A self-guided Luang Prabang Walking Tour

Slowly wandering the streets of Luang Prabang Old Quarter is a fantastic way to spend a morning… or a whole day. With so many temples, cafes, views, and shopping there’s something for everyone. Follow this self-guided Luang Prabang walking tour route to visit both the top spots and some hidden gems.

After hitting the streets of the old town every day for over a month, we refined a nice walking route to see what makes Luang Prabang so special. It has a little bit of everything – culture, history, shopping, food – to see what the Old Quarter has to offer. It’s the perfect intro to the “cultural capital” of Laos (in our oh so humble opinion!)

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Observe the morning Alms Giving

You’re going to need to set an alarm for this – nobody said travel was easy! The morning alms ceremony starts at dawn, usually around 5.30am and isn’t only a beautiful moment to witness but also a very important part of daily life in Luang Prabang.

Plus, by getting up early you get some time to explore before it gets crazy hot in the afternoon.

The alms giving can be a circus on the main street with huge numbers of tourists arriving by bus to witness this moment. It’s also pretty common to see people being disrespectful by grabbing at or getting in the way of the monks’ procession. So we recommend heading a little further back to basically anywhere else there’s a temple as you’ll have a much more peaceful experience.

If you’re not participating, remember to stay on the other side of the street and be respectful.

Read next: Guide to alms giving in Luang Prabang

Get breakfast at Luang Prabang’s Morning Market

After the alms giving, head to the morning market. By 6am it’s fully up and running in the alleyways towards the Mekong river. You can peruse the local products (mostly food) and breakfast snacks on offer.

There are meat, fish, and vegetables being sold to locals as well as packaged products aimed more at tourists. Vegetarians be aware you will see both butchered animals and live animals here. If that’s something you struggle with keep to the main alley parallel to river as it has the least of these stalls, and keep your eyes off the side streets.

You can grab breakfast here too from small sit-down restaurants or takeaway stalls. Items like bamboo sticky rice, grilled meat and vegetables, coconut pancakes, and bowls of noodles.

Caffeinate at Café Laolu

If you need a caffeinated pick-me-up after walking the morning market, keep your eyes peeled for Café Laolu in the heart of the morning market. It’s opposite the fish sellers, so sit inside or grab something to-go if you’d rather not see chopped up fish.

It’s open from 6am to 3pm and does some of the best coffee in Luang Prabang (coming from a pair of self-confessed coffee snobs!) They also have a small food menu and freshly squeezed orange juice.

We love sitting here and watching people come and go at the market over a latte and OJ.

Admire Wat May Souvannapoumaram

Cost: Entrance is 20,000 kip ($0.90)

Take a quick stop at Wat May Souvannapoumaram (Wat Mai for short) to admire one of the largest temples in Luang Prabang. It’s just a few minutes walk from Café Laolu, on the main street (Sisavangvong road).

Also known as “Wat Mai” (New Temple), this 18^th century complex was built by King Anurat and features gorgeous gold stenciling, a 5 tiered roof and gilded stucco bas reliefs.

Climb Mount Phousi

Cost: Entrance is 30,000 kip ($1.35)

Phousi can be busy in the morning but nothing compared to sunset (honestly, it’s our least favourite sunset point in LPB for this reason). There’s not much space at the top so we prefer it when the crowd’s smaller and before you have to climb the 355 stairs to the top of Mount Phousi in the serious midday heat.

As you work your way up, there are shrines that you can admire whilst catching your breath. At the top, the panoramic views across Luang Prabang and the surrounding countryside make it worth every step.

There’s more than 1 way down, but if you go the same way you came up, you’ll be right in front of the next stop.

Visit the National Museum

Cost: Entrance is 60,000 kip ($3)

Previously the Royal Palace, the National Museum in Luang Prabang is a beautiful space to wander around. The exhibits aren’t the most exciting we’ve ever seen but it’s worth the entrance fee for the architecture and gardens alone.

If you time it wrong, it’s another spot that can be slammed with tour groups. But they tend to be ushered pretty quickly from one spot to the next so if you wander at a more sedate pace, you’ll soon be left in peace.

