Swim in the Kuang si Waterfalls, Luang Prabang

Known as one of the best waterfalls in Luang Prabang, the Kuang Si Waterfalls are located 23 km south of Luang Prabang and it takes about 45-60 minutes to reach from the center of town. 

After arriving at the gate, visitors have to walk along a marked trail to reach the first set of pools. One can see a lot of people swimming and it will most certainly tempt you to dive in. But before you do, it is best to check out the entire area, decide on the right pool and then swim in the best! Yes, swimming is allowed at Kuang Si falls!

Continue on the trail uphill and notice how the pools get bigger with cleaner water. Also explore the small waterfalls cascading over limestone rocks, thick trees engulfing the entire area overhead and small fishes at the feet – like a fish spa. No matter what you decide to do, you will certainly fall in love with the place.

Trekking at Kuang si waterfalls

For the adventure junkies, there is an option of a small trek in Kuang si Falls. Near the final and the biggest falls, there are steps pointing towards the trek. These steps lead the visitors to the top of the waterfalls. 

This short hike of 20 minutes will take you into the untouched and surreal world. A steady stream of water flows at the top before it hits the 50m drop, forming the stunning waterfall. You can take a canoe ride on this stream. A small shop owner who sells water can help you go on this ride.

If you have more time in hand, trek for 3 km to reach a Secret cave near a spring and have the entire area to yourself.

Cruise on the Mekong River

If you are looking for an activity in Luang Prabang, I highly recommend this.

The Mekong River has been the lifeline for the landlocked country of Laos and is one of the most important rivers in the six South Asian countries that it flows through. You cannot miss the Mekong River, as it is probably the first and last thing you will see in Luang Prabang. It is visible from the aircraft, from the hotels, in the city centre, and you will probably end up eating dinner on its banks on most days. I’d highly recommend the morning breakfast at Saffron Cafe and dinner at Bille River

Hop on a boat which can take you on a ride over the Mekong River and maybe also visit some Laotian villages. Soak in the earthy colour of the Mekong against the limestone mountains, which form a spectacular sight. This was one of my favourite things to do in Luang Prabang.

Enjoy the panoramic views of Luang Prabang from Mount Phou Si

The Mount Phou Si, which translates to sacred mountain, is located in the heart of Luang Prabang and rests at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. The mountain is about 100 meters high and has 355 steps for a climb u,p and is a popular sight with visitors of the city. If you are up for a hike, choose a time at sunset to soak in the peaceful views of Luang Prabang from the peak.

The Royal Palace Museum

The Royal Palace is one of the must visit places in Luang Prabang. The museum is also known as “Haw Kham” and in early days was the country’s Royal Palace. This is the best place to know about the history of Laos. 

It was built in 1904 for King Sisavang Vong, and like the town, it is the perfect blend of French and Lao architecture. The palace was converted into a national museum and opened to the public in 1995. There are several buildings in the palace compound, including the Royal Barge Shelter, a conference hall, and Haw Pha Bang (an ornate pavilion) that houses the standing Buddha statue called Prabang.

Luang Prabang Night market

Luang Prabang comes alive at the Luang Prabang Night Market. 

Popular for the Lao street food and souvenirs, the Luang Prabang night market is closed for vehicles between 5 pm to 10 pm everyday as it turns into a colorful and eventful place. Local community members set up temporary stalls and display the materials for sale. Lao coffee, indigo dyed clothes, bed sheets, purses, handicrafts and artifacts are all sold here. And like all south east asian countries, even Snake whiskey. 

There are money exchange shops on the street so don’t worry if you run out of the local currency Kiep. The best part is they accept US dollars and even Thai Baht if you do not have local currency at all!

The night market is also a foodie heaven and you can try delicious yet inexpensive street food like Tam Mak Hoong (Papaya Salad), Khao Niaw (Sticky Rice), Mok Pa (Steamed fish in banana leaves), Khao Piak Sen (Noodle Soup), Naem Khao Tod (Crispy Rice Salad), fried seaweed, etc.

Get blessed at the temples of Luang Prabang

Wat Phon Phao, Wat Aham, Wat Mahathat, That Chomsi, Wat Pa Phai, Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham, That Makmo, Royal Temple.. the list is endless. Most of the temples are Buddhist temples in Luang Prabang.

Each temple is unique with elaborate art and intricate designs – wood carvings, Buddha murals and even Laotian festivals depicted on the walls of temples. The designs and colour will catch your eye, and you are guaranteed to feel blessed and mesmerised by its beauty and tranquillity.

