Two Days in Luang Prabang

Once the capital of the Kingdom of a Million Elephants, Luang Prabang was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. Today, it has become an irresistible destination for backpackers eager to explore new lands with unique cultures. Those who have visited Luang Prabang once often long for the day they can return to this ancient capital along the Mekong River.

Arrival in Luang Prabang

After a little over 40 minutes of flight time from Vientiane, my Lao Airlines plane touched down at Luang Prabang International Airport. The first image I captured of this ancient city with my iPhone was the aircraft resting at a quiet terminal, bathed in the golden glow of dusk as the sun prepared to disappear behind distant mountain ranges.

On the drive to Villa Santi Resort, passing through the charming streets of Luang Prabang, excitement grew as I took in the elegant colonial-style buildings with their whitewashed walls—a blend of European architecture and traditional Lao decorative details. The signage of hotels, restaurants, and shops here is mostly in both Lao and English, crafted on wooden boards in a modest and understated manner, unlike the more commercialized signs in Vientiane.

Along the streets, a few backpackers sat at cozy restaurants, while handwritten English menus on rustic wooden boards displayed enticing sketches of local dishes.

The first glimpses of Luang Prabang reminded me of Hoi An Ancient Town in Vietnam, another UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized a few years after Luang Prabang. As much as I love Hoi An, I have to admit that while Hoi An is becoming increasingly crowded, noisy, and packed with tourists—its cultural activities sometimes feeling like attempts to hold onto the past—Luang Prabang remains serene and unspoiled.

Luang Prabang captivated me at first sight!

A New Day in Luang Prabang

At night, Villa Santi was as peaceful as the countryside. The stillness was broken only by the occasional call of a gecko or the distant croaking of frogs from the nearby fields. I set my alarm for 5 AM—fearful of oversleeping—because the traditional almsgiving ceremony takes place at dawn.

At sunrise, I arrived at Kingkitsarath Road, which runs along the Nam Khan River, a tributary of the Mekong, on the far side of Luang Prabang’s old town. Strolling through a small alley leading to the main street, I witnessed lines of Buddhist monks in saffron robes, carrying alms bowls, silently walking through Sisavangvong Road and adjacent streets. Locals and tourists, kneeling on woven mats, reverently offered sticky rice, fruits, and traditional sweets.

A clear hierarchy was noticeable in the procession: elderly monks led the way, followed by middle-aged monks, and then young novices in their teens. The young monks, serious-faced during the almsgiving ritual, would later turn playful as they walked back to their temples through graffiti-lined alleys, laughing and skipping along. It was fascinating to see some of them striking casual selfie poses—so different from the solemn image of monks in Vietnam.

Although the almsgiving ceremony is a deeply spiritual practice for locals, tourists can also participate by purchasing small baskets of sticky rice from vendors along the street.

One surprising discovery during my trip was the absence of Buddhist nuns in my photos of Vientiane and Luang Prabang. It turns out that among more than 20,000 monks across Laos, there are only about 400 nuns, making them a rare sight!

The Morning Market in Luang Prabang

Before my trip, I had read about the night market, the morning market, and Phousi Market. The most famous, the Luang Prabang Night Market on Sisavangvong Road, is known as a food paradise, offering dishes like noodles, fried rice, fresh spring rolls, grilled skewers, and tropical fruits. I had planned to visit, but when my vehicle passed by, the market was only just setting up, so I decided to explore the morning market instead.

Just a few steps from Sisavangvong Road, in a small alley beside Wat Mai Temple, the morning market was already bustling before dawn.

The most striking feature of this market was its quiet atmosphere. Vendors and buyers exchanged goods in soft, gentle voices—a stark contrast to the loud, bustling Vietnamese markets where people often shout or argue. The Vietnamese saying “noisy as a market” simply doesn’t apply here, as Laotians tend to be reserved, kind, and soft-spoken.

Stalls lined both sides of the alley, leaving just enough space for two people to pass each other. Everything was sold here—from rice, sugar, meat, and fish to vegetables, household goods, clothing, and shoes—displayed neatly on low wooden tables or plastic sheets on the ground. But the most tempting section was the food stalls, where grilled chicken, fish, sausages, pork belly, and colorful sticky rice dishes filled the air with mouthwatering aromas.

A bit hesitant at first, I eventually tried a few grilled specialties before reluctantly leaving this market, which felt both familiar yet wonderfully different from home.

Wandering Around Sisavangvong Street

Like Hoi An, Luang Prabang is small enough that wandering through its charming streets inevitably brings you back to Sisavangvong Road—lined with traditional temples and colonial-era buildings with brown-tiled roofs and white walls.

At noon, the sun shone gently, and the streets were peacefully empty. I strolled along, taking photos and chatting with locals using a few basic Lao phrases I had just learned from Google:

• “Sabaidee” (Hello)

• “Lao ngam lai lai” (Laos is very beautiful)

A café owner with no customers smiled as I greeted her with:

• “Nong seu nyang?” (What’s your name?)

• “Nong ngam lai!” (You’re very beautiful!)

She giggled but replied in Lao—which I, unfortunately, didn’t understand at all!

Later, my tuk-tuk driver spoke broken English, and after some effort, I gathered that there are Vietnamese people in Luang Prabang, and Vietnamese women are considered very beautiful here. Before getting off at Villa Santi, I learned two more Lao words from him:

• “Khop chai” (Thank you)

• “La kon” (Goodbye)

A Promise to Return

Although I managed to visit most of the must-see attractions in Luang Prabang on my tour itinerary, it still felt like I had only scratched the surface. Two days is simply too short to fully explore this ancient city, which holds so many mysteries and hidden gems.

I will definitely return—next time for a longer backpacking trip, cycling through every corner of Luang Prabang to uncover more of its magic. Until then, la kon!

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Mr. Old Man, 12/2017