When you want to splash out and go high end, but eat more greens, this vegetarian restaurant is for you. Can’t go without meat? Go next door to the sister restaurant, L’elephant. Menu and Google Map Link.

A salad of leaves, edible flowers and petals on a white plate, from L'Elephant Vert
A white bowl of dark broth with pork and basil leaves, from Tamarind

Tamarind. Known for having one of the best cooking schools in LP, this restaurant can also dish up some great meals. Next door is Bamboo restaurant, also a great feed if one is full. Google Map Link.

A jar of Saffron Coffee organic coffee jam

Saffron Café . Grown from bean to cup, these guys take coffee seriously, and have an ethical focus to match. Tours available. Worth a visit just to try the jam! Instagram, website and Google Map Link.

Popolo. Looking for a cool place to chill out whilst grazing over sensational pizza? look no further. Great tunes and service from an ex-pat French couple that no their way around a kitchen. Bookings required for a reason.  Google Map Link.

Crispy pork belly with rice and sliced cucumber in a sauce, from Cafe Toui

Bouang. Asian eatery in the heart of Luang Prabang with a bit of a rockstar vibe. Great place to go for a burger and a beer. Check out the Instagram and find it here on Google Maps.

A table at Bouang with a burger, chips, salad and a plate topped with an egg

Culture

Kuang Si Falls, with water cascading into turquoise pools in the forest

Waterfalls. Luang Prabang is blessed with an abundance of local waterfalls, with the most famous being Kuang Si. There are a lot of tourists here and very instagrammy snappers but don’t let that put you off. The photo is real and you can get a pool by yourself, at least for a little while. Map link.

A woman lying among resting water buffalo on grass at the Buffalo Dairy farm

Buffalo Dairy tours. On the way to the waterfalls is the strategically positioned Lao Buffalo Dairy Farm. If hanging on the farm is not your thing, then stop by an awesome cheese plate and/or buffalo ice cream. It’s also a fantastic social enterprise supporting local farmers. Map link.

UXO museum. No stay in Luang Prabang can be complete without visiting the UXO Education Centre. The horrific history about the bombardment of explosives during the Vietnam War by the US should be a lot more known than it is. Free and about 45-60 unforgettable minutes of your day. Map link.

Two long wooden boat-shaped displays, one filled with rows of bomb casings, at the UXO centre

Temples, temples, temples… There’s an abundance of amazing architecture, culture and history blended into the thousands of temples you’re likely to come across in Laos. That Chomsi is on top of Phousi Hill and popular for sunset. If the 34 temples within LP don’t do it for you, check out Wat Phon Phao about 3km out. 

A gilded, red-roofed Buddhist temple in Luang Prabang with palm trees

Shopping

Ock Pop Tok Living Craft Center. A popular social enterprise specialising in artisanal textiles and homeware. The aim is to empower local women through promoting traditional skills. Classes with locals are also available. Google Map and Website.

A woman in a yellow scarf stands against a patterned wall at Ock Pop Tok

Night Market. You can’t miss the night market. Literally. It is the main street and open every night. Lot’s of stalls selling the same thing and designed for tourists. Not expensive and no fakes, just lots of basic souvenirs. Worth a stroll through. Google Map.

Orange paper lanterns hanging over stalls at the Luang Prabang night market
Handmade silver bracelets, rings and earrings on a red background, from Naga Creations

Naga Creations. This boutique store is just one of many along this strip. The increase in quality is reflected in the increase in price, but you might find something a little different that suits your style. Google Map.

Hand-woven blue scarves and purses with embroidered patterns, from Kopnoi

Kopnoi is another place to purchase locally made crafts from ethnic minorities. You’ll find authentic bracelets, silk pashminas, fine jewellery, packaged spices and teas, and local art. Google Map.

Avoid

Giving money to poor children. A lot of children selling items or begging will tell you they need the money to go to school. The reality is that the money received keeps the kids from going to school. Read more about this sad and unfortunate scam here.

Four children smiling and holding folded scarves for sale

Visiting an orphanage. Orphanages are not tourist attractions. Donations can actually increase the amount of orphans in Cambodia, not help them. Read more about the issue here, and learn more about better ways to help here.

Two children on display behind glass in a museum case, with visitors photographing them
A volunteer in a Volunteer T-shirt holding hands with a child in a white headscarf

Short term volunteering. Unless you have a unique specialized skill, short term volunteering rarely has a positive impact, and can often have a negative impact. We’d recommend a minimum of 3 months to volunteer and only to train local adults in your speciality. Read more here.

A tourist riding an elephant past the stone towers of Bayon temple

Riding an elephant. We’d recommend against it. In order to tame a wild elephant to allow tourists to ride on it, it must go through a cruel and aggressive process as a baby. The Asian elephant is actually endangered in the wild. Riding elephants only hurts them.

Ride in Laos →

← Back to the Journal