Introduction This beautiful city has recently become part of the UNESCO World heritage.
It's famous for its beautiful Buddhist temples, French architecture, ethnic population (Hmong-Mien-Thai) and river-mountain surroundings.
Most people stay here longer then planned. LP has the right atmosphere.
Accommodation In LP you can find hotels or guesthouses in all different price ranges. Budget places charge between 10.000 Kipp pp to 80.000 Kipp pp in a double. We stayed at following places:
- Heritage guesthouse on Sisavang Vathana Rd. (856-71/25/2537). It's a very nice place with everything in colonial wooden style. For a double + bathroom + fan you'll pay 20.000 Kipp pp. Not so friendly.
- Chaling guesthouse on Thanon Khaem Khmong Rd. It's right beside the Mekong river, not far from the ferry. It's a fantastic and beautiful place, very clean, everything in wood. A room with fan and terrace costs 14.000 Kipp pp.
- Sysomphone guesthouse has a friendly owner who will take you there on his motorbike. A clean basic room near the Nam Khan river goes for 4000 Kipp pp, this is one of the cheapest places in town. The family is so friendly. The address is Ban Visoun 22/4, not far from Wat Wisunalat.
Other places recommended by other travellers are:
- Bounthan guesthouse at Ban Pholpheng 125. It has a nice garden, a clean double costs 10000 Kipp pp.
- Viradesa guesthouse is on Thanon Khaem Khong, also near the Mekong river. They also have a riverboat restaurant near the hotel.
Some new hotels are on the Thanon Phu Wao.
Restaurants Luang Prabang has an excellent choice in food and restaurants.
For breakfast you can find 2 bakeries on Thanon Xieng Thong Rd. in the temple district: Healthy & fresh and the Scandinavian bakery.
A good choice for breakfast or dinner is restaurant Xien Nuang restaurant on Thanon Xiengthong. Prices around 20.000 Kipp pp. A great place.
One of the best places for dinner is the German owned Indochine restaurant, at the junction of Thanon Bunkhong and Thanon Photisalat.They serve Lao, Thai, Vietnamese and western food. Prices are OK, around 20.000 Kipp pp.
For self catering you can find a fresh market on Thanon Kitsalat, near the Mekong River. On the other side of this road you can find a closed market (Talaat Dala).
Changing money There is an official bank on Thanon Phothisalat.
To change at the black market, just walk around the Talaat Dala, and the exchangers will find you. You can also try at your hotel or guesthouse.
What to do Walking tour
There are so many different Buddhist temples, so it's not possible to list them all. Just start your walking tour in the temple district on Thanon Xieng Thong and return on the other side of the Mekong river. You'll pass all sorts of temples and colonial buildings. At some temples, there's a 4000 Kipp entrance fee.
Internet
There's a Plannet cafe near the "Healthy & fresh" bakery on Thanon Phothisalat, price is 10.000 Kipp for 10 minutes.
Talaat Dala
This is a closed market where you can find cheap restaurants, gold and silver, clothing.... You can also change money here.
Ethnic market
At the junction of Thanon Photisalat and Thanon Kitsalat (opposite the Phousi Hotel), some ethnic people (Hmong men) sell their handicrafts. It's pretty touristic with the expensive hotel in front of the market.
At this market, you can also find trucks or tuk tuks to Kuang Si falls.
Pak Ou Caves
A 3 hour boattrip from Luang Prabang on the Mekong river. The caves are stuffed with Buddha images of all styles and sizes. Prices around 40.000 Kipp pp.
Ban Phanom village and Mouhot's tomb
A good day trip on a bicycle is a ride to Ban Phanom village. You can rent a bike in the Phoun Sab guesthouse (10.000 Kipp pp). You can bike to the airport and at the crossing in front of the airport, you turn right. It's about 4 km up. In the village you can buy cotton and silk weaving. After the village, on the way to the river, you can find the tomb of Henri Mouhot, who discovered Angkor Wat (+ 1861).
Getting away
To the South
By plane:
flights to Vientiane daily for about 60 US$.
By bus:
- buses to Vang Vieng twice a day
- buses to Vientiane 3 times a day for about 30.000 Kipp pp, 10 to 12 hours trip.
To the West/Thai border
by boat
Most people use the boat when coming from the border town (with Thailand) Huay Xai, so these boats also make the opposite trip.
There are 2 types of boats doing this trip:
1) Slow boat:
- From Huay Xai to Pakbeng takes 1 day and costs 240 Bht, and further on to Luang Prabang is another day for 200 Bht.
- It's also possible to take a slow boat 1 day and a fast boat the other day.
