15 Essentials: what to see and do in Luang Prabang (Laos) in 1 or 2 days

Located in the heart of Southeast Asia, Laos. It is a country that is located between the mountains that separate it from Vietnam and one of the most impressive rivers in the world, the mekong river.

On this our first trip to Laos, we visited one of the most attractive areas, Luang Prabang, a city that mixes a jungle nature typical of series like “Lost”, with a deep religious spirituality.

Here we leave you this Luang Prabang video, in case you want to see this article in images.

El mekong river is of vital importance for Laos.  since it is a country that has no access to the sea and acts as a highway between the different towns that are located on the banks of the river.

In fact, it marks a natural border of Laos. to the west and south with four of its neighboring countries, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia y Vietnam .

Luang Prabang, World Heritage Site in Laos

Luang Prabang, a city that has been declared “Heritage" by Unesco and is located in the north of Laos, it is one of the three most important and tourist cities in Laos with Vientiane y Champasak.

It is located on a small peninsula formed on one side by the mekong river, and to the other by its tributary Nam Khan, and has just over 70.000 inhabitants.

For stay in Luang Prabang During your visit, it is worth looking for one of the hotels that occupy the French colonial buildings, as accommodation in Laos is really cheap.

Curiosities history of Laos

Laos. Before the 14th century it covered a huge territory as its territory covered an important part of Thailand and Cambodia.

In fact Laos was known as ““Lan Zang,” the kingdom of a million elephants.

When it became a French colony it was part of what was known as Indochina along with the current countries of Cambodia and Vietnam.

Luang Prabang It was the capital of Laos until the 14th century when the capital was moved to Vientiane, a change that was due to two important events.

The first was defensive against the frequent invasions of Burma and China, and the other reason was orographic, since Vientiane It is much flatter and made communications and trade easier.

A curious fact that not everyone knows is that Laos. It was the most bombed country in the Vietnam War.

The American army once reached Vietnam's border with Laos, continuing to advance until the end of the war in 1975, the same year its monarchy ended and Laos became a republic.

Another very important fact about the country's social situation is that after the conflicts with Thailand, institutional relations have gone through bad times.

Today this has changed and an example of them is that they have already been built five bridges known as the "bridges of friendship", which join the two countries by crossing the mekong river.

Best places to see and visit in Luang Prabang

The first thing to say is that Luang Prabang You can visit it on foot, it is still a small city where all its life is concentrated in a few streets.

In this list that I am going to highlight below of the most prominent places What you should see during your stay in Luang PrabangIt must be taken into account that not all visits are in the center of the city.

Many of the great visits and experiences you will find them around, especially those linked to the Mekong River or the visit to the very famous Kuang Si Falls.

That is why when listing the 15 essential places to see in Luang Prabang, we will add the information you need to know to visit those that are far from the city.

The Public transportation are conspicuous by their absence and for most visits you must rent a motorcycle or sign up for excursions which include transportation and guide in spanish.

Furthermore, the excursions The transports have air conditioning, which is greatly appreciated in times of high heat.

Driving a motorbike in Luang Prabang It is not very complicated for people who are used to driving this vehicle, but it is true that if you do not drive motorcycles regularly, it can be quite difficult, since it cannot be said that the traffic rules are very respected.

Here we leave you an article with practical advice we give you to visit Laos, which will surely be very useful for organizing your trip.

As for the excursionsThere are some for one day or several; if several people go. Consider signing up for one of several days because it is likely to be more profitable.

Mekong River in Luang Prabang

With more than 4.000 kilometers in length, this river marks the life and history of Luang Prabang.

As it passes through the city it is more than a kilometer wide and is used as a river highway to link many of the small fishing towns.

Their Sunsets as it passes through Luang Prabang They are one of the most sought after images by all visitors.

Traveling all of it can take many days, but it is possible to navigate it partially, either on single-day excursions or on more adventurous expeditions over several days.

In fact, a visit to Luang Prabang must include some excursion in which the mekong river be the protagonist, that is why all agency packs include excursions to explore it.

Mekong River Fishing Villages

By all the mekong river There are small fishing villages such as Bang Xang Hai that we were able to know.

Its main activity is obviously fishing, but also rice cultivation and agriculture.

During the day these small towns descend the river to trade in the different local markets of Luang Prabang.

Pak Ou Caves near Luang Prabang

This corner of the river is known as the Thousand Buddha Caves.

They are going up by boat towards the north along the mekong river where it joins an important tributary, the Nam Ou, .

The name of these caves comes from their location at the mouth of this tributary.

Pak Ou It's a play on words that means Ou River Mouth, specific, Pak It means mouth, and Nam Ou, is the name of the tributary.

They were found in the 14th century and merchants used them as shelter, while at the same time they left statues of Buddha through the different caves.

Wat Long Khoun Temple in Luang Prabang

This small temple is located just opposite Luang Prabang, at the other side of mekong river.

It is the home of a group of monks, which can only be reached by boat.

This temple cannot always be visited because if the monks have gone to the city to take part in the “monk parade”, the temple is temporarily closed to the public.

Kuang Si Falls in Luang Prabang

A few kilometers from Luang Prabang there are Kuang Si Falls, that with his Turquoise Color They are one of the most beautiful in the world and, without a doubt, one of the jewels of Laos.

