5 Best Attractions To Do And See For A Day Tour In Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang is an ancient capital of Laos, located in Northern Laos, about 300 km from Vientiane, lying on the Mekong Riverside. Coming to Luang Prabang, you could feel the quietness and peacefulness. 
Bird's eye view of Luang Prabang

Bird's eye view of Luang Prabang
 

Luang Prabang is famous for its many Buddhist temples and monasteries. From here, you can watch the sunset over the Mekong river and enjoy the panoramic view of the old imperial city in the sunset. Luang Prabang has many temples, most temples are free entrance. If you plan to visit Luang Prabang, should not miss the following 5 attractive destinations: 

1.    Tat Kuang Si (Kuang Si Waterfall) 

Kuang Si Waterfall is about 30 km from the center of Luang Prabang. The road is quite zigzag because it has to run through the mountains, so it takes about 60 minutes to go from the city to the waterfall. 

Visitors can take a Tuktuk to the Kuang Si waterfall. Tuktuk is a very typical vehicle of Laos, spacious and airy, visitors can unleash the view on the roadside and the price is not too expensive. The price for a trip is about 55.000 Kip. 

At the gate of the tourist area, tourists buy tickets to visit for 20.000 Kip per person. Kuang Si is a beautiful waterfall where you can swim in the turquoise water. Besides, if you are interested in exploring you can also experience trekking to climb the top of the waterfall to explore the view from above. 
 

Tat Kuang Si

The most attractive beauty of the waterfall is layers of layers piled up like terraces, water pouring from the high mountains and down to the lower but wider floors and forming large lakes. The more you walk along the waterfall, the more visitors will be amazed and admire the magnificence of the waterfall.

2.    Phu Si Mount 

Phu Si is the highest point located in the heart of the ancient city of Luang Prabang. In fact, with only 328 steps, you can reach the top of this mountain. At the top of the mountain, you can enjoy the panoramic view of the entire ancient city. The best time to visit Phu Si Mount is at the sunset when the sun slowly is setting down on the Mekong River. On the top of the mountain is the golden peak of Psita and at the foot of the hill is the royal palace. 

 Sunset on Mount Phu Si

You can also contemplate the two beautiful winding Me Kong and Nam Khan rivers. The houses on the riverbanks are simple but look luxurious, the folk customs are rich and natural. Contrary to the hustle and bustle of modern cities, Luang Prabang appears like an idyllic paradise.

3.    Royal Palace Museum - Haw Kham 

The Royal Palace of Laos, today is also known as the Royal Palace Museum of Laos, was once the royal palace of the Kingdom of Laos, the vestige of the ancient capital of Million Elephants. 

Built on the banks of the Mekong River, Haw Kham is one of the most valuable monuments of Luang Prabang. The most valuable thing of the Royal Palace of Laos is the phantom Buddha statue which has been preserved until now.

This national treasure statue is made of pure gold, weighs 48kg, and is 83cm high. 

Visitors to the Royal Palace can take pictures of the marble and gilded architecture; watch the precious gifts given to diplomats over the years. One of the galleries also features lunar rocks awarded by the US after a space mission. 

Please note: 

-    Dress properly. Visitors should wear ankle-length pants or skirts, and sleeveless shirts. 
-    While inside the museum, you are asked to take off your shoes (socks can be worn) and leave your backpacks in the storage area at the entrance.
-    Photography is not allowed inside the museum. 
-    Open from 8am to 11:30 am and from 1:30 to 4pm daily. There is no charge to visit the garden area and around the museum. Tickets to the inside of the museum, where visitors can see the Pha Bang Buddha are 30.000 Kip. 

4.    Wat Xieng Thong (XiengThong Temple) 

Xieng Thong Temple means the temple of the golden city. It is one of the most important and oldest of Lao monasteries and remains a significant monument to the spirit of religion, royalty, and traditional art. 

The temple is located at the confluence of the Mekong River and the Nam Khan River. This place was built in a particular architectural style of Laos with curved roofs hanging down near the ground, surrounded by small shrines with the same architecture, forming a beautiful landscape. 

It is also famous for its interesting murals telling the stories of the Buddha, by the art of puzzles in architecture (Mosaic art). 

5.    Shopping at Luang Prabang night market. 

The bustling market, opening from 17:00 to about 22:00 daily, is home to all kinds of handicrafts from all over Laos. 

There are numerous unique items on display at the Luang Prabang night market that you just can hardly find them anywhere. For those who do not want to go shopping, you can also wander around the market, chat with the sellers. This could facilitate your understanding more about the land and other people of the "country of millions of elephants". 

Wandering around the stalls at Luang Prabang night market is actually an enjoyable experience for visitors to come here. 

Don’t think Luang Prabang is a boring city, it’s a precious treasure of culture, architecture, and history that you shoud not miss in your Laos trip. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Threeland Travel to tailor your once-in-a-lifetime Laos Tour Package. Have a nice trip!