Activities

Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and for good reason: this sleepy city on the banks of the Mekong is one of the loveliest in Asia. It is a perfect spot to while away a quiet week and has enough lovely diversions to fill many a morning.

Out of town…

• Take a boat 25 km up the Mekong to the Pak Ou Caves. You’ll find Buddha statues jostling for space and the cruise up the river is spectacular
  
• Drive or cycle up to Kuang Si waterfalls and check out its impressive 150m drop that tumbles from the sky over four ledges (at its best in November-January, after the rains); there are swimming holes downstream, but remember that Laotians bathe fully clothed. The journey south through the countryside is equally enjoyable.
  
• Ride an elephant, trek in the hills, bike through the mountains, take to the rivers in a kayak. There are several tour companies; try Tiger Trail on the High Street

In town…

• Cross the Mekong and climb up the hill to Wat Chom Phet, a ruined temple with great views of Luang Prabang across the Mekong
  
• Don’t miss the Royal Palace (not that you can, it’s in the middle of town). An hour here is well spent; outlandish interiors with fine murals and interesting curios
  
• Phu Si, the temple on top of the only hill in town: come up for sunset and meet every other tourist in town. Tacky - well, yes, a little, but the views of forest and the Mekong are great, and you can see the wood smoke settling above the tree-line at dusk, one of the loveliest sights we saw in Laos
  
• Play pétanque by the banks of the river. Luang Prabangers seem to love this game and there are pitches all over the place
  
• Check out the markets: Phu Si market, away from the old town, is where locals do their shopping. The night market sprawls through the side streets around the Royal Palace and its pretty lights make it a lovely evening stroll
  
• Chill out at the Residence with a Lao massage in the spa, or a cookery lesson

One event to avoid is the dawn procession of monks collecting alms from locals. The tourists have turned this humble ritual into the equivalent of feeding time at the zoo and if you see it, you’ll wish you hadn’t.