Luang Prabang · Everyday life
Luang Prabang like a local: cafés, markets and riverside walks
Coffee by the Mekong, the morning market, evening prayers, a picnic by the Nam Khan: Mélissa's everyday places in Luang Prabang.
Morning
Coffee and market
Afternoon
By the Nam Khan
Evening
Temple, then night market
The pace
Slow, on foot
Mélissa has lived in Luang Prabang for years. When you ask her for her favourite places, she doesn't name big monuments but moments: coffee by the Mekong, the morning market, monks chanting at 6 pm, a picnic by the Nam Khan. Here is Luang Prabang at the pace of the people who live there.
A local day
On the peninsula and its banks · on foot or by bike · without rushing
Everything can be done on foot or by bike on the peninsula, between the Mekong and the Nam Khan. The secret is the pace: a little in the morning, a break in the hot hours, and the town waking up again at the end of the day.
“A day with me in Luang Prabang always starts with a good cappuccino!”
Mélissa's places
- Coffee: by the Mekong, with a café latte
- Markets: Talat Sao and Phousi market
- Lunch: at Family Bakery, the association's solidarity restaurant
- View: the tea room of the Sam San house, in the heart of town
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A day like Mélissa
Morning
Coffee by the Mekong, then the market, when the stalls are overflowing with vegetables and herbs.
Midday
A laap kai, minced chicken with fresh herbs, or a noodle soup in a small canteen.
Afternoon
A picnic or a walk by the Nam Khan, or a bike ride around the peninsula.
6 pm
At the temple, listen to the monks chanting and praying. Almost every evening, in several temples in town.
Evening
Sunset by the Mekong, then street food at the night market.
Do
- Slow down: here, people take their time
- Eat where Lao families eat
- Go out early in the morning and late in the day
Avoid
- Packing your day with sightseeing
- Going out in the hottest hours
- Staying on the main street
Travel with us
Our tours · Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang temples and Mount Phousi
A day in the old town with your guide, in French, English, Chinese or Thai: the day market, the Royal Palace, Wat Xieng Thong and Wat May, then Mount Phousi, by private tuk-tuk.
From 65 € / person
See the tour
Our tours · Luang Prabang
Mekong cruise and Pak Ou caves
The town in the morning, then about two hours by private boat on the Mekong to the Pak Ou cave and a village where rice spirit is distilled.
From 78 € / person
See the tour
Our tours · Luang Prabang
Kuang Si waterfall and Hmong village
About an hour's drive to the Kuang Si waterfall, a stop in a Hmong village and at the buffalo farm, then the Ock Pop Tok textile workshop before returning to your hotel.
From 72 € / person
See the tour
Our tours · Luang Prabang
Street food at the night market
A street food evening guided by our students in training: they learn French with NK Seeds and introduce you to Lao food among the stalls of Luang Prabang.
From 30 € / person
See the tour
Our tours · Luang Prabang
Sindad evening, the Lao barbecue
An evening around the sindad, the Lao barbecue you share, with our students in training: they learn French with NK Seeds and introduce you to the meal Lao people love to share with friends.
From 30 € / person
See the tour
Frequently asked questions
What is there to do in Luang Prabang besides temples?
Markets, riverside cafés, walks along the Nam Khan, a bike ride around the peninsula, street food at the night market.
Where can I get coffee in Luang Prabang?
The town has a real coffee culture. The nicest option: a café by the Mekong or the Nam Khan.
What is Family Bakery?
The NK Seeds association's solidarity restaurant: its income supports the association's projects.
Can I meet young Lao people?
Yes: our students take you out in the evening to taste street food and chat. Meet at 6 pm outside the post office, Monday to Friday.
A question about Luang Prabang?
Write to us: we answer you ourselves, from Luang Prabang. Please book at least one week in advance.
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