Backpacking IndoChina Days 4-6: Luang Prabang, Laos

May 24, 2017

I was a bit overthinking and feared the bus station would ran out of sleeper tickets so securing them was one of the very first thing we did in Vientiane. It was funny since when we got there, there was no queue whatsoever. Oh well, you never know. Hotels sometime get these tickets in bulk. I think.

Anyway, in case you’re heading the same way, here’s a copy of the bus schedule:

Time Rate (in Lao Kip)

6:30 110,000

7:30 110,000

8:00 130,000

8:30 110,000

VIP 9:00 130,000

11:00 110,000

13:30 110,000

16:00 110,000

18:00 110,000

VIP 19:30 130,000

SLEEPER 20:00 150,000

Although my friend swore he slept like a baby, I didn’t. For one, the bed is too small for two people to share and it felt like I will tumble out of the bed every time the bus swerve. Secondly, I was too worried about my bag getting ransacked since my passport and camera’s in there. So I was in a half-awake-half-dreamy state the entire trip.

We arrived the next morning pleasantly surprised by the cold weather. We rode a tuktuk for 60,000 Kip to Sakkarine Road and looked around for an affordable hostel. We got ours for only USD13 but sans breakfast and wifi. We didn’t really mind as it was located right in the midst of Luang Prabang’s Old Town. The street was also lined by various tour operators so we had no trouble booking half-day tours.

Since we were staying for three days and two nights, we went around in a more relaxed pace. Sampling crepes and fruit shakes here and there, savoring more Lao foods which at this time we’ve really, really come to love, strolling through the local market, just going up and down the street tirelessly. It was a lovely three days. What we liked the most about Luang Prabang and Laos in general is how tourists were pretty much left to their own devices. Occasionally when you pass by, a tuktuk driver will offer you a ride somewhere but after you politely decline, they don’t really follow you around. As far as I can remember, no one tried to offer their services twice.

Luang Prabang is famous for its charming combination of traditional Lao and European colonial structures. Like all UNESCO Heritage sites, it’s a haven for photographers. Interestingly, one thing I noticed is the year painted outside each houses which indicates the year it was constructed. My guess.

TEMPLE RUN

Vatmay Souvannapoumaram

The Vatmay Souvannapoumaram is a Buddhist temple built during the 18th century. Behind the temple, it was interesting to observe the monks go about their daily chores. I was tempted to approach one of them to ask permission to take a photo of him tending to the garden but I thought he’d be horrified at me for being so impolite so I took a raincheck. It took all my willpower not to try and have a go at it though. The temple itself is really beautiful, just take a look of the photo I took of the wall. Like most temples and palaces, the intricacy and beauty is such that you’d have to see it to believe it.

Wat Xieng Thong (Admission Fee 20,000 LAK)

The Buddhist temple Wat Xieng Thong dates back to 1559 and is located along the Mekong River. It comprises of the monks’ residence, the Royal funeral chapel, shrines, and the main sanctuary that featured a tree-of-life mosaic at the back.

Wat Wisunalat

It was quite a walk from the old town to the eastern part of the town centre to reach Wat Wisunalat but we had to see it since it’s the oldest operating temple in Luang Prabang. It was built in 1513.

Wat Pah Duak

This small temple was established in 1861 and is located at the northern side of Mount Phousi. Although humble in size and seemingly disintegrating and in dire need of repairs, it was the murals on the wall depicting 19th century life that captivated us.

The Royal Palace Museum and Other Temples

Mount Phousi

We went a few steps up but did not go in. We already ran out of kips so instead of going in to the Royal Palace Museum and Mount Phousi, we opted to spend our last LAKs on a plastic cup of lemon and ginger fruit shake. Heavenly!

NIGHT MARKET

Every night at 4pm onwards the street along the Royal Palace Museum is occupied by stalls selling various handicrafts, bags, souvenirs, and other locally made items. We would walk from end to end, checking out items that we like and as each stall pretty much sells the same things, we would make sure we’re getting the best deal. Well, not really the best deal as I wasn’t really successful in haggling. I don’t know if it’s just me but I had better haggling experiences in Hanoi. But more on that on a separate post. Overall though, it was a really pleasant experience. The vendors were not pushy and there would be kids with them too. We would also sample local treats while roaming around. As night markets go, like the rest of Laos, it was very mellow and charming.