Going inside the former Palace is one of the strictest places we’ve ever visited in terms of dress code. Once you’ve paid to enter the complex, head to the building on the left to put any bags you have (including small cross body ones) into a storage locker. They’ll also give you a cover up if you need one. Here, your full arms need to be covered in addition to the usual shoulders, chest, midriff and legs. You also can’t take any cameras or phones inside.

Stop at Wat Pa Phai

Turning left out of the Royal Palace museum, head down Sisavangvong road and take the 4^th left at Café Sinouk. Just a little bit down this road, on the left hand side, Wat Pa Phai is tucked away and really easy to miss if you’re not looking for it.

It’s just a small temple but it *might* be our favourite one in Luang Prabang. There are gorgeous murals of everyday scenes of life in Laos painted on the walls of Wat Pa Phai. And the plants surrounding it are stunning. Since the tour groups skip this spot entirely, you can enjoy some quiet time admiring this little gem.

Refresh at Saffron Coffee

Do you need more refreshment? More coffee perhaps?

Turn left out of Wat Pa Phai then turn right when you get to the Mekong river, and you’ll find Saffron Coffee just 1 block further along.

This place is a social enterprise supporting Laos coffee farmers and they make amazing coffee, plus they have delicious breakfast options and snacks. (Their breakfast bagels are *dreamy*).

You can either head across the road to sit on the bank of the river or go upstairs for some air conditioning. If you’re not feeling like a little break on your Luang Prabang walking tour just yet, it’s worth pinning to your Google Maps to head back to later.

Shop at The Boutique by Ock Pop Tok

Continue walking down the river and take the 2^nd right after Saffron Coffee, heading back to Sisavangvong road. On the corner you’ll find The Boutique by Ock Pop Tok.

Ock Pop Tock was founded by women, run by women, and empowers women in Laos to make a living from their handicrafts. By mixing traditional Laos patterns and motifs with Western designs, they make truly unique clothing that benefits the communities surrounding Luang Prabang.

They have all sorts, not just clothing, in their boutique so this is a great chance to do some souvenir hunting and know that your money is going to the right place.

If you have more time in the city, they also run craft classes. Katie did their 1-day silk weaving class and absolutely loved it – it was one of the best things she did in Luang Prabang. They’re a little pricey but well worth it.

Admire Wat Sensoukharam

Shopping bags in hand, head left out of Ock Pop Tok and about a minute down the road you’ll find Wat Sen or Wat Sensoukharam.

Built in the 18^th century using 100,000 stones from the Mekong river, the name literally means “100,000 stones”. Wat Sen is known for its striking architecture, impressive Buddha statue, and brightly coloured tiles.

The detail on the front of the Sim is incredible and it’s well worth spending some time to appreciate the intricacy of the decoration in the complex.

Wander around Wat Xiengthong

Cost: Entrance is 30,000 kip ($1.30)

If you’re starting to feel ‘templed out’, hang in there as this one’s pretty special. We skipped it on our first visit to Luang Prabang, put off by the tour group vans. But when we re-visited the city, we were kicking ourselves as it’s so stunning and unlike any other temple we’ve ever visited in Southeast Asia.

You enter and exit from different sides of the temple complex and it can be a little awkward to find the entrance on Sakkaline road. From Wat Sen it’s easy though, just come out, turn left and walk 100m. The exit is down some stairs to the Mekong river.

Wat Xiengthong is by far the most popular Wat in Luang Prabang Old Quarter with its stunning tile decorations, an impressive reclining Buddha, and beautiful murals. Its easy to see why this is the “go-to” temple for all the tours.

Be sure to take your time and admire the detail on the various buildings within the Wat. As with all the places on the tour group route, it can be busy. But waiting 15 minutes usually means most of the groups have moved on.

Refuel with coffee or lunch

The next stop on our walking tour of Luang Prbang is a short walk away. So, depending on the time and your hunger levels, you might want to stop for some lunch or just another drink to cool down. These are 3 of our favourites spots nearby, depending on how much you’re looking for:

For Coffee: LuLaLao Coffee

They brew the best quality coffee in Luang Prabang by miles, especially if you love pour over.

