Wow, did Luang Prabang exceed our expectations. Flying in, we saw beautiful, forested hills dotted with with golden Buddhist temples and deep colored winding rivers, and honestly we couldn’t wait to explore this seemingly underrated country.
The second largest city by population in Laos, Luang Prabang was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995 and we could clearly see why. This picturesque town located along the Mekong river is the perfect mix of old town charm and a laid back atmosphere. The tasty bakeries and the bustling night markets, along with the beautiful surrounding landscapes and cold beer all beg you to stay "‘just one more night”.
The Lao people here are whole-heartedly welcoming and were excited to meet Americans and talk to us about their culture. Our elephant tour guide spoke to us at length about the railway being built between Kunming, China and Vientiane, Laos (the capital city). With Luang Prabang sitting between these two cities, the on-going construction has already started to negatively impact the agrarian communities which are responsible for half of Laos’ economic output.
The exchange rate is $1 USD to 8,700 Lao kipps. We walked around carrying hundreds of thousands of kipps and felt like millionaires.
While nicknamed “the land of a million elephants”, there are now less than 1000 elephants in Laos due to poaching, disease, depletion during Vietnam war and tourism.
We think the weather man here is a tad lazy. Forecasted to rain every day in Laos, we only saw rain on our last day.
Matt: Hiking the Kuang Si Waterfalls
Erin: Trekking with the elephants
Villa Mahasok Hotel
Full day elephant trek at Mandalao Elephant Sanctuary
Kuang Si Waterfalls
Night markets
Massages at Zen Spa
Climbed Mount Phousi
National Museum
Wat Pa Phai
Lunch & Dinners:
Visoun
Bouang
Tangor
Breakfast:
Saffron Coffee shop
Joma bakery and cafe
Drinks:
Utopia
