The small town of Luang Prabang situated in northern Laos was recommended to us by a traveler and friend from Aveiro, who described the place as ‘magical’.
On our first day after a night of torrential rain, we woke up with a mission to find a proper bakery to eat breakfast in. As an old French colony, Luang Prabang was set to have at least a good baguette somewhere.
Much to our surprise, as we stomp along the red brick sidewalks, we noticed that there were no noisy motorbikes passing by and no other tourists in sight. All we could hear were birds chirping from the lush gardens and a handful of locals on bicycles going about their day. As our harried walk became a wandering stroll, we caught ourselves whispering to each other as if even the sound of our voices could disturb that morning tranquility.
After a month of being hyperstimulated in Vietnam, this slow pace of life felt like a cultural shock!
Luang Prabang weather
The dry season is from October to April and the wet season is from May to late September. The coldest months are December and January (17ºC).
The air is humid and hot with temperatures reaching 35ºC during the warmest months. Rain often falls during the night and early mornings resulting in sunny afternoons.
Check the weather forecast here: Accuweather/luang-prabang
Moving around town
Luang Prabang is fairly small so walking and cycling are the best options as they’re both silent, non-invasive, and cheap. Plus, almost every hotel has bicycles to rent.
What to do in Luang Prabang
Walking through the Old Quarter
Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage site, so if there’s a place you’d enjoy getting lost, this is it. There’s beauty anywhere you look: whether it’s the gold trims from a temple reflecting the sunlight, a well-tended little alley, or a group of friendly monks—it’ll be common to bump into monks.
The Alms giving ceremony
Every morning as the sun rises, hundreds of monks from the 33 temples in Luang Prabang walk through the streets gathering food for their daily meal. Locals offer them rice, fresh fruit, and snacks while kneeling quietly roadside.
This ancient ceremony goes through various parts of the city, but a popular spot is the intersection of Soukkaseum and Sakkaline streets.
What not to do at the Alms Giving ceremony:
Be respectful and for the love of Buddha, do not disrupt the ceremony just because you want a cool Instagram photo!
Understand that the Alms giving is a Buddhist tradition dating back to the 14th century and a revered ritual for Laotians that tourism has started to corrupt. On account of becoming a famed tourist attraction, the procession is declining into a tourist trap.
We believe that even having the chance to participate in it, travelers should avoid the tours and remain at a suitable distance. For more on the subject of responsible traveling read the post: Travel Etiquette—Good tourists vs Bad tourists.
Yoga Class in Utopia
The zen and peaceful atmosphere of the town will put sun salutations on your to-do list. Luckily, yoga and meditation classes are easy to find around Luang Prabang: Utopia has 1-hour yoga classes that take place on a little terrace overlooking the Nam Khan River.
Classes start at 7:30 AM from Monday to Friday, cost €4, and are suited for both yogis and first-timers.
For more information visit: www.luangprabangyoga.org
(Nuno being the teacher’s pt)
Royal Palace Museum (Haw Kham)
The 20th-century building where the royal family lived is now a national museum housing many historical items such as art, the king’s collection of cars, and offerings to the Laos monarchy.
The museum opening hours are 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM.
Closed on Tuesdays.
The admission fee is €3,07