Top things to do in Luang Prabang, Laos January 30, 2020 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 Culture Shop Avoid Luang Prabang City Guide: 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 Culture Shop Avoid Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on whatsapp Share on email 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.  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. 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. 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. 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. Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on whatsapp Share on email Culture 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. 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. 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. Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on whatsapp Share on email 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. 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. 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. 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. Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on whatsapp Share on email 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. 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. 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. 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. Send me the Hanoi to Laos itinerary Name Email Please send me the itinerary! Your privacy is safe. We do not use emails for spam. Want to know more? 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