Suggested activities in Luang Prabang in 3 days
- Visit Royal Palace Museum
- Ride a bicycle around the city center
- Visit Kuang Si Waterfall and Pak Ou Cave
- Take an excursion to Mount Phou Si
- Join Luang Prabang Night Market
- Visit many temples in the city
- Enjoy local foods: Khao Poun, Tam Mak Houng,…
As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Luang Prabang is an attractive destination that you cannot miss on your Laos tour. Visitors find interest with its pearly frangipani trees and captivating scent, its large pepper trees and scarlet flowers, the bright orange tunics of the monks, and its resplendent temples of a golden color. Here we suggest the best places to spend time on your tours in Indochina.
When to go to Luang Prabang?
The climate of Laos is marked by the tropical monsoon and divided into two seasons: From May to October, the rainy season and from November to April, the dry season.
The months of March and April are the hottest and temperatures can reach 38 ° C. The lowest temperatures, usually in December, and around 15 ° C. The average temperature varies between 25 ° C and 30 ° c.
We recommend you spending your 3 days in Luang Prabang in January, February, November, and December to admire the most beautiful scenery of this city.
Read more about the best time to travel to Laos
Getting to Luang Prabang
To prepare for your discovery of this ancient UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995, you can take a look at these means of transport that we recommend to get there on your 3 days in Luang Prabang:
By Plane
Luang Prabang International Airport is only 4 km from the city center. You can choose Lao Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Bangkok Airways, or Thai AirAsia. Besides, it will take 45 minutes to travel between Vientiane and Luang Prabang via internal flights.
By Bus
Traveling by bus is the best choice if you want to save money. As bus departures are subject to change, in terms of times and points of arrival, first-time travelers must book tickets through the host or local travel agencies. Travel agencies can also help you arrange pickup and drop-off services from your hotel to the bus station and vice versa.
By Car
Read more about Laos car rental with driver
Suggested itinerary for 3 days in Luang Prabang
D1: Morning Alms Giving Ceremony – Morning Market – Wat Xieng Thong Temple – Wat Visoun Temple – Center for Traditional Arts and Ethnology
D2: Royal Palace Museum, Wat Mai temple – Mount Phou Si
D3: 2 options
Day 1
Morning Alms Giving Ceremony
This solemnity is otherwise known as “Tak Bat”, or the morning food gathering of Buddhist Lao monks in Luang Prabang.
On this occasion, the monks leave their monasteries early in the morning and take a walk silently through the streets while locals (and interested tourists) put food gifts in the bowls they carry.
If you want to discover the unique culture of this city, this is an activity not to be missed on your 3 days in Luang Prabang.
Morning market
On your 2 days in Luang Prabang, you will find this site so attractive to discover Laotian life. This early market sells many different food products such as fruits, vegetables, meats, … It takes place in a very active way before dawn and is a place for local people to sell and buy products. There are traditional things based on gathering, fishing, and hunting as well.
Wat Xieng Thong Temple
Wat Xieng Thong Temple, Laos
This place is probably the most beautiful among Luang Prabang temples and iconic symbols of Buddhism in Laos. It was saved from being damaged during the looting of 1887 by the Chinese pirates. The highlight of this place is its beautiful mosaic, which represents the tree of life.
You should spend time visiting this site early in the morning and participating in the discussion with the monks here on your 3 days in Luang Prabang.
Wat Visoun Temple
Wat Visoun Temple, Laos
This temple was built during the reign of King Visounnarat in 1513 and represented the unique architecture of Lao temples. Wat Visoun is the oldest surviving temple in Luang Prabang, with its traditional arts and ethnology center, will undoubtedly enrich your soul on your trip for 3 days in Luang Prabang.
The Center of Ethnology and Traditional Arts
This is a museum located in the center of Luang Prabang, not far from the Darat Market. It is a non-profit association dedicated to the collection, conservation and study of traditional arts and lifestyles of the surrounding ethnic groups.
Its purpose is to promote understanding of the different lifestyles and traditions of various ethnic groups in Laos. You can visit this destination from Tuesday to Sunday and from 9 AM to 6 PM on your 3 days in Luang Prabang.
