Luang Prabang Buddha Caves & Waterfalls Itinerary

Luang Prabang is probably the prettiest town I've ever visited. At least it ties with Hoi An in Vietnam. While Hoi An has all of those lovely lanterns to dress it up, Luang Prabang is the natural beauty. 

I'll be honest, I was surprised at just how pretty this little town is. Being UNESCO protected, the traditional architecture has been preserved, so you cannot stay anywhere in the main township that isn't a heritage building. The buildings are all wooden or brick structures, except for the temples which are often built of stone. 

The main town is on a finger of land between the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers. The width of the town is three blocks (4 streets run the length of the town). But every corner of this town is a discovery! There are 34 stunning temples in this little area, so you could spend days just wandering about visiting each one. But in between are charming little guest houses and buildings, and plenty of fabulous cafes and restaurants to stop and relax in. 

I'd set aside 2 whole days to just wander through the town. There is so much to see in this little area! Some key things include:

1. Sai Bat (or Tak Bat) morning Alms Ceremony. 

Every morning at dawn, the monks from all the Wats across the town, participate in the daily Alms Giving Ceremony. Traditionally, the women of the town, offered food to the monks as they conduct a silent procession through the town.

For me, watching this ceremony was one of the key reasons for visiting Luang Prabang. I found the experience  ethereal and peaceful, and I enjoyed quietly watching the silent and sacred tradition. I’ve been told that in the centre of town, close to where the night markets are, that the ceremony is a bit of a tourist shambles. At that end of town, the only people making  offerings are tourists. To see the ceremony being conducted by locals, find a quite spot in the middle streets closer to the tip of Luang Prabang where the rivers meet. Be discrete when taking photographs, and enjoy watching the ceremony without making an impact on it.

2. Phousi Hill

Right in the middle of Luang Prabang is Phousi Hill. There are two ways you can climb Phousi Hill, but which ever way you go up, make sure you take the other way down.

Phousi Hill offers spectacular views over Luang Prabang, and I’ve heard that sunset and sunrise are the best times to visit – but if you do sunset, expect a crowd.

I visited in mid afternoon and it was almost empty at the top, which is always my preference (I avoid crowds whenever I can). I took the stairs up from the main road (where the night markets are), and came down via Wat Tham Phousi, which took much longer because there is so much to see on this pathway.

Give yourself a good 2-3 hours to do Phousi Hill because the views at the top are worth spending time to enjoy, and the Wat Tham Phousi temple and shrines are worth stopping to enjoy.

3. The temples

There are more than 30 temples and wats located in the old town of Luang Prabang. In truth, you could spend days visiting each temple, but do make sure you devote a day to exploring the temples

Some of the temples I highly recommend you visit include:

• Wat Xieng Thong – this is located near the tip of the ‘finger’ of Luang Prabang. This is likely the most beautifully decorated temple grounds in the town
• Wat Xieng Mouane – this was one of my favourites because of the golden buddha statues in the gardens around the temple
• Wat Pa Phai – another temple that offered beautiful grounds and architecture

There are so many temples to see that it is hard to identify favourites. Just  make sure that you make time to wander about the streets to visit these temples before you leave Luang Prabang

4. Royal Palace complex including the National Museum of Luang Prabang

Its always a great idea to gather some information about the history of a destination before you begin exploring. Take a walk up the street to the Royal Palace National Museum to discover the history of Luang Prabang. This beautiful building features a blend of Lao traditional and French style, and was built for King Sisavang Vong and his family during the French colonial era.

This building was once a part of the Royal Palace, and offers a wonderful insight into the history of the Laotion kingdom and history.

5. The night market 

The Luang Prabang Night Market takes place at the corner of Settathilat and Sisavangvong Roads in the town centre. From 5pm onwards, the entire length of the street is closed off to vehicles and the hill-tribe traders emerge with their various clothes, ceramics, lamps, blankets, bed covers, handicrafts and silk scarves.

Shops and hotels lining both sides of the road are also open for business, selling handmade souvenirs, Lao coffee beans, homemade whiskeys, and books.

Along the way, sample some local food and drink or treat yourself to one of the great restaurants along main street when you finish browsing. I loved the coconut pancake treats that were offered by a variety of vendors up and down the  market area.

Look out for the street food alley which is located next to Indigo House Hotel. Down this alley you’ll find the most amazing food options. You can grab a plate, and fill it up with all sorts of Loation treats.

