Laos is a untainted country that has a timeless quality to rural life, especially in Luang Prabang where hundreds of saffron-robed monks gliding through the streets every morning in a call to alms. The almsgiving in this city is one of the region's iconic images.

If you ever looking for a tranquil place to unwind your body and mind, Laos is definitely the best place to relax, refresh and recharge yourself!

Here's a few activities and places that I would recommend during your visit to Luang Prabang :

1) Night Market



Probably the most remarkable place in the city, and a must for everyone to visit. The Evening Market is a nightly event that takes place between 17:00 and 23:00 beginning at Wat Mai and running along Sisavangvong Road to the town centre.

Tips for shopper, call for your price when you found something interesting! Sellers here are smart enough to call for a high price, they've met tourists from every where every night, therefore we need to be even smarter to bargain with them. My trick is to cut half of the price offer, and slowly negotiate to the price you wanted.



2) Elephant Ride

The elephant ride in Luang Prabang is an experience like no where else, this one hour ride is truly amazing and memorable :) I had so much fun with it. Seeing elephant poo in front of ours, some playful elephants can really walk and eat and poo at the same time!



I even get to experience zero distance with the elephant as a rider, they're so cute and clever.



3) Utopia Restaurant



Lush riverside bar with peaceful views of the Nam Khan; think recliner cushions, low-slung tables and leafy nooks. Utopia is more than just a myth; it's the best bar in Southeast Asia! A top travel destination for anyone visiting Luang Prabang in Laos.

I could sit here whole day just to enjoy some tap beer!



4) Drink Dao Coffee


DAO COFFEE LUANGPRABANG is surrounded by charming buildings from past French Colonial days in the designated UNESCO Heritage Town of Luangprabang. Opened on 10th December 2011, Dao Coffee Luangprabang offers an array of original recipe choice of coffee, tea and special selection of Vietnamese and Western food. The relaxing ambience makes our Coffee Shop the preferred venue for friends or family gathering, business meeting, or cocktail reception.









5) Alms Giving Ceremony


For over 600 years, locals of this UNESCO World Heritage City have been waking up before dawn to prepare for “Tak Bat”. As the sun rises, locals will take their spot on the sidewalk and wait for the procession of monks to start.

Hundreds of monks from the 35 temples of Luang Prabang walk in silence, meditating as they collect their daily alms from devotees. This is the Buddhist practice of making merit, a symbiotic relationship between the monks and alms givers.

By feeding the monks the lay people generate good karma and the monks grant merit to the devotees that counts towards their future lives.

During summer the alms giving starts at 5:30am, while in the winter months the sun doesn’t start rising until 6:30am.




6) Mount Phousi


360 Degree views of Luang Prabang, the Mekong river and the forested mountains, Phousi Hill, also called Phousi Mountain is a small mountain in the center of Luang Prabang, located on the peninsula between the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers.

Phou Si, which means “sacred hill” is about 100 meters high. Although it is quite a climb to the top, it is worth the effort. From the top you will have great 360 degree views of Luang Prabang, the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers and the forested mountains.

When the weather is clear you can see all the way up to the golden stupa of the Wat Phra Phome Phao Santi Chedi forest temple on the mountains East of Luang Prabang.




7) Kuang Si Falls


Kuang Si Waterfall is the biggest in the Luang Prabang area with three tiers leading to a 50-metre drop into spectacular azure pools before flowing downstream. The pools also make great swimming holes and are very popular with both tourists and locals. You can change clothes for swimming at the wooden huts located close to the entrance. 

The pools also have cascades of up to five metres high with deliciously cold water due to the shade given by the surrounding lush tropical jungle, if you don’t fancy a swim then you can relax in the shade and watch others having fun jumping in and out of the water. 

There are trails allowing you to climb up to the top where you can see the stream feeding into the falls and enjoy some more natural pools. Remember to bring the correct footwear as the trails can get slippery and are certainly not recommended for children or the frail.