2) Fast boat:
- Huay Xai to Pak Beng takes 3 hours and costs 420 Bht, and further on to Luang Prabang is another 3 hours, also 420 Bht. You can thus reach LP from the Thai border in 1 day, but expect a rough, hard day trip.
There's been a lot of talking about the safety of these boat, but latest reports are that they're pretty safe now. You now get helmets on the fast boats.
To the North
By boat
Most people travel to the north by road now, but it's still possible to charter a boat to Nong Khiaw for about 50.000 Kipp pp. Ask around at the pier.After Nong Khiaw, you can change boats and still travel further on North to Phongsali.
By plane
It's possible to fly north to Udomxai, but I don't have prices on that.
By bus
There are pick ups opposite the airport (the map of the Lonely Planet is wrong here).
You can find transportation to:
- Pakmong: 5000 Kipp pp +/- 3 1/2 hours, this is the end of the good road.
- Udomxai: 15.000 Kipp pp, 9 hours, very bad road.
- Nong Khaiw: 9.000 Kipp pp, 6 to 8 hours, the road becomes pretty rough once you're off road 13.
To the West - Plain of Jars
We didn't do it ourselves, so this is second hand info.
The road is still considered a bit dangerous.
Most people fly to Phonsavan or try the alternative way through Nong Khiaw.
UPDATE 2001
Transportation
Bus Luang Prabang - Vang Vieng - Vientianne : 40.000 Kip to Vang Vieng (6 uur), 50.000 Kip to Vientianne (another 3 hours further). Dep. at 06.30, 8.30 en 10 uur from the southern busstation.
The northern and southern busstations are +/- 3 kilometer out of the centrum. A tuktuk costs 3.000 Kip per person (they will ask 5.000 Kip). From the airport to the city (10 min driving), a tuk tuk costs 4.000 Kip per persoon, the drivers first asked …15 dollar !
Lodging
No problem. Recommended :
· Mayxay GH : Just in opposite of Lao Aviation office. Rooms 20.000 Kip to 8 dollar (with airco), around pool with Lotusflowers. Friendly owners !
· Also a lot of more expensive hotels, starting at 30 dollar and more. Our tip
- UNESCO people come to sleep here !
- is the Sayo GH, in aecolonial house just in fron of Wat Xieng Muang. 15 dollar for a room, try the ones upstairs !
Food
· Many foodstalls with fruit-juices and baguettes.
· Nazim Restaurant, in front of Wat Visunnarat. Indian, recommended.
· Sulivanh Lao Food restaurant, Ban Phonphengm Phou Vao Road, beside Malee Lao Food Restaurant.
· Het Indochine Spirit -restaurant (not the Indochine Restaurant in the mainstreet !), near the fountain in Thanon Phothisalat. Looks chique – it is ! – and because it isn’t in any guidebook (yet), prices are OK. Try the Travellers Pan Henri Mouhot, 20.000 Kip.
Sights
· The city-walk from the Lonely Planet !
· Het Royal Palace Museum, 10.000 Kip
· Wat Xieng Thong, most beautifull Wat of Luang Prabang, 5.000 Kip
· Wat Xieng Muang. An UNESCO -project learns the monks to make wood-sculptures and paintings. Just behind the wat is one of the oldest wooden houses of the city, they’re busy with the restauration. UNESCO will have their new headquarters in the house.
Excursions
· Caves of Pak-Ou : With some stops like visiting a weaversvillage or a LaoLao –disttillary., 15 dollar for a boat of 4 persons. The waterfalls of Khoung-Sy are better. Wij combined a visit to both in a daytrip with a motorbike, you can rent it everywhere for 8 dollar !
These (free !) Luang Prabang -tips :
· "Herbal Sauna" for 10.000 Kip / half hour, everywhere.
· Massage can at the Red Cross, in the "Lao Disabled Peoples Association Traditional Massagecenter" in front of Wat Manorom, 25.000 Kip / uur.
· For the most beautifull panorama to the city, go to Wat Chop Pet en Wat Xieng Maen, on the other side of the Mekong. A little ferry-boat(not the one for tourists !) takes for 2.000 Kip, then you have to walk 2 x 15 minutes. For a unique picture of Luang Prabang, go in the afternoon, with the sun in the back / behind you !
· And for the best sunset, don’t climg the Phusi –hill (up there, you don’t see anything because of the trees, and they ask 8.000 Kip, to see –really- nothing !), but go to the What Pha Baat Tai.
· For souvenirs, go to the stores around the Indochina Spirit -restaurant. For silk and textiles, (In Vientianne people they selll "Made In China"-textiles) go to Octopodoc, besides the chique Elephant -café’. |
