If I could choose only one place to go in the whole of Southeast Asia, I would choose Luang Prabang.
The nation of Laos as a whole sets the tone for Luang Prabang: we have yet to find a more relaxed country in the world. Case in point: border security. Can you imagine a country that would let someone clear through immigration - and back - without any documentation in order to use the ATM outside the airport to come back and pay the visa fee? Welcome to Luang Prabang International Airport. The Boss and I landed in Luang Prabang with less cash than we needed for both of our on-arrival visas, and security let her all the way through and back with no trouble at all. Within five minutes of arrival, Laos was like no other place on Earth (that we know of), and that was before seeing, doing, or tasting anything.
So you're not caught unprepared like we were, make sure to have $40 USD per person in cash on arrival in Laos. We thought we had enough Vietnamese Dong, which Lao immigration does accept, but we didn't because of silly exchange rates. Lao immigration wants USD, so bring USD (or Lao Kip, but USDs are easier to pull out in the countries bordering Laos).
Even within Laos, Luang Prabang wins. There's more to do in and around LP than in Vang Vieng, and LP has a greater concentration of cultural and natural sites than Vientiane. Indeed, LP was an imperial and royal capital of Laos for centuries until 1975, and, much like Hoi An Ancient Town in Vietnam, the entirety of LP is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Kuang Si Falls
The most popular (half-) day trip from LP - for good reason - is Kuang Si. The Kuang Si waterfalls are beautiful and easy to hike, and most of the high-heels crowd doesn't hike to the best part of the site up behind the main falls, so it is possible to find tranquility in a place that can become quite crowded.
The best way to Kuang Si is in the back of a tuk-tuk. You can either stroll down Sakkaline Road for a minute to find one, or your accommodation can likely arrange one for you. It is a 45-50 minute ride to Kuang Si in the morning, which is when you want to go. As with any popular place, the tour buses roll in with the high-heels promptly at 8:00 to ruin everything, so you want to head out early. We left at 6:30 and made it to the main falls before things became too crowded.
We took our time hiking up behind the main falls to the top of the falls. It can be challenging at times, but I would call the hike moderate at its most difficult points. We were there in the early part of the dry season, and there were still spots that were flooded, but it wasn't much trouble. I imagine the climb is more challenging, i.e., more wet, outside of the dry season.
There are sweeping, green panoramic views of the dense Lao jungle at the top of the falls. It's lovely to sit and take some deep breaths up there. You'll want to savor those breaths before wading through the crowds on your way back to the entrance.
Before you leave, stop for a minute to say hello to the moon bears. The continued harvesting of bile from Asiatic black bears is nothing short of deplorable. Free the Bears does what it can to keep the bears safe, but it's going to take a lot more education and government intervention to keep them all safe. Globepouncing stands against the cruelty and ignorance that endