Luang Prabang is a lot of backpackers’ favourite spots in Laos, and for good reason. It has waterfalls, temples, cute cafes, cultural activities and fun backpacker nightlife. The city is also very accessible on foot and feels very breathable due to the rivers surrounding it. This guide will cover how many days to spend there, the logistics of getting to Luang Prabang and getting around. I’ll also include what to do in Luang Prabang, hostel recommendations and more!
How many days to spend in Luang Prabang
A lot of travellers rush Luang Prabang (and Laos in general), only spending two days in the city. While you can get a lot done in two days, you’ll miss a lot in Luang Prabang. Ideally, if you spend 3-4 days in Luang Prabang, this will give you enough time to experience a bit of everything at a more relaxed pace. 3-4 days would be plenty of time to explore waterfalls, do some hiking, visit temples and museums, take a cooking class and enjoy the nightlife.
How to get to Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is located in the centre of Laos and is a hub city that is easily accessible from many other places. A lot of people will either start or end their travel in Laos in Luang Prabang, as they have an international airport where you can get direct flights to Thailand and Vietnam. You can also travel via slow boat to Chiang Rai in northern Thailand, which is a must-do experience! You can read more about the logistics of the slow boat and why I recommend it here.
Luang Prabang also connects to many other cities in Laos, such as Vientiane, Vang Vieng and Nong Khiaw. The most common transport options are buses and high-speed trains, and although there are some domestic flights, they tend to have a higher price. For all bus and train bookings, you can book on 12GOAsia online here. Alternatively, most hostels also book buses and trains and often will include free hostel pickup for booking through them.
How to get to Luang Prabang from Vang Vieng
You can either get a bus/minivan or a high-speed train to get from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang. The high-speed train is by far the best option (in my opinion). The train takes around 50 minutes, is really comfortable and has spectacular views of the countryside. Trains depart daily at 9:40 am, 10:45 am, and 3:30 pm. Expect to pay between 320-420k LAK Lao Kip ($15-$21 USD) for the ticket. The one downside to the train is that the stations are located a little way out of the city centres, so you will have to pay for tuk-tuks or taxis to and from the train stations.
Minivans run regularly between Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng. The journey ideally takes around 6 hours, but often it is more like 7-8 hours. Minivans depart at 7:30 am, 10:30 am, and 3 pm. Expect to pay around 310k LAK Lao Kip ($15 USD). Buses arrive at Southern Bus Terminal (also called Naluang Bus Terminal), which is only a 10-minute drive from the city centre.
If you are taking the bus, I highly recommend booking through your hostel to get a free hostel pickup included. Be warned, this bus route is super bumpy, and there are heaps of potholes. A lot of people get carsick or just generally have an extremely uncomfortable journey. They will also fill the bus over capacity as they pick up locals who sit in the walkway, so it’s pretty hot with all the extra bodies on board.
How to get to Luang Prabang from Vientiane
There are a few ways you can make the journey to Luang Prabang from Vientiane: plane, train, or bus. The flight from Luang Prabang to Vientiane is only 40 minutes. Expect to pay around 514k LAK Lao Kip ($25 USD) for a budget airline without any baggage. It can be much higher, though, depending on availability for your travel dates. In my opinion, the best way to travel this route is by the high-speed train. The train takes 2 hours and costs 550k LAK Lao Kip ($27.50 USD). The train route is super scenic and very comfortable and will get you there in a good amount of time. Trains depart Vientiane daily at 7:30 am, 11 am and 3:30 pm.
If you’re on more of a budget, you can get a bus direct from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, but be warned, it is a rough and bumpy ride on Laos roads. The journey can take anywhere between 5-9 hours, depending on traffic and how many stops the bus makes. Buses depart daily at 8 am and 12 pm. Expect to pay 347 LAK Lao Kip ($18 USD). The bus will arrive at Luang Prabang Southern Bus Station and depart from Vientiane Northern Bus Station. Both bus stations are a good 10-15 minutes out of the city centres.
How to get to Luang Prabang from Nong Khiaw
There are morning transfers from Nong Khiaw to Luang Prabang via a minivan. Transfers leave at 11 am in the morning, but there are sometimes more vans, depending on availability. The Van will usually pick you up at your accommodation in Nong Khiaw, or you will have to walk to the travel agency in the centre. Vans arrive at Naluang Bus Terminal in Luang Prabang, which is around a 10-minute drive out of the centre.
Van transfers can take anywhere between 3-7 hours to get to Nong Khiaw. However, more often than not, they take longer. I’m yet to meet anyone who spent less than 5 hours on a van to get to Nong Khiaw. The vans are pretty basic as well, with basic A/C and pretty cramped seating. The vans stop regularly to pick up locals along the route, so often, there will be people sitting in the aisle, making it even hotter on the bus! Expect to pay between 183-235k LAK Lao Kip ($9-$12 USD).
