Luang Prabang
At one time, Luang Prabang was the capital of the first kingdom of Laos, and was named Xieng Dong Xieng Thong, or the City of Gold for its splendor. Several centuries later, the capital was moved to Vientiane, and the kingdom was split by infighting, weakness, and foreign invasions. Faced with instability and uncertainty, the rulers of Luang Prabang accepted help from French, who in turn absorbed the city into their fledgling colony, and left their mark in the form of colonial buildings and structures. After Laos was opened to tourism in 1989, the city experienced a spate of restoration and renovation; in addition, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Experiences
A handpicked selection of experiences endorsed by our experts. If you can’t see what you’re looking for, let us know, as our extensive network of local contacts can open many doors.
Baci Dinner
Join a local family for a traditional Baci ceremonial dinner. The Baci is used to celebrate a special event, such as a marriage, a homecoming, a birth, or one of Laos’s annual festivals, and combines a blessing in the local folk religion with a festive meal. You’ll be served typical Laotian food, a spicy melange of Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines, served with sticky rice and the ubiquitous local chili paste.
Morning Alms
Take part in the age-old tradition of making rounds for alms. Awake at sunrise, and meet a procession of monks as they make their way to homes and shops to receive their daily rice, an event of great merit for all Lao people.
Night Market
Enjoy a post-prandial stroll through Luang Prabang's Hmong Night Market, where various hill tribe people sell their textiles and other handmade creations every evening.
Pak Ou Caves
Board a small boat and cruise up the Mekong River to visit the Pak Ou Caves, famed because they are filled with roughly 10,000 small Buddha statues. When an image of Buddha cracks or is damaged, it is bad luck to keep it around, but it cannot be destroyed. For hundreds of years, old Buddhas in Laos have been retired to these caves.
Royal Palace Museum
See the Royal Palace Museum, originally built during the French colonial period as a residence for King Sisavang. This fascinating museum features the original royal chambers, paintings depicting traditional Lao life, a throne room, and four of the old royal cars - including an Edsel.
Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center
Visit the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center (TAEC), an independent, non-profit museum dedicated to the ethnic cultures in Laos. The museum displays and sells a number of local handicrafts, and the center as a whole is also involved in research, preservation and documentation of cultural artefacts, outreach and education, and livelihood development.
Village Visit
Visit a traditional Lao house in a nearby village to participate in a hands-on lesson in religious floral arrangement. A local senior village member will introduce you to the spiritual principles involved in creating bouquets for Luang Prabang’s temples, ultimately helping you create a Buddhist offering for a nearby monastery. He will then bring you to the temple and guide you through the ritual of the floral offering.
Wat Phou Si
Climb the steep winding stone stairs to the golden Buddhas at Wat Phou Si, which sits on a hilltop at the highest point above Luang Prabang. The views over the city and the Mekong River valley are terrific at sunset.
Wat Xieng Thong
Visit Wat Xieng Thong, a Buddhist monastery considered to be the most outstanding in all of Luang Prabang, featuring a classic sim (ordination hall) and meticulous design. Visit the private chambers of one of the top monks and have tea and snacks with him, and chat with him about his life and his beliefs.
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With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, in the continent that our north American founders Catherine and Jay have adored and explored for decades, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.
Travelogues
An Asia-focused magazine brought to you by Remote Lands - a platform for adventure, luxury, and authenticity from experts and explorers around the continent.
5 Ways to Nourish Your Soul in Luang Prabang
- Author
- Nicole Leigh West
You can go for the animals or the plush hotels, but many who go to Luang Prabang are looking to recharge their soul and this ancient capital has more than enough options.
AVANI Luang Prabang to Launch in March, Complementing New Mekong Cruises
- Author
- Travelogues
Just after the launch of Mekong Kingdoms Cruises, Minor Hotels stated that they will unveil the re-branded Azerai as AVANI Luang Prabang in March.
Review: Inside Rosewood Luang Prabang
- Author
- Phil Ingram
Remote Lands goes inside the most exciting Laos hotel opening of the year, Rosewood Luang Prabang, a mix of riverside and hilltop dwellings designed by Bill Bensley in the country’s hottest travel destination.
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