Laos

In focus: Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang in the north is a sleepy little town on the banks of the Mekong that was once the capital of Laos. At independence, Vientiane became the capital and Luang Prabang slipped into quiet neglect. Its shady avenues, crumbling colonial architecture and numerous wats – Buddhist temples – give the town a unique charm, heightened by a pleasant climate, superb setting amid steep forested hills, and the riverfront sloping down to the Mekong.

“The Luang Prabang atmosphere seeps over you” says Philip Normington, Exodus Expert and former overland expedition driver. ”Mooching along the avenues, slipping into the cafés, trying the street food, wandering into a wat to hear the monks chanting… Saffron-robed monks still parade along the main street at dawn, collecting alms from the local people, but in the evening the street is transformed into a dazzling market. A bike is the perfect way to explore this seductive place. On one day we rode out to a local beauty spot, the Kuang Si Waterfall, and had a sumptuous picnic between dips in the pools at the foot of the falls. Laos is quite addictive, and very difficult to leave!”

Read more insights from our Exodus experts here.