Luang Prabang 编辑
Luang Prabang Overview
Chinese Name: Chinese Name: 琅勃拉邦 English IPA: English IPA: ['lwɑ:ŋprɑ:'bɑ:ŋ] Location: Location: North of Laos Population (city): Population (city): Approximately 100,000 Language: Language: Lao Zip code: Zip code: / Tel code: Tel code: 856 Time zone: Time zone: UTC+7
Luang Prabang, also known as ” Louangphrabang”, is the capital of Luang Prabang province, and also the famous ancient city and Buddhist center of Laos, located at the confluence of Nam Khan River and Mekong River. It is shaped like an L-shaped peninsula and covers an area of less than 10 square kilometers. The city’s downtown area extends along the left bank of the Mekong River, with a cool climate, gentle terrain, and an average altitude of 290 meters. Luang Prabang is a veritable “Buddhist state”, with numerous temples and monasteries in the small city. Strolling through the city, it is lined with ancient temples and colonial French villas; At night, the sunset on Mount Phousi reflects the blue waves of the Mekong River, and the night market is full of handicrafts and enthusiastic vendors. In this city, the orange-robed monks, the white-walled and red-tiled Western-style buildings, the red and blue night market tents and the colorful sunset form a beautiful picture. It is probably for this reason that Luang Prabang was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List back in 1995.
Highlights:
- Famous Attractions: Kuang Si Waterfall, Mount Phousi, Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang Royal Palace, Wat Mai, Wat Wisunalat, Wat Manorom, Wat Aham, Tad Sae Waterfalls, Pak Ou Caves, Hmong Night Market, Phousi Market, Dara Market, Sisavangvong Road, Whisky Village(Ban Xang Hai Village), Elephant Village and Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre.
- Water Sports Experience: Luang Prabang has the Mekong, Nam Khan and Nam Ou rivers flowing through it, so kayaking is a must. The route from Houay Xay to Luang Prabang is the most popular, following the Mekong River, which is exciting and thrilling, and the route from Nong Khiaw to Muang Ngoi Neua is becoming more and more popular to see the karst landscape along the way. In addition, in the suburbs of Luang Prabang, you can also take a dive into the water at the Kuang Si Waterfall and the Tad Sae Waterfalls for a refreshing swim or play.
- Lao-Style Massage Experience: Luang Prabang’s Sisavangvong Road/Foreigners’ Street area is hiding many massage shops of all sizes. After visiting the temple, it is the most suitable for a massage or SPA. Laos style massage has many items, head massage, foot massage or full body oil massage, the price varies, the time of duration is usually 1-2 hours. The environment is mostly good, with a comfortable and quiet atmosphere. Some shops are right next to the Mekong River, with stunning views.
- Local Course Experience: Learn to cook Lao food at Tamarind or learn to make handicrafts at Ock Pop Tok, to better feel the local food culture and experience the local customs.
- Trekking, Rock Climbing and Elephant Riding: Luang Prabang is one of the most diverse provinces in the northern region of Laos, with dense jungle and many waterways. You can embrace nature up closely and take an eco-tour. You can go jungle trekking in the primeval forest, rock climbing on the cliffs on both sides of the river, or even bathing an elephant on its back in the Mekong River.
- Going Cycling: Cycling through the city of Luang Prabang not only allows you to enjoy the flowing scenery, but also saves you time and money on your trip. The most enjoyable routes are along the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, with flat roads and beautiful scenery along the coast, while cycling enthusiasts can head to the outskirts of Luang Prabang, where the roads to the Pak Ou Caves or Kuang Si Waterfall are fairly flat. The more distant to discover surrounding areas may take 1-3 days to complete the route.
- Wildlife Viewing: You can get up close and personal with elephants at Elephant Camp, bathe with them and take pictures, or see Asian black bears at the Bear Conservation Center at the entrance to Kuang Si Falls Park.
- Panoramic View from Mount Phousi: Mount Phousi, the high point of Luang Prabang, is the best place to watch the sunrise and sunset, with a 360-degree panoramic view of Luang Prabang from the top of the hill, seeing its simple and elegant French villas, solemn old temples, and the quiet flow of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers.
- Hanging around Luang Prabang Night Market: After enjoying the sunset on Mount Phousi, it’s time for the night market. Halfway down the hill, you can see the red and blue canopies on the foreigners’ street. In Luang Prabang night market, we must mention the Lao-style vegetarian buffet, 10,000 kip/person. Getting a plate, you select dozens of kinds of vegetarian food there. After a full meal, you can browse through the various stalls selling tourist souvenirs, like Southeast Asian style printed pants, handmade silver jewelry, hemp rope lampshades, environmental homemade notebooks, etc., a variety of goods you can choose. However, be sure to bargain.