How to get around Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is a fairly small city, so it is super accessible to get around on foot. Virtually all of the temples, museums, cafes and restaurants are within the city centre so are walkable. Luang Prabang feels extremely safe to walk around, even at night, as a solo female traveller. Unfortunately, there is no Grab in Luang Prabang, but they do have taxis, tuk-tuks and Songthaews (big open-air trucks).
There are only two places you will go that are far enough to need a taxi, though: Kuang Si Falls and Luang Prabang Bowling Alley. Hostels generally organise transfers there and back to the bowling alley and the waterfalls, so you get a fair pre-determined price. Coming home from the bowling alley, there are always Songthaews waiting outside to take backpackers back to the main hostels. If you do need to book a taxi, Songthaew or Tuk Tuk yourself, read my transport guide here for tips on how to haggle and what to expect.
Where to stay in Luang Prabang
There are two main hostels in Luang Prabang: Sunrise Riverside Pool Hostel and Downtown Backpackers. Both are located in the city centre and are within walking distance of everything you need. The main difference between the two hostels is the vibe of the hostels and what kind of travellers they attract. You can book all accommodation here.
Sunrise Riverside Pool Hostel
Sunrise Hostel is a great independent hostel with a good reputation! The rooms are basic, but they do have beds with curtains for privacy. The staff are super knowledgeable and help to book onward transport and give information on Luang Prabang. They have a pool and a large common area, and they sell beers and ciders at night. Sunrise is definitely the most social hostel in Luang Prabang and the easiest to make friends, but it is also more of a party hostel. Nothing as crazy as any of the major party hostel chains in Southeast Asia, but lots of people drinking and going out most nights.
Downtown Backpackers
Downtown Backpackers is more of a homestay/guesthouse but a great alternative to Sunrise Hostel if you’re not keen on going out. They have comfortable beds with curtains and a small but cosy common area. The location is actually slightly better than Sunrise Hostel due to how close it is to the morning and night markets. The main downside is it isn’t very social, so it is harder to make friends if you stay here.
What to do in Luang Prabang
There are a lot of sights to see in Luang Prabang, such as waterfalls, cultural activities, temples and museums. But Luang Prabang is also just a nice city to chill in. The temperature in the city is warm, but there is a nice breeze off the rivers surrounding the city. The streets are small and easy to navigate, and the architecture of the city itself is impressive.
Kuang Si Falls and Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre
This is a must-do activity in Luang Prabang! Kuang Si Falls are some of the most impressive waterfalls in Southeast Asia. Kuang Si Falls is a series of waterfalls known for its crystal clear waters. There are a few areas you can swim in (be warned, it’s cold, and there are fish that bite dead skin off you). However, there are some areas where swimming is not allowed, either for safety or due to it being a sacred area for Lao people. The walk to the first waterfall area is only around 10 minutes from the entry, and the furthest area at the top of the waterfall is around a 30-minute hike uphill. All the areas are clearly signed, including where you can and can’t swim. The entry is only 20k LAK Lao Kip ($1 USD).
Kuang Si Falls is about a 45-minute drive out of the centre of Luang Prabang, so you will need to organise transport there and back. The easiest way to do this would be to organise a Songthaew (open-air converted truck), taxi or Tuk-Tuk through your hostel. You can also hail a taxi on the street and negotiate a rate with them directly. Make sure you negotiate a return fare, as it will be difficult and expensive to book a one-way taxi from the falls back to town if you don’t already have a driver waiting for you. Expect to pay around 500k LAK Lao Kip ($24 USD) for a Songthaew for half the day. Songthaews can fit up to 8 people, so the more people you ask to join you from the hostel, the cheaper it will be.
Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre
On your way to the first falls, you’ll see a sign for the Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre. While a lot of people skip this, you should definitely take a few minutes to check it out. The rescue centre is run by the Free the Bears non-for-profit and is home to a number of Moon Bears who have been rescued from illegal bile milking enclosures. It is free to enter the centre, and they have a lot of information about illegal bear farming in Asia. The best part is you can watch the rescue bears playing on swings, eating and interacting with each other.
Sunrise giving alms ceremony
One of the most unique backpacking experiences you can have is giving alms to monks in Luang Prabang (big call, I know). While it feels very commercial and touristy, it is a really nice cultural experience all the same. You don’t need to book a tour or anything; just head down to the main street where the temples are and buy some alms (food, usually sticky rice) to give to the monks who will walk by. The location to go to is on Google Maps as “Alms Giving Ceremony”, and you want to get there at around 5 am. As soon as you get there, locals will be selling alms and will assign you a spot where you have a small stool to sit on and wait for the monks.