Experience the Baci Ceremony

Baci ceremony (locally called Pha Kwan) is conducted to celebrate a special event, welcoming guests, homecoming, wedding, birth, or conducted even during Loatian festivals. 

The Baci ceremony consists of a silver dish or bowl on a white cloth in the center of the room. On its top is a cone made from banana leaves  and contains flowers. This setup is connected with long white cotton threads.

A village elder generally conducts the ceremony and the person for whom it is being conducted sits opposite to him. He chants some verses wherein the person is supposed to hold the thread from the opposite side. After that a group of senior local women tie these white threads around the person’s wrists and offer blessings. Fruits, snacks and eggs which are offered during the ceremony are later distributed amongst the participating persons.

After the ceremony, everyone shares a meal as members of the community. The meal consists of sticky rice, local vegetables, soup served with chicken and fish, etc.

Taste Ethical Cheese

Laos Buffalo dairy farm was started as a social enterprise and on the concept of sustainability. Located approximately 40 kms from Luang Prabang, the dairy is a great half a day activity which is a must visit. 

It consists of a petting area where visitors can pet rabbits, pigs and cows. They can bathe the cows and learn the process of making ethical cheese.

Visit Pak Ou caves

Extend the Mekong River to visit the Pak Ou caves, which are famous for the Buddha structures in varying shapes and sizes. Pak means mouth, and the two caves at the mouth of the Ou River are Tham Ting and Tham Theung. The caves are revered as a place for spirituality and were thought to be occupied by spirits by the animists. Later, Buddhist monks started bringing the Buddha statues to the cave.

Luang Prabang Night Market Information

About the Night Market

A straight street is cordoned off for traffic and visitors can see four lines of vendors selling local food, handicrafts, merchandise, jewellery and souvenirs. Approximately 300 sellers set up their mats on the road under. The set up is in such a way that there is one way in and one way out and the vendor’s stalls face each other on both sides. 

Although visitors want to shop authentic products from the night market, cheap Chinese goods have flooded the market. These goods are lookalike of original Laotian products and present vendors with reliable profits. Shoppers need to beware and look for Handmade in Luang Prabang tags which are helping the local artisans and vendors. This sticker tag can be found on most merchandise, including pottery, jewellery, lacquerware, silks and cotton scarves. The sticker’s presence assures the buyer of the item’s high quality and authentic make.

Location of Luang Prabang Night Market

I was dropped at the junction of Kingkitsalat Road near the post office by my Hotel shuttle. The market is set upright in the middle of town at Sisavangvong Road. Even if you don’t take a tuk-tuk or shuttle to the city centre it is super easy to find it on Google maps. Just input Luang Prabang Night Market or Avani hotel and it is pretty much a straight walk from there. 

Luang Prabang Night Market Timing

The night market set up begins at 4 pm by the locals while the market officially opens for business at 5 pm every day. The market is open till 10 pm. The otherwise busy Sisavangvong Road is blocked for traffic for this duration. Even bikes are not allowed. 

Shopping in Luang Prabang Night Market

Lanterns and Handicrafts

The local Laos community makes paper and silk lanterns which are extremely beautiful and colourful. I almost had Hoi An feeling while going across the lantern stalls and I almost bought one to give the Vietnamese lantern some company but decided otherwise.

Other handicrafts include hand-carved wooden products and toys, hand-sewn slippers and many many others.

I was especially surprised to see jewellery being made from aluminum of the bombs and crashed planes during the Vietnam war. The villagers were taught to recycle the metal into cutlery and jewellery.

Fabrics and Outfits

Luang Prabang Night Market has many stalls selling cotton and silk fabrics. There are many eye-catching cotton cushion covers with many designs that it is difficult to resist buying it for back home. There are even bed covers and pillows in a wide assortment of beautiful designs!

The night market also sells elephant printed pants which are extremely popular all over Asia as well as all ‘I Love Laos’ t-shirts.

Something more eye-catching in this market is the Indigo dyed outfits and purses. There are shorts, t-shirts, blouses, pants with lovely dyed prints.

Souvenirs

Visitors will find typical souvenirs like keychains, fridge magnets, shot glasses, bags, toys and postcards in the Luang Prabang Night Market. The best part about these souvenirs is that they are all locally made. Even fridge magnets and keychains are hand painted which is such a respite from ‘Made in China’ tags on its rear side!

Lao Coffee and Tea

As much as I fell in love with Vietnamese coffee, I would be lying if I told you that I found Laotian coffee better than Vietnamese!

