Luxury hotels in Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang guide

Luang Prabang: the morning alms and the Mekong

Saffron-robed monks at dawn, gilded temples, the Kuang Si waterfalls and sunset from Mount Phousi.

Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage town on the Mekong, is known for its dawn alms-giving ceremony, when hundreds of monks walk the streets to receive sticky rice; it is the most cited experience, to be watched quietly and respectfully from a distance. Wat Xieng Thong is the most beautiful of the town's temples.

The turquoise pools of the Kuang Si Falls are a short drive away, and a boat up the Mekong leads to the Pak Ou caves, filled with Buddha images. Climb Mount Phousi for the sunset, and visit from November to March, the dry season.

The Kuang Si Falls

The Kuang Si Falls, about forty-five minutes from Luang Prabang, are the most cited excursion from the town: a series of limestone terraces where turquoise water cascades into pools, some of which are open for swimming. The main fall is about sixty metres high.

At the entrance, the Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre cares for Asiatic black bears saved from poachers, and a butterfly park lies nearby. Arrive early, before the tour groups, and visit in the dry season, from November to April, when the water is clearest.

The Mekong and the Pak Ou caves

The Pak Ou caves, two caverns in a limestone cliff where the Ou river meets the Mekong, are filled with thousands of Buddha statues left by pilgrims over centuries, and the boat trip up the Mekong to reach them is the most cited river excursion from Luang Prabang. The journey takes about two hours upstream.

Stops often include a village making rice whisky and weaving. Back in town, the night market on Sisavangvong Road sells textiles and crafts, and a sunset cruise on the Mekong ends the day beautifully.