The Heart of Laos: Luang Prabang

Laos is located in Southeast Asia, a geography dominated by Buddhist culture and long eroded by colonialism and wars. Although Laos has many regions worth seeing; Luang Prabang is the most important region of the country, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. If you ask where Luang Prabang is, we can say that it is in the middle of Laos, in the north-west.

As in the rest of Laos, there is a very calm atmosphere in the city of Luang Prabang. You can easily walk around the city. There are many Buddhist temples and monasteries in Luang Prabang, which was established on the peninsula between the Mekong River and the Nam Khan rivers. Since the city was the capital of the former royalty, it also houses a royal palace. If you make your hotel, flight and car rental reservations for your trips through Bitbook, you can benefit from an average of 20% cashback.

Luang Prabang Attractions

At the top of the list of places to visit in Luang Prabang is Wat Xieng Thog, one of the most important temples dating back to 1560. The place, which you can visit by paying 20,000 Kip, has typical Lao architectural features. Some scenes from Buddha's life are engraved on its wooden doors.

The Royal Palace of Laos is not very old, it was built in 1904, when it was a French colony. After the communist rule came to power in 1975, it was turned into a national museum. You can visit any day except Tuesdays by paying 30,000 Kip. From here, you can visit Wat Mai, which is located in the immediate vicinity.

Wat Mai (or Wat May) is the largest Buddhist temple in Luang Prabang. The decorations inside the temple, which was built in the 18th century, are quite rich. This place, like other temples, can be visited for a small fee.

When you go a little further south, you reach the temple and monastery called Wat Monorom. There is a 6-meter-high bronze Buddha statue in the monastery, which was built in 1372. You will have the chance to see many more temples while walking around, I will not mention all of them here.

Don't miss the Buddhist ritual called Tak Bat, which is held in Luang Prabang early in the morning. Around 150-200 monks attend the Tak Bat ceremony, which has been going on since the 14th century. Buddhist Monks leave their monasteries at around 05:30 in the morning and line up in a single line, with the oldest first. The local people are already sitting and waiting for them in the direction they will walk before they arrive. As the monks pass in front of them, they stand on their knees and put the rice or fruit food in their hands into the containers carried by the monks. Meanwhile, the tourists watching must be quiet and respectful. Even if you are going to take a photo, you have to do it without using the flash and without feeling too much.

To view Luang Prabang from above and take a picture of the city's scenery, you need to go up to Phu Si hill. There is also a Buddhist Stupa called Wat Chom Si on this hill.

If you go down to the riverside in Luang Prabang, you can see monks traveling on the river in long thin boats or crossing over wooden bridges. In my opinion, you can capture the most aesthetic images for photography in this city in this section.

In the evening, a market is set up in the center. In this market, you have the chance to see and taste various foods and drinks.

Luang Prabang is a geography that will impress you not only with its temples and UNESCO World Heritage List, but also with its surrounding natural environment. Natural landscapes should not be overlooked in the region, which is mostly unspoiled and urbanization is less experienced compared to the west.

There are frequent floods in Laos, especially during the monsoon season, so when planning your trip or choosing a date, it is important to pay attention to the fact that it is outside of the rainy season.

Luang Prabang Food & Drink

You can come across very attractive cafes, especially while wandering near the edge of Nham Kham. Just like Kathmandu, some of them still have the atmosphere of the old hippie movement, both in terms of decoration and the music played. Beautiful spaces with modern or classical designs, some of which are under French influence. For example, Viewpoint Cafe awaits you with its beautiful view right at the confluence of the Mekong River and Nam Kham. You can order Cafe Lao if you like coffee or BeerLao if you like beer.

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