Yes, the Laotian coffee is a premium quality Arabica, organically grown in the mountains of Northern Laos, hand-picked, processed, and hand-sorted to give the best coffee experience. There are an ample number of cafes lined on the Mekong river proposing for a charming coffee experience. I may write about visiting Saffron Coffee later but picking up Lao coffee is non-negotiable!

Lao Lao Whiskey

Like most Southeast Asian countries, Laos also has a tradition of adding reptiles or insects to their alcoholic beverages. Few vendors at the Luang Prabang Night Market sell “Lao-Lao” rice liquor, poured from bottles with snakes and scorpions pickling in the liquid. Sellers offer visitors to try some before selling you the whole bottle, something very similar to Snake Whisky of Vietnam.

Luang Prabang Night Market’s Food

How can we forget food when we are talking about the Night Market?

Food vendors are situated at the start of the market, perfectly positioned for visitors who want to start their evening with a meal and then shop, or for the shoppers looking for a bite just before going back to their hotels.

There is a lot on offer at these stalls which sell cooked food a la carte, and buffet-style meals, all served on makeshift tables and benches along the street. You stand and eat or pack it and eat along as you shop, depending upon what you are eating. I am a vegetarian but still giving non-vegetarian options based on my friend’s suggestion who visited with me. There are plenty of vegetarian options across Luang Prabang whether it is street food or in hotels.

Meat Barbecue

The traditional way of barbecuing meat in Lao is the meat is either skewered or clamped between bamboo sticks over burning charcoal. Most preferred meat is ping kai (roast chicken) and ping pa (roast river fish).

Sausages

Lao sausages involve a healthy helping of fatty pork and sticky rice flavoured with herbs and chilies.

Baguettes

Thanks to French influence, baguettes are easily available and super tasty. With the options of toppings such as tofu, avocado, cheese, tomato, etc lettuce, baguettes are available here during the day too.

Coconut pancakes

A healthy, delicious and soul-satisfying plate of freshly-cooked and piping-hot coconut pancakes served on a banana-leaf plate is the answer to the much-required sugar rush after shopping through Luang Prabang Night Market.

Salads and Fruit shakes

There are vegetarian stalls that sell all-you-can-eat buffet options which include many varieties of salads.  There are ample varieties of fruit shakes being sold such as mango, dragonfruit, and limes.

FAQs about Luang Prabang Night Market, Laos

Is shopping and eating at Luang Prabang Night Market affordable? 

All the merchandise sold at Luang Prabang Night Market is extremely affordable. Do remember that you are paying for the artist’s hard work and time spent in making the product. 

Currency exchange at Luang Prabang Night Market

Did you run out of local currency while shopping and eating at Luang Prabang Night Market? Fret not. Just at the starting of the market, there are a couple of currency exchange shops and you can easily exchange US Dollars, Thai Baht and Vietnamese Dong to Lao Kip. Do compare exchange rates in all 3 shops located and go for the best rate.

I had bought something from a vendor and was short of a few Kip. He saw me scrambling through my wallet and happened to see Thai Baht in my hand and offered to take it. I had no immediate trips to Thailand so I chose to give it.

Is shopping in Luang Prabang Night Market safe?

Luang Prabang as a town is super safe as it is frequented by a lot of tourists. And similarly, the night market is safe with negligible incidences of pickpocketing.

Where to stay in Luang Prabang

Luxury: Sofitel, Luang Say Residence, Rosewood

Mid-Budget: Villa Phathana Boutique Hotel

Low Budget: Sunrise Riverside Pool Hostel, Chill Riverside Hostel & Cafe

Sustainable tips for Shopping at Luang Prabang Night Market

• Don’t bargain: The prices are anyway very affordable so don’t bargain too low or don’t bargain at all. As I mentioned earlier, the local community benefits from the sale and every sale by a visitor helps in making their ends meet. Bargaining reduces their profit margins. Thankfully the vendors are not rude when you bargain like in Thailand and will simply smile. Walk away if the price doesn’t match and don’t haggle too much. 
• Say no to Plastic Bags: Luang Prabang is the most sustainable tourist place but there is still use of plastic bags in the night market. It is best to carry your own shopping bag and say no to plastic bags. 
• Use trash cans for disposing of leftover food or plates.

Read More Laos Articles here:

• Kuang si waterfalls, Luang Prabang
• Nong Khiaw Viewpoint
• Ethical cheese

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. It means it adds no extra cost to you if you book through the link but I get a referral bonus which helps me earn a little to keep this website up and running.