6. The morning market

I think morning markets are much more interesting than night markets. The night markets are mainly for tourists, but the morning markets are where the locals do their shopping. The morning markets allow you to get a real flavor of the local culture.

The morning market in Luang Prabang line a couple of quiet streets near the Royal Palace, and they start early and go through until mid-morning. This is a wonderful place to find a delicious local breakfast and see the local stalls selling fresh vegetables, to steamed fish, frogs, and anything else that might be the day’s catch.

7. The restaurants, cafes and bars

The food in Luang Prabang was absolutely amazing. We all know Vietnamese and Thai food, but I didn't know much about Laos cuisine. Since it is located in between Thailand and Vietnam, I'd describe it as a delicious fusion of both - but that would be unfair to Laos, because they do have a unique and absolutely delicious cuisine of their own.

There were plenty of fantastic places to eat and drink. I couldn't get to them all, but I can recommend the following:

• 3 Nagas Restaurant - A higher end restaurant located in the centre of town. Absolutely delicious and you can do some great people watching if you sit in the front garden!
• Indigo House Rooftop Bar - A great bar to stop in at if you're planning to do the night market. You can sit up there and watch the market come to life (and the amazing street food area is right next door too)
• Utopia Bar - This may be my favourite bar/restaurant in the world! Utopia is a great place to chill out to have a couple of ice cold drinks with a tasty lunch. This is a little backpacker bar with a chill vibe and a gorgeous view over the Nam Khan River. This is the perfect place to read a book and waste a few hours unwinding with some cool cocktails.
• Viewpoint Restaurant - located right at the tip of Luang Prabang where the Mekong and Nam Khan River meet. Amazing views and you must try the​ Luang Prabang Sausage which is a local speciality. Think pork sausage spiced with onion, chili, garlic, and local herbs, served with chili paste…. yum!
• Cafe Toui - A small family run Laotian food restaurant. Just the type of place to visit to enjoy the local cuisine
• Saffron Coffee - If you are a coffee snob, this is where you should hang out. Best coffee in town!

8. The beer

I've tried a lot of different beers in South East Asia, but I can tell you, Laotian beer is something special! Its a malty beer made from locally grown jasmine rice. It reminded me of something from Belgium or a a lovely Trappist beer. Not like any other beers in South East Asia!

Early mornings are worth doing in Luang Prabang. If you've been up to watch the Sai Bat Alms Ceremony,  grab yourself some breakfast in town, then grab a taxi or tuk tuk to take you out to Kuang Si Waterfalls. 

The falls are open from 8am, and are a 20-30 minute drive from the town centre of Luang Prabang. Getting there early means you will miss the crowds. When I visited, I was there at about 8.30am , and almost had the falls to myself. Its still the cooler part of the day, but it is still warm enough for a swim if that’s what you’d like to do.

Its an easy walk to the main waterfall, however if you’re fit and adventurous, you can climb the steep trek up to the top of the falls. I visited in the wet season, so the trek to the top was quite slippery and wet. I didn’t make it to the top because the steps were so wet and dangerous, but I imagine that the trek in the dry season would be well worth the effort.  Its hot in Luang Prabang, so getting to the falls early will help make the trek more pleasant – when you’re done, you can enjoy the cool swimming areas at the base of the falls.

On the way to the falls there is a bear sanctuary that is well worth stopping to visit. The sanctuary houses several different types of Asiatic black bears who have all been rescued by the Lao government on raids against poachers, and are offered a second chance at life in a safe and healthy environment.

 The Pak Ou Caves are located about 25kms north of Luang Prabang. I took a taxi up to the caves, then crossed the rivers on a small boat. I think I got this wrong, and if I did it again, I’d take a boat from Luang Prabang, up the Mekong, to get to the caves.

The caves are set in steep vertical limestone cliffs on the Mekong river. There are lower and upper caves, and both are filled with a huge amount of Buddha images that fill up every nook and corner of the caves.

The caves have 1000s of years of history, but what I find fascinating about this is that all of the Buddha's are damaged or old. When a Buddha statue needs replacing, its not just thrown in the bin! The locals take the pilgrimage to Pak Ou Caves and retire their Buddha's there. 

The lower cave called Tham Thing is the easiest to visit. The cave is small, and an easy climb from the boats. It also has good lighting so you can see the buddhas easily. The upper cave is up a steep path, with many steps. The cave is very dark, so you do need to bring a flashlight (or use your phone flashlight) to see the buddha images.