10 Must-Visit Attractions in Luang Prabang, Laos

When the ancient kings of Lan Xang founded their capital Luang Prabang, they thought they’d hit the jackpot. Set at the junction of two rivers (the Mekong and the Nam Khan), isolated by surrounding mountains and centered by a sacred hill (Phousi), Luang Prabang checked all the boxes for a city enjoying both earthly and divine protection.

History may not have been kind to the Lan Xang and Lao Kings over the centuries that followed, however, the capital has retained its age-old magic.

Its French-Lao architecture, graceful temples, and Mekong-side access to Laos’ countryside keep Luang Prabang a major tourist draw, validated by its UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

Watch a Buddhist Almsgiving Ceremony in the Morning

Ever since Luang Prabang’s founding, its temples have harbored small communities of Buddhist monks, altogether numbering in the hundreds across the city. You can see most of them emerging at the crack of dawn: a silent queue of orange-attired boys and men, holding out their alms bowls to receive food or money from devotees lining the street.

The tak bat morning ceremony fulfills the mutual obligations of ordinary Buddhist devotees and the sangha (monastic community): by receiving, the monks meet their basic needs and by giving, an ordinary Buddhist earns merit on the road to Nirvana.

Even non-Buddhists are allowed to take a spot in the giving queue, with vendors selling sticky rice or other foods to place in the begging bowls. If you prefer to observe instead, please keep a respectful distance—don’t touch or obstruct either monk or devotee as they perform this age-old ritual.

Visit a Palace Turned into a Museum

The National Museum (location on Google Maps) was once the Royal Palace, built between 1904 and 1909 out of brick and stucco. Within its walls stand a number of significant religious and cultural artifacts; one of them stands out in importance, the 50kg golden standing Buddha known as the “Pra Bang” that gave the city its name (Luang Prabang means “City of the Pra Bang”).

After the French presence in Indochina disappeared, the Communist government imprisoned and exiled the last of the royal family when they took over in 1975. Nevertheless, the authorities have wisely preserved the royal treasures at the museum.

The royal throne room and the private chambers have been kept as they were, while the royal regalia have been put on display along the corridors.

Entrance fee into the museum costs LAK 30,000 ($3.76); photography and shoes are prohibited inside.

Watch a Mekong Sunset at That Phousi

That Phousi (location on Google Maps) is a hill in the middle of the town; its central location and height of 500 feet afford it amazing views of Luang Prabang, the Nam Khan River, and the National Museum.

The hill offered more than just a pretty view for Luang Prabang’s original founders; they saw it as a sacred area akin to Mount Meru of Buddhist mythology, using it as a central point from which the rest of Luang Prabang radiates.

Visitors ascend 328 steps to the top of That Phousi and the temple at its peak. The temple, known as Wat Chom Si, was built in 1804, and its gilded stupa can be seen from almost every point in Luang Prabang.

Entrance fee to Wat Chom Si costs LAK 20,000 ($2.36) if you’re a foreigner. Wat Chom Si is highly regarded by Laotians as one of the city’s most sacred sites. If you plan to ascend to this point, you’ll need to dress and behave properly as befits a sacred Buddhist temple.

Shop at the Night Market

Over 300 hawkers selling handicrafts, spices, souvenirs, and food crowd the night market along Sisavangvong Road (location on Google Maps). Their wares are relatively cheap, and prices can get even lower if you hone your haggling skills.

Sellers come from all over Luang Prabang province, offering a gratifyingly high amount of hand-crafted goods, from aluminum implements recycled from the remnants of American bombs to indigo-dyed fabrics made by Hmong weavers, to bags made from traditional textiles. Look for the Handmade in Luang Prabang seal to be absolutely sure.

Even if you’re not buying anything, you can immerse yourself in the local culture just by walking among the stalls and observing the lively atmosphere of the night market. Just like Luang Prabang, the vibe here is more relaxed; you can explore without hurrying through the stalls.

The night market opens nightly from 5pm to 10pm.

Enjoy a Mekong River Cruise to Pak Ou Cave

A two-hour boat ride from Luang Prabang takes you to a sacred cave located high in a cliff overlooking the Mekong River’s edge.

Over 6,000 Buddha images line the interior of Pak Ou Cave (location on Google Maps), each placed there by reverent locals for merit-making purposes. The Buddha images come in all sizes and shapes, united only by their identity and purpose.

The practice of placing Buddha images in Pak Ou Cave is centuries old; newer Buddha images stand alongside ancient ones, the differences only revealed by their patina and wear. Many villagers bring damaged or aged Buddha images here for a dignified retirement (trashing them would be sacrilegious to any devout Buddhist).

