Luang Prabang 4 Day Itinerary
Luang Prabang is a beautiful and peaceful city that every traveler to Laos must visit. After backapcking in Luang Prabang, I have come up with a unique 4-day itinerary that is designed to help you explore the best of the city. This itinerary focuses on authentic, local, and cultural experiences that will allow you to leave Luang Prabang understanding its culture and feeling connected with its locals.
Day 1
Arrival
I always like using day ones as a free wander day. You never know what issues/delays you might have arriving into the city, so that plan for the day is simple. Check-in at your hotel, freshen up, grab a bite to eat, and walk around the area. Check out local stores and shops as you get accustomed to the small but beautiful city of Luang Prabang
Night Market
The only planned activity for today will be a visit to the famous night market. The market has tons of food and shopping options, and I recommend eating dinner here as well. If you are a vegetarian, you may want to find the $2 all you can eat buffets that the Luang Prabang Market is known for.
(Optional) Utopia Bar and Bowling
Utopia Bar is the most famous backpacking bar in the city. This bar is one of the more unique bars in the country, and I recommend checking it out at some point (if not tonight). Bars close early in Luang Prabang, so after midnight, backpackers head to a nearby bowling alley for some drunk bowling. If this isn’t your scene, don’t worry, you can check out the bar on another afternoon when the vibe is more relaxed and calm.
Day 2
Local Cooking Class (Lunch Time)
Now that you have your feet wet in Luang Prabang, it is time to dig deeper into the culture. Food is a big part of culture, and so day 2 will start with an authentic cooking class. I highly recommenced backstreet academy’s vegetarian cooking class. Whether you are a vegetarian or not, this cooking class is fantastic. Not only will you learn to cook local dishes, but you will get to do so in a village home. Unlike other cooking classes that take place in large industrialized kitchens, this experience will give you a glimpse of traditional cooking, with the limited equipment of a village home. The experience is personal and authentic and provides a great opportunity to experience the villager’s way of life in Luang Prabang.
Mekong River
The beauty of Luang Prabang rests in its location along the Mekong River, and you can’t leave this city without embracing this river. Take a walk along the riverfront streets and hop around different outdoor seating areas. Grab a coffee, beer, or a snack (if you are still hungry after the cooking class) and enjoy the calming scene of the sun reflecting off the Mekong. As simple as this activity sounds, it was one of my favorite parts during my time in the city.
Garavek English Storytelling
You’ll want to finish up your relaxing around 5:30 pm and head to the Garavek English Storytelling theater. Tickets are sold at 6:00 pm and given on a first-come-first-serve basis. If you are there at 6:00 pm you should be able to snag a ticket.
This storytelling experience is unique and often unknown in Luang Prabang. Here, you’ll get the chance to hear some of the city’s ancient myths and historical stories retold in English. It is a fun way to get accustom to the culture of the city.
At the time of the publishing of this post, the lead storyteller at Garavek is named Si Phai. If he is your storyteller as well, you probably will have noticed his superb English skills. Not only does Si Phai use his English skills for his profession, but he also looks to spread his knowledge of the language to local children. As a worker in the tourism industry, Si Phai knows the importance English had in getting him a job, and has vowed to improve the outlook of children in the city by teaching them the language as well. He runs a free school in a nearby village, and he is always looking for English speaking volunteers to help him out. Speak to him, tell him you’re interested and set up a planned visit for Day 4. Si Phai will arrange all transportation and logistics as well!
Day 3
Kuang Si Waterfall
Day 3 kicks off with one of Southeast Asia’s most beautiful waterfalls- Kuang Si Waterfall. The cascading steps of clear blue water is a surreal sight, and a can’t miss nature spot in Luang Prabang. I recommend wearing your bathing suit to the falls as you can swim under the refreshing water.
Tip: Please note you may have to arrange for transport to the falls a day before visiting. Check-in with your hotel on Day 2 and make sure your logistics are all set for today.
Afternoon Relaxation
The waterfall will take about 2-4 hours to see and involves some hiking and swimming (if you chose to do so). Spend the afternoon relaxing and recharging after your swim/hike. Get a massage, sit by the river, or head to utopia bar and lounge on bean bag chairs with a cold drink.
Mount Phousi Sunset
It’s time for a small hike up Mount Phousi (an hour or so before sunset). When you reach the top, situate yourself and take in the views. You will get a beautiful sight of the city, and an even better view of the sun setting along the Mekong.
Dinner and Early Night
After the sunset head out for dinner and plan to wrap up the day early. Tomorrow is an early start!
Day 4
Monk Feed Ceremony
The monk feeding ceremony is one of the more famous experiences you can partake in Luang Prabang. Unfortunately, many people skip it since it takes place at 5:30 am and requires an early wake-up. Luckily, if you are following this itinerary, you will have slept early the night before and will be ready for the 5:00 am alarm clock.
You have two options when it comes to this activity. You can either watch or participate. If you want to participate, I recommend asking a local about customs and best practices. Too many tourists disrespect the monks due to their ignorance of what to do. Luckily, a staff member of the hotel I was staying at, offered to take me!
Big Brother Mouse
As promised, this itinerary will heavily focus on experiences that will help you connect with the local people of Luang Prabang. Big Brother Mouse is a place where you can talk to locals while making a difference. This book store hosts cultural exchange conversation events where tourists get paired with local kids, and they talk about their cultures to one another. Not only does this activity allow kids to learn about the world, but it also helps them develop their English skills which, as previously mentioned, is extremely important for their future. Check Big Brother Mouses website for schedule details and try and time your visit accordingly. You will love this experience!
Village Volunteer
You are probably already feeling great about your day so far-A cultural monk feeding ceremony and an afternoon speaking with local students. Let’s keep the ball rolling with the biggest event of the day. Remember back on day 2 you had signed up to volunteer with Si Phai? Well, hopefully, logistics have been all arranged, and you are on your way.
The minute you meet these kids, you will fall in love with them, and though you might have missed out on a temple visit or a museum to do this, you will forever be happy with your decision (in my opinion).
Luang Prabang Reaction
I hope you enjoy Luang Prabang as much as I did. Apart from the cities beautiful landscape, what truly made my visit here special was the interactions I had with the locals. This 4 day Luang Prabang itinerary is designed to provide you unique opportunities to learn about Laos culture and fall in love with their people like I did on my trip.
You may notice this itinerary does not have any temple visits or museums. Though I understand their importance, I believe this itinerary will provide you with the best overall experience in Luang Prabang. With this 4 day plan, you will experience the best of the city’s natural sights, cuisine, people, and culture. Enjoy Luang Prabang!