- Getting up early and Watching the Morning Almsgiving: Luang Prabang’s inhabitants are strong believers in Buddhism. It is a sight to see locals giving alms to monks along the street every morning. The believers waiting for almsgiving are lined up along the street, spreading with mats, kneeling by the roadside, waiting for the arrival of a dozen or so monks from various temples in a line. The believers then offer glutinous rice, dumplings, and other food to the monks in turn. The monks form a long line, barefoot and clad in orange robes, reflecting the devotion of Luang Prabang people to their religion. The monks believe that this almsgiving is vital to their prospects. After the almsgiving the monks return to the temples for a meal. They are not allowed to eat again from noon to night, a tradition that continues to this day. Nowadays, more and more visitors have joined the early morning alms giving procession.
- Touring Surrounding Area: Phongsavanh, Houay Xay and Luang Namtha near Luang Prabang are good places to visit.
Other Destinations in Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang Attractions
Luang Prabang is rich in tourism resources, whether you want to experience the humanistic landscape and local customs or to feel the natural landscape, you can be satisfied here. In the urban area, you can find the magnificent and solemn Wat Xieng Thong, the luxurious Royal Palace Museum, the Wat Mai where the golden Buddha of Luang Prabang is worshipped during festivals, Mount Phousi, the highest point of Luang Prabang, which is crowded at sunrise and sunset, [...]
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Luang Prabang Tours
When you’re walking into Luang Prabang, you’re walking into the history of Laos as well. It has been the capital of many Lao dynasties, from Monsao, through the Lancang Kingdom of Luang Prabang, to the Kingdom of Laos, where the royal seat of the king was established. This small city of less than 10 square kilometers has certainly become a symbol of Lao history and culture. Ancient buildings abound, surrounded by tranquil natural scenery. Temples, pagodas and ordinary residential areas [...]
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Climate & When to Go
Luang Prabang features a tropical wet and dry climate. While the city is generally very warm throughout the year, it is noticeably cooler during December and January. Luang Prabang also experiences wet and dry seasons, with the wet season from May until October, and the dry season during the remaining six months. The city receives approximately 1,450 millimeters of precipitation annually. Best Time to Visit The best time to visit Luang Prabang is from November to April, when the weather is pleasantly [...]
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Transportation
Luang Prabang Transportation mainly includes two parts, how to get in Luang Prabang and How to get around Luang Prabang. As one of the most important tourist cities in Laos, transportation in Luang Prabang is relatively convenient. How to Get in Luang Prabang Luang Prabang is one of the most important transportation hubs in Laos, and there are mainly three ways to reach Luang Prabang, including aircraft, train and long-distance bus. By Air There is only one international airport in Luang Prabang, Luang [...]
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Festivals and Activities
As a country with Buddhism as its official religion, Laos has many traditional festivals and public holidays almost every month. Laotian festivals, or boun, are like a part of Lao people's life and are mainly associated with historical Buddhist festivals or agricultural seasons on a hybrid solar and lunar calendar. It will be a great opportunity to spend a holiday in Laos, immerse yourself in the celebrations and learn more about the culture and traditional way of life. Main Festivals in [...]
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Travel Tips
To have a better travel experience in Luang Prabang, there are some useful Luang Prabang travel tips which may be helpful for your Luang Prabang tour. When plan your trip to Luang Prabang, view our answers to questions about Luang Prabang travel to get better understanding of Luang Prabang. Useful Numbers Ambulance: 195 Firefighting: 190 Police: 191 Tourist Police: 192 Laos Country Code: 856 Luang Prabang Area Code: 71 Best Time to Visit The dry season from September to April is the best [...]
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Useful Maps
To help you have a better understanding of Luang Prabang, we have collected some useful Laos maps including Luang Prabang location map, Luang Prabang regional map, Luang Prabang tourists attractions map, Luang Prabang's City map, Luang Prabang transportation map, map of scenic spots around Luang Prabang, etc, through which you can probably know how to get to Luang Prabang and what to discover there. It shows the specific location Luang Prabang of main roads, transportation, railway, stations, bus stations, airports, [...]
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Luang Prabang Accommodation
Luang Prabang is the famous ancient capital and Buddhist center of Laos, the capital of Luang Prabang province. There are many temples and pagodas in Luang Prabang, with more than 30 temples in the downtown area alone. Most of the attractions are concentrated in the ancient town of Luang Prabang, so tourists often choose to stay overnight here. Where to Stay in Luang Prabang Luang Prabang is a popular tourist city in Loas. Luang Prabang accommodation conditions are very mature, with a [...]
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