Expect to pay around 70k LAK Lao Kip ($3 USD) for the alms and the seat. After around 20 or so minutes, around 200 monks will start their walk around the city collecting alms. You’ll dish out small portions of rice and place them directly into the bowl of the monk as they pass. If the monk doesn’t offer their bowl, it just means they have enough already. The procession actually goes so fast; at the busiest times, we were dishing out alms as fast as we could and could only give to every third monk. The entire alms-giving, including the wait time before, only takes around 30 minutes in total.
There are a few rules for giving alms to the monks that you need to follow to pay respect:
- Dress is temple wear, with your shoulders, knees and torso fully covered.
- Remove your shoes and socks and place them behind or under your stool
- Don’t get in the monk’s way or interrupt the procession in any way.
- Don’t try and take a selfie with a monk or put cameras in their faces. If you want to take photos, take them from a distance, without interrupting the procession and without using flash.
- Don’t make eye contact, talk or touch the monks.
- Don’t hand any food directly to the monk; always place it in their bowl.
- Keep your head lower than the monks and be silent for the procession.
- After you have run out of alms to give, sit down on your stool and wait for the procession to finish.
Explore the city
Luang Prabang is the city of temples! Despite being small, it is home to more than 30 temples in different architectural styles like Lao, Thai and Khmer. Walking around the city, you can see most of them on foot, with some being more popular than others. As they are sacred sights, make sure you cover your knees, shoulders and torso. Also, there are many monks living and working in temples in Luang Prabang. Unless a monk approaches you, avoid speaking to them or getting too close (particularly if you are female). It can be seen as disrespectful.
While there are many temples in Luang Prabang, the most popular are the Royal Palace Museum, Wat Xieng Thong and Heuan Chan Heritage House. You only need around 10-20 minutes at each of these sights, and they are all within a 10-minute walk of each other. Some temples offer free entry, whereas others charge a small fee of 10-30 LAK Lao Kip ($0.50-$1.50 USD) to enter.
Take a Lao Cooking Class
If you want to take a cooking class in Laos, Tamarind Cooking Class is considered the best in the country for travellers. They have two classes per day: day class from 9 am- 3 pm and evening class from 4 pm to 8:30 pm. You’ll cook 5 dishes and get to enjoy them at the end of the class. Highly recommend the day class as it includes a tour of the local markets.
One thing to be aware of is that the market tour takes you to a very local market where they have a lot of meat and dead animals on display, which may be confronting for some. The class caters towards different dietary requirements like vegetarian and vegan. If you select the meat option, you’ll be cooking with meats such as buffalo, which may not be to everyone’s tastes. The class costs between 600-700k LAK Lao Kip ($30-$35 USD), and you can book directly on their website here.
UXO Museum
Another great thing to do in the city of Luang Prabang is visit the UXO Museum. This museum is dedicated to education about the prevalence of UXOs (unexploded ordinance or bombs) in Laos and the effect it has on Lao people and the country in general. It is a smaller museum compared to the bigger museums in Vientiane, but it still has a lot of great information. The museum costs 30k LAK Lao Kip ($3.75 USD) to enter. Just be mindful that they close for an hour from 12-1 pm for lunch.
Where to eat in Luang Prabang
There are a lot of cute cafes, bakeries, good restaurants and even a night market in Luang Prabang. The food is a mixture of Laos cuisines, french-influenced bakeries and western food.
Luang Prabang Night Market
Definitely one of the best places to go for dinner in Luang Prabang! They have all kinds of foods, from meat skewers to sushi. It is a really popular food court in the market, so finding a table can be hard. You basically have to wait around for someone to stand up, and as soon as they get up, pounce on their table. They also sell a lot of drinks and have beer towers here.
Zurich Bread Factory
The best place to come for breakfast! Zurich Bread Factory are a bakery/cafe with a large range of European pastries, breakfast options and great coffee. If you want a takeaway breakfast, you can grab a pastry and a coffee to go. They also have a full a-la-carte menu with brunch options, gourmet sandwiches and more if you fancy dining in.
Two Little Birds Cafe
Another great breakfast option- particularly if you’re craving a smoothie bowl. They also have a few brunch options, such as lunch smashed avocado on toast and breakfast bowls. Two Little Birds Cafe have plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.
La Silapa
Just down the alley from Sunrise Hostel is La Silapa, a restaurant with a combination of Lao and Italian food. The food is delicious, the drinks are strong, and the vibe is really nice out in the garden. The staff that work here are also so nice and have a joke around with all the customers- highly recommend!
Luang Prabang Nightlife
While there are a few casual bars and pubs in Luang Prabang, after around 12, most of these close, and there’s only one place to go. This is going to sound strange, but that one place is Luang Prabang Bowling Alley. Every night of the week, backpackers end up here for a drunken game of bowling, archery or to join the impromptu dancefloors. It is honestly one of the strangest but best nights out in South East Asia! Hostels call Songthaews every night for any guests wanting to go out. You can also walk into the street and ask any taxi or tuk-tuk to take you there (they all know exactly where it is).
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