Travel
24 Hours In… Luang Prabang
Slide Nr 1Few places in Southeast Asia are blessed with such a perfect medley of history, traditional culture and nature as Luang Prabang. Peacefully situated on the Mekong River, the World Heritage town reflects a bygone era, with monks and tuk-tuks puttering past golden temples and French colonial villas, and with surrounding mountains, rivers and waterfalls waiting to be explored. Laos travel expert Cindy Fan shares her ideal day in Luang Prabang. [Photo courtesy Cindy Fan]
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24 Hours In… Luang Prabang.
Slide Nr 25am: A Spiritual Start – Life begins early in Luang Prabang, with drums heralding the start of morning prayer in the town’s 34 Buddhist temples. At dawn, hundreds of monks and young novices walk through the streets collecting alms from kneeling locals in a beautiful, solemn procession. Important tip: Avoid the tourist crowds by keeping away from the main street. To participate, make arrangements with your hotel in advance. Otherwise, silently observe at a respectful distance. [Photo © Cindy Fan]
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24 Hours In… Luang Prabang.
Slide Nr 36am: Market Marvels – Dive into the Morning Market for an eye-popping look at the fresh, seasonal ingredients found in Lao cuisine like giant river catfish, exotic herbs, chillies and even wild, foraged things like insect larvae. For a pick-me-up, head to the corner at the Mekong for traditional Lao coffee, brewed strong in a sock filter and served with a generous dose of sweet condensed milk. [Photo © Cindy Fan]
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24 Hours In… Luang Prabang.
Slide Nr 47am: Slurp Some Breakfast Soup – Slurp up khao soi noodle soup, a local specialty of flat, wide rice noodles loaded with a sauce of minced pork, tomato and fermented soybeans; don’t forget to sink fresh herbs into the hot broth. The best shop is on the main street across from Wat Sene Souk Haram temple. Not in the mood for breakfast noodles? Heavenly butter croissants are a block away at French patisserie Le Banneton. [Photo © Cindy Fan]
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24 Hours In… Luang Prabang.
Slide Nr 58am: A Sticky Lesson – In Laos, sticky rice is eaten with almost every meal but to really appreciate every bite, learn what it takes for rice to go from field to table at Living Land Organic Farm. Participants experience over a dozen steps utilising traditional tools (and one obedient water buffalo). Muddy, sweaty and fun, the programme ends with a hard-earned lunch that features – you guessed it – sticky rice. [Photo © Cindy Fan]
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24 Hours In… Luang Prabang.
Slide Nr 61pm: Beat The Heat – Just 18 miles from town, Kuang Si Waterfall is a stunning cascade that tumbles from a limestone cliff into a series of little falls and inviting turquoise pools. A swim in the spring waters is a refreshing remedy to the midday heat. Go for a challenging hike to the top, visit the butterfly park or relax at Vanvisa or Carpe Diem – both of these restaurants boast lovely views.
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24 Hours In… Luang Prabang.
Slide Nr 72pm: A Bear-y Cute Experience – Found within Kuang Si Park, the Free the Bears sanctuary is a haven for over 40 Asiatic black bears rescued from wildlife traffickers and inhumane bile farms. Visitors can observe the happy bears while learning about their plight in Southeast Asia. With so many new rescues coming in each year, a second facility, the Luang Prabang Wildlife Sanctuary, will open to the public March 2019. [Photo © Free The Bears/Peter Yuen]
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24 Hours In… Luang Prabang.
Slide Nr 85pm: Sundowners By The Water – Though it’s popular to climb up Mount Phousi for sunset, head to the Mekong River for a more peaceful experience. Boats can be hired on the spot by the hour, or enjoy a cool drink on the Belle Rive Hotel’s terrace. From approximately November to April, a beach forms at the tip of the peninsula, an ideal picnic spot to watch as the sun gently sinks behind the rolling mountains. [Photo © Cindy Fan]
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24 Hours In… Luang Prabang.
Slide Nr 96pm: More Market Finds – Luang Prabang’s night market is a relaxed affair, so stroll through without fear of hustle. While the market now includes cheap factory-made goods, there are still handmade items to be found like scarves, embroidered slippers and bags; shop at boutiques for better quality. Fair-trade enterprise Ma Te Sai, for one, sells exquisite handwoven textiles, homewares and traditional handicraft made in rural villages across Laos. [Photo © Matthew Klein/Flickr]
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24 Hours In… Luang Prabang.
Slide Nr 108pm: Sample Local Specialties – “Saep lai” means “very delicious”, and you’ll practice the phrase with every bite at Cafe Toui. Here’s a chance to try a variety of national dishes like laap, a minced meat salad spiked with fresh herbs, lime and chilli. I also recommend local specialty Luang Prabang sausage and the pumpkin curry. Find the small restaurant just off the main road. [Photo via Wikimedia Commons]
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24 Hours In… Luang Prabang.
Slide Nr 119pm: Have A Nightcap – When it comes to watering holes, you’re spoiled for choice on the main street: Tangor is a favourite, but for an after-dinner tipple away from the tourist strip, 525 is an intimate, elegant bar serving up cocktails infused with local flavours. Try a gin and tonic with aromatic lemongrass and Thai basil, or a fresh pineapple mojito spiced with ginger. [Photo courtesy Tangor]
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24 Hours In… Luang Prabang.
Slide Nr 1211pm: A Tranquil Retreat – By law, nightlife must shutter up by midnight, so it’s time to retreat to Maison Dalabua. Wooden boardwalks traverse a UNESCO-protected lotus pond to the 40-room boutique hotel. Along with the unique setting, the swimming pool, swaying palm trees and romantic pond-side restaurant complete this tropical oasis.
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24 Hours In… Luang Prabang.
Slide Nr 13Read Before You Go – Laos emerged from war in 1975 and only opened to international tourists in 1989. Learn about the challenges the country faces through organisations doing terrific work on the ground: My Library is a free community learning centre; Laos Girls Teen Project educates girls in rural schools about puberty and hygiene; Lao Friends Hospital for Children, opened in 2015, provides free medical care to 20,000 children annually. [Photo © My Library]
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24 Hours In… Luang Prabang.
Slide Nr 16Cindy Fan is a freelance journalist, the author of So Many Miles food and travel blog, and a researcher/writer of Laos and Vietnam travel guides. Follow her journey on Instagram. [Photo © Cindy Fan]
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