Commuter boats make their way every morning from Luang Prabang’s riverside to the Pak Ou Caves, taking two hours to cover the 20-mile journey. An entrance fee of 20,000 LAK is charged before entry.

Get Hands-On at the Handicraft Shops

The Kings may have left, but their craftspeople have remained. Luang Prabang retains its reputation as a cultural hub thanks to artisans who work from shops around the old district, producing textiles and handicrafts on demand for the tourist trade.

Some of the finest products come from shops like Ock Pop Tok (website, location on Google Maps), a female-founded, female-run social enterprise with a Living Crafts Centre in downtown Luang Prabang; and Passa Paa (website, location on Google Maps), an outlet for handmade Hmong tribal handicrafts.

To see silk at the source, travel two miles north of Luang Prabang to Ban Phanom, a village dedicated to the fine art of weaving traditional fabrics. Ban Phanom Village used to be the official purveyor of silks to the Lao royal family, and the town’s trade continues without the kings today. Many of their wares find their way into the previously mentioned night market.

Meditate at Luang Prabang’s Graceful Temples

Over 30 temples can be found around Luang Prabang, each harboring a community of Buddhist monks and a history dating back to the Lan Xang kings. Compared to temples in neighboring Thailand or Myanmar, Lao temples tend to be more down-to-earth and human-scale, yet make up for the lack of size with a wondrous excess of decoration.

If you only have time to visit one temple, make it Wat Xieng Thong (location on Google Maps). Completed in 1560 by King Setthathirath, Wat Xieng Thong grew in importance to become a revered royal temple under the guardianship of the Lao Kings; in fact, the monarchs were often crowned in the wat itself.

The temple is one of Laos’ most beautiful, adorned as befitting a royal site: a three-layered roof tops the structure, gilded doors at the entrance depict moments from the Buddha’s eventful life, and the Red Chapel’s walls are stunningly decorated with mosaics.

The entrance fee costs LAK 20,000. The compound is open to visitors from 8am to 5pm daily.

Visit Laos’ First and Only Water Buffalo Dairy

A hobby turned into a prosperous business, Laos Buffalo Dairy (website, location on Google Maps) hosts travelers who want to see water buffalo making dairy products.

The dairy was started by expat guesthouse owners who complained about the high price of cheese in Luang Prabang; by renting buffalo from local farmers instead of buying them, Laos Buffalo Dairy lowers production costs while spreading the benefits around the local community.

Word of mouth has spread, and now Luang Prabang’s top hotels rely on Laos Buffalo Dairy to meet their dairy needs. The product list includes mozzarella, ricotta, feta, and yogurt, with a few other cheeses in development.

Luang Prabang tour agencies will gladly arrange visits to the dairy, where you can see the cheese-making process and meet the hard-working water buffalo.

Swim at Kuang Si Waterfall

A limestone-based landscape looks stunning, as places like the Philippines’ El Nido and Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay beautifully demonstrate. Luang Prabang is no exception—exemplified by Kuang Si Waterfalls (location on Google Maps), a massive cascade of water that pours into several stepped, scenic pools at the bottom.

The turquoise-aquamarine pools appear almost otherworldly, beckoning for a refreshing swim. Shaded by nearby trees, the pools make inviting swimming holes for hot visitors. Afterwards, take a snack break at one of the tables near the lower level pools.

Set about an 18-mile drive south of Luang Prabang, Kuang Si Falls are accessible by tuk-tuk or buses leaving from the Naluang Mini-bus station in the city. In addition to the waterfall, visitors can check out a nearby sun-bear shelter, which houses bears rescued from exploitative practices.

Enjoy Evening Drinks by the Mekong River

Spend your Luang Prabang downtime where the Beerlao flows as freely as the Mekong’s waters. You’ll find several riverside bars and restaurants overlooking either the Nam Khan or Mekong. This writer can recommend two places based on personal experience, both operated by boutique hotels across the road.

The Belle Rive Terrace (website, location on Google Maps) serves a fusion menu of Lao/European dishes accompanied by large, frosty bottles of BeerLao. The narrow terrace limits patrons at any time, providing a sense of privacy and exclusivity that’s harder to find around Luang Prabang.

The Mekong Riverview’s Viewpoint Cafe (website, location on Google Maps) is set in a garden at the very tip of the Luang Prabang peninsula, overlooking the site of a seasonal bamboo bridge that appears during dry months. The lush garden setting creates an excellent backdrop for their spread of traditional Lao food and surprisingly extensive bar menu.