Attractions

Wat Xieng Thong is a Buddhist temple, also known as the 'monastery of the golden city'. The temple was built in 1559 by the Lao King Setthathirath. Until 1975 the temple was a royal temple for the royal family. It was here the Lao kings were crowned. This temple is the most historically and famous of Luang Prabang’s many temples. The temple presents a sweeping two-tiered roof and ornate mosaics including a beautiful glass montage on the rear temple wall. All this make this temple to a must see attraction when you visit Luang Prabang. Visitors who would like to enter the temple must be aware that shoulders and legs have to be covered. Visitors may hire a traditional sarong to cover up if they need to.

This three tier waterfall, also known as, Tat Kuang Si Waterfalls, is located 29 km south of Luang Prabang, and is one of the major local attractions. The view of the falls are absolutely amazing. When you come to the entry you'll walk through a forest area before you come to the falls. At the bottom of the falls there are a lot of blue pools of water and small cascades, which is 3-5 meters high. You can swim in almost every pool, and this is very popular for tourists and locals during the hot season. When you have swum around the pools for a while and start getting hungry, you can enjoy your lunch at one of the many picnic benches in the park.  

The Royal Palace Museum in Luang Prabang is one of the famous local attractions in the town. The Royal Palace is also known as 'Haw Kham' or 'Golden Hall', was once Laos’ Royal Palace. It was built in 1904  for King Sisavangvong and his family during the French colonial era, and is a mix of Lao traditional and French style. In 1975, the monarchy was taken over by the communists, and the royal family was sent to re-education camps. The Royal Palace was converted to a museum that was opened to the public in 1995. The ground contains a number of other buildings like a new exhibition hall, the Haw Prabang chapel and a statue of King Sisavangvong. Furthermore you'll see the Royal stables, a shelter where the Royal barges are stored, the former Royal theater and a garage with the old cars used by the Royals, mostly American cars from 1950-1970.

If you would like to learn more about the Laos culture and history this is definitely a good place to visit. Be aware that visitors must dress respectfully which means remove your shoes, no bare shoulders, short pants or short shirts. At the entrance you can hire a traditional Lao skirt to cover.

Luang Prabang, a declared World Heritage Site is located in the north centre of Laos at the convergence of the Nam Kham and Mekong Rivers, approximately 420km north of Vientiane.  The city was formerly the capital of a royal kingdom and the capital of the same name.  

Prior to the communist takeover in 1975, it was known by the ancient name of Chiang Thong and held the seat of government for the Kingdom of Laos.  In 1995, it was named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is commonly known as "the best preserved city in Asia".  The city is well known for its abundance of Buddhist temples and monasteries.  One of the major charms of Luang Prabang is to witness the hundred of monks from the various monasteries walk the streets in procession every morning, collecting almost offered by the local residents.  

A city that offers both unique natural and historical sights, it's a truly unique and special place to find yourself admiring the sunset over the banks of the Mekong amongst an ambiance where time stands still.

Set up each evening from 5pm to 10pm beginning at Wat Mai and running along Sisavangvong Road all the way to the town centre you will find an amazing array of locally made handicrafts, specialty tea and coffee and all of the "essentials" of t-shirts and clothing.  The street is closed to vehicles each evening and makeshift market stalls are set up lining both sides of the road with an aisle in the centre.  Many of the various hill tribes and ethnic groups also display and sell a variety of scarves, handicrafts and souvenirs.  Be sure to bring your bargaining skills as many of the prices can be more expensive than can be found in some other shops during the day