Day 2
Royal Palace Museum
Royal Palace Museum at sunset
This museum is also known as “Haw Kham” or “Golden Hall”. It owns a large number of interesting historical artefacts that tells us stories about Lao royalty. Built-in 1904 for King Sisavang Vong, it symbolizes the blend of traditional Lao style and French influence of the colonial era.
Wat Mai Temple
This largest Buddhist monastery in Luang Prabang was built in 1796, located in the historical center of the city. It is very famous not only for its size and impressive lines but also for years of serving as the Royal Temple. It is also the residence of the official Phra Sangkharat, the highest dignitary of Lao Buddhism.
Mount Phou Si
Marvelous Mount Phou Si at sunset
This place is really crowded at dusk since it offers a wonderful view of sunset. You will have a chance to fully admire the view of the sunset on your 3 days in Luang Prabang.
Day 3
Option 1: Wat Wisunarat Temple – Luang Prabang Night Market – Royal Ballet Theater
Wat Wisunarat Temple
Wat Wisunarat could be dated in 1531, during the reign of King Wisunara. This fact makes it the oldest temple in Luang Prabang. The history of this temple is complex, as it survived different times of war. The highlights of this temple are in its form of a stupa and the European-style roof. They played a role as the influence for French architects to rebuild the pagoda in the late 1980s.
Night Market in Luang Prabang
The place “opens its doors” every day around 17 hours in the city center (opposite the former Royal Palace). The street is familiar to many vehicles and traders from the hill tribes, emerging with their different clothes, ceramics, bamboo products, lamps, blankets, bedspreads, crafts, and silk scarves. Sellers often offer higher prices than when buying in stores, so you should keep in mind to negotiate well and politely before buying on your 3 days in Luang Prabang.
Royal Theater Ballet
Royal Theater Ballet, Laos
In 2002 this site cooperated with “the Institute of Cultural Research” to preserve Lao cultural heritage. Since then, he has been supported by other organizations, such as the International Organization of La Francophonie and the Asia-Pacific Regional Office.
Option 2: Pak Ou Cave – Kuang Si Waterfall
Pak Ou Cave
Located upstream of the Mekong river, the cave is easily accessible either by tuk-tuk or by boat. In contrast of the river route, traveling by land is quite rugged with the length of over more than 10 km. However, you will get immersed in attractive scenery along the road on your 3 days in Luang Prabang.
Kuang Si Waterfall
Poetic Kuang Si Waterfall, Laos
Located about 30 km from Luang Prabang, you can visit this majestic waterfall by Tuk-Tuk or minivan in 45 minutes. The road to Kuang Si is so beautiful as well that you should not miss this unique site on your 3 days in Luang Prabang.
Best food to try for 3 days in Luang Prabang
Khao Poun
This is a very well-known dish of top 15 Laos food you must try on your 3 days in Luang Prabang. It includes rice noodles sprinkled with a coconut milk broth in which ground pork or fish is cooked together. The stock is seasoned with peppers and crushed peanuts. Moreover, adding chopped vegetables, such as bamboo shoots or banana flowers and other herbs such as mint, coriander, soy, and this dish will make your trip more complete than ever!
Tam Mak Houng
The specialty is also known as the “Lap”. This is a kind of very spicy papaya salad, together with pepper, kapi (shrimp paste) or nampou (crab paste), lemon juice and nampa (salted fish sauce).
Sine Savan
This dish is a kind of smoked meat, which consists of thin slices of marinated beef then dried that is fried and cut into chips. You can find sine savan everywhere, mostly in taverns at the edge of the Mekong at Thadeua, near Vientiane.
Lap
Lap – A specialty of Laos
The lap is a traditional Laotian salad. This is a kind of fish or meat tartare. This dish usually goes with white or glutinous rice that slightly reduces its spicy flavor. Lap will be particularly suitable for the Western who get less accustomed to the spicy cuisine of Laos on 3 days in Luang Prabang.
Hopefully, our suggested itinerary meets your expectations. Customize your tour to Laos so that we can help create your wonderful 3 days in Luang Prabang!
Read more:
Best places to visit in Laos in rainy season
Best places to visit in Laos in dry season
21 Laos festivals and holidays