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Sustainable Tourism in Luang Prabang – All the Initiatives

Refill My Bottle initiative

As a part of sustainable tourism in Luang Prabang, most hotels and cafes promote the use of refillable bottles. Cold, filtered water is kept at reception/ lobby areas which are easily accessible to tourists and can be filled. Some eateries even offer a small discount if you bring your own coffee cup.

Thanks to the efforts of the German development agency, GIZ, there are even maps put up in various tourist areas which shows places that offer free water stations.

Say No to Plastic straws

Luang Prabang has taken the No Plastic straws campaign extremely seriously. Hotels and restaurants promote the use of bamboo straws by actually using them. Thanks to self-help groups like Bamboo Lao, bamboo straws and even cups are readily available and used proudly. Other products readily made using different types of Bamboo are mats, hats, small stools and others. Read about Bamboo Weaving in Luang Prabang, Laos. 

You can easily buy these straws in the local night market as well.

Discourage the use of single-use plastic

Whether you stay in a hostel or luxury hotel, the toiletries offered to you will be in a reusable basket or jute pouch. And you cannot stop yourself from falling in love with these small gestures and the attention to details they offer.

You will not find tissue papers for wiping hands near any washbasins in public toilets and cafes. You will see fresh, nicely folded cloth napkins/towels with a basket underneath the basin to dispose of after use. They are washed, dried and folded again for use of next tourist, just like traditional times.

Grow Local, Eat Local

This is a mantra, quite religiously followed in Luang Prabang. Rather than importing items, the local community is employed in producing fresh products, herbs and spices which are used across the town. One can easily shop for local produce or eat them after cooking, sold in the morning and night markets of the town.

They even have Ethical cheese and sustainable coffee which is supplied to the local hotels. After Vietnam, I had honestly thought that there could be no coffee to top that experience, and boy was I wrong! So so wrong.

Sustainable Art and Culture in Luang Prabang

There are organizations in Luang Prabang that are working hard to preserve the ethnic traditional handicrafts by employing local villagers. Ock Pop Tok is one such organization which helps Laotian women to earn income while educating them and teaching them weaving.

“The institution’s brightly coloured textiles and designs are not just to be found in its shop, but also in its gardens, café, living crafts centre and even in its little boutique resort. The concepts and applications at work here are a true example of how responsible practices and a focus on sustainability can be both luxurious and ethical, and it not only benefits a business financially but contributes to people’s lives and conserves nature in the best way possible”. Says Khiri Reach.

Sustainable development through education and capacity building of hospitality staff

Most hotels in Luang Prabang are part of a CSR programme wherein the hotel staff participates in sustainability workshops conducted by GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH, a German development agency). The workshop helps hotels to formulate their environmental policy and maintain data of water and electricity consumption and how to reduce it. The programme capacity builds local community members in the hospitality sector.

There are even English speaking and personal grooming classes conducted for the staff by individual hotels.

Waste Management in Luang Prabang

This is one of the important sectors which makes or breaks the town. The aesthetics of the city are completely dependent upon waste management and thankfully it is extremely efficient in Luang Prabang.

During my discussion with hotels and locals at the ‘Oh Luang Prabang you are simply Beautiful’ event, most of them said that waste was segregated into 2 major categories – food waste and recyclable waste. Most hotels have their own space for composting leftover food waste which is later used as fertilizer in their gardens. Plastic and other recyclables are sent to recycling agencies.

Since hotels are part of ‘Refill my bottle’ initiative and use refillable shampoo and lotion bottles, the plastic waste generated is negligible.

Thanks to the efforts of Sustainable Tourism in Luang Prabang, the town was awarded the Golden Award for Top Tourist Destination for seven consecutive years. (News, 2016) 

The world needs more and more such tourist towns which are sustainable is all aspects. There’s lesson to be learnt here from Luang Prabang.

Special thanks to Ms Alichith Phengsavang, CSR Manager of Angsana Maison Souvannaphoum for most of the information in this post and answering my million questions on sustainability in Luang Prabang. 

Read More about Laos here:

• Luang Prabang Night Market
• Nong Khiaw Viewpoint
• Luang Say Residence, Luang Prabang
• Kuang si Falls, Luang Prabang
• Ethical cheese at Laos Buffalo Dairy

Disclosure: I was invited by Laos Tourism Board and Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) to Luang Prabang.

Disclaimer – This post contains affiliate links. It means it adds no extra cost to you if you book through the link but I get a referral bonus which helps me earn a little to keep this website up and running. Read about my Privacy Policy.

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