These waterfalls at various heights inside the jungle are the biggest tourist attraction in the area, as they are absolutely unique.

As it descends the slope it forms small pools in which it is possible to bathe among vines and waterfalls.

Without a doubt, they seem to us to be one of the most beautiful we have seen on the planet.

To visit them there are several excursions that take you from your own hotel.

Bear Shelter near Luang Prabang

At the entrance to the park where the falls are located, you pass through a small bear shelter, where they are in charge of helping these animals that have been attacked by farmers.

The coexistence of these majestic bears with the local population has been a conflict in recent years given the conflict over territory.

Most of the bears would not have survived if they had not been rescued, as there are some that have recovered from very serious injuries, including amputations.

Wat Xieng Thong Temple in Luang Prabang

The one of Wat Xieng Thong. is the main one of the Luang Prabang temples and one of the best preserved.

A coincidence of fate meant that it could be preserved from the multitudinous pirate raids that came for him mekong river.

These pirates took advantage of the invasions of the Chinese armies to take all the jewels and valuables that remained after the attacks.

The head of the main group of pirates that devastated the cities studied in Luang Prabang, so when he arrived in the city he decided to respect the temple.

It was later rebuilt and in its enclosure we find several temples and small chapels, prayer rooms and stupas.

Mount Phou Si Viewpoint in Luang Prabang

If you want to have a 360º panoramic view of the city, this mountain and the temple it houses on its top is the place you should go.

In the city center in Luang Prabang, the Mount Phousi It rises about 100 meters, from where it can be seen perfectly like the rivers Mekong, y Nam Khan They surround the jungle city.

To climb a tip, there are two sides of the climb, the one with the fewest steps (more than 300) is the one facing the Royal Palace, so if you want to save steps, that is the “easiest” access

Luang Prabang Royal Palace

Upon completion in 1974 Monarchy in Laos, the state decided to preserve the Royal Palace so that later generations could enjoy it.

Thanks to this decision, this Royal Palace It can be visited and is preserved as it was abandoned by the kings after their flight from the country.

You can see some impressive rooms with curious mosaics and the gilded gold leaf decorations that cover the wood of the palace.

In them the kings of Laos They held official receptions for the leaders of the rest of the monarchies that visited them.

Night Market in Luang Prabang

The joy in the city is brought by the Night market, a market that is set up every day on the main street of the city, the one that runs along the peninsula of Luang Prabang.

This street, which also houses the Royal Palace, every day, starting at 5 in the afternoon, when the sun goes down, it becomes a huge market.

Union point between merchants from all the villages around the mekong river, it is a must-see for tourists.

In addition to the multitudinous stalls crafts and locally made products, you find an area of street food, the one we liked the most on our trip to Southeast Asia.

A street with a multitude of food stalls where tourists meet local people, and a great place since there are so many people at the stalls, that the food is always fresh because they don't stop cooking.

And on top of that very cheap. Recommended 100%.

French colonial architecture in Luang Prabang

After the years of French colonial occupation, most of the buildings from that era have been preserved, so walk the streets of Luang Prabang It is a walk through historic streets and houses.

There are some of the houses from that era that have been converted into hotels, like the one where we stayed, the Villa Meydou.

La Sisivangvong Street which takes the name of the penultimate king, and where the Night market, is a clear example of these colonial constructions.

If you want to visit them, that is the best area to see them, although you can find these colonial houses throughout the city.

Bamboo Bridges in Luang Prabang

Every year the flow of the river decreases, this is due to the arrival of the dry season of the year.

It is the moment in which the citizens of Luang Prabang they build these wonderful bamboo bridges about him Nam Khan River, which you can cross by paying about 50 euro cents.

They are one of the most curious pictures of Luang Prabang.

Of course, if you go during the rainy season when the flow rises very sharply, you probably won't be able to see them.

When the river rises, it is normal for there to be overflows due to the strong floods of the river that destroy these bamboo constructions.

Wat Aham Temple in Luang Prabang

Also in the city center,  Wat Aham It is actually a set of temples converted into a home for monks.

It is presided over by a huge buddha statue under old wooden structures that have been rebuilt over the years.

This beautiful temple also houses several of the Buddha sculptures that have been recovered from temples destroyed over time in attacks on the city.

You can also see a huge stupa that, unlike the rest of stupas of the temples, was not used to deposit ashes of the dead.

It is built of concrete and was used by monks to store treasures and relics when Luang Prabang was attacked.

Monks Parade in Luang Prabang

One of the most interesting points for your visit is the event that is repeated every day of the year.

At sunrise, at 5 in the morning, all monks from the temples of Luang Prabang They go out in procession to tour the city.

It is an event of spiritual connection between the neighbors of Luang Prabang and the numerous monks in the surrounding area.

Dressed in their attire, lined up by age, they come out carrying urns to receive offerings from the citizens.

These offerings are the only foods that the monks eat during the day, which they divide into two meals.

Sisavangvong Street in Luang Prabang

As I have mentioned, this street is named after the penultimate king of Laos, and it is the place where you will find a large number of bars and restaurants.

Many of them are focused on tourists with international food, but not all of them are like that.

You can also find local food, especially rice cooked in a thousand different ways, as well as meat, especially chicken.