The seating is pretty basic and it’s cooled by fans, not air con. Plus they only have a couple of small snacks if you need some food to. But for caffeination, this is the best place to go for a little pick me up.

For a Light Lunch: La Banneton Café

Exceptional bread and pastries along with coffee and chilled drinks. If you feel like a snack or light lunch then their air-conditioned café is the perfect resting point. In the winter, the outside tables are also pleasant to sit and watch the world go by.

For a Larger Lunch: 1991 Wat Sene Alley

For great quality Laos food in Luang Prabang, this is our go-to spot. They have a range of fantastic Lao dishes plus some pasta, all at Laos prices.

If you need to refuel for the afternoon then head here for delicious noodles, soups, or “on rice” dishes. Our top tip is to always get a fried egg with the “on rice” dishes. They’re perfectly crispy on the edges with a deliciously runny yolk.

Shop at the TAEC Boutique

Now that we’re all fueled up its time to do a little more shopping.

Traditional Arts and Ethnic Culture has a museum near the Night Market about the various ethnic groups of Laos and protecting their traditional culture from appropriation. (More on that later…)

In their boutique on Sisavangvong road they sell many of the traditional handicrafts of the ethnic groups plus all sorts of amazing fabrics, clothes, and accessories. This is another shop where all the proceeds go to helping the communities around Laos, spreading the wealth from the touristic centre of Luang Prabang to more rural areas.

Take a moment to see Wat Siphoutthabath

For a moment of serenity, take a left out of TAEC Boutique then take the 2nd road on the left to get to Wat Siphoutthabath.

This temple has stunning murals on the outer and inner walls of the Sim depicting the teachings of Buddha on his path to enlightenment. It is often missed as its just off the main street and set back from the road so we love the peace and tranquillity here.

Don’t miss Wat Wisunarat

Okay, okay, we promise no more temples after this!

Turning right out of Wat Siphoutthabath, go right again and follow the road next to the Nam Khan river. If you turn left at the famous “Outback Bar”, you’ll soon see the huge stupa of Wat Wisunarat on the right.

Originally built in 1513 and then rebuilt in the 19^th century, Wat Wisunarat has the only Sinhalese style stupa in Laos. Its known locally as “the watermelon stupa” due to its resemblance to the fruit.

Learn at TAEC (Traditional Arts and Ethnicity Centre)

Cost: 35,000 kip ($1.60)

For the last stop on our Luang Prabang walking tour, head right out of Wat Wisunarat and walk parallel to Mount Phousi, away from the Nam Khan river. At the end of the road, take a right and walk back towards the Old Quarter and the Night Market area. It’s set back from the road, up a little hill.

TAEC has excellent information about the different ethnic groups that make up Laos and their heritage. They showcase the beautiful and diverse styles of embroidery, crafts, and clothing found across the country.

The part we found most fascinating is the exhibit dedicated to the cultural appropriation of traditional styles by large fashion companies, not just of ethnic groups in Laos but all over the world. Currently, they’re working very hard to get legal protections put in place to protect traditional arts and crafts.

The museum isn’t big, you only need an hour maximum here. But it’s one of the best things to do in the city to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural diversity and struggles within Laos. There’s also a little shop, in case you didn’t buy enough at their boutique in town.

Summary

Following this route for a self-guided Luang Prabang walking tour should allow you to finish almost back where you started. It’s an easy-to-follow route, showcasing the best of Luang Prabang Old Quarter.

Most of the sites are temples, as that is most of what there is to see. But on the route you’ll also see lots of colonial architecture and views of the two rivers. Feel free to pick and choose what seems best to you and modify as you go.

Being a pretty small area, it’s easy to overlook just how many little alleys and side streets there are with hidden gems like temples and amazing buildings to discover. Seriously, you could walk the streets for days and always spot something new (trust us, we’ve done exactly this!) So this walking route is just an overview of what makes LPB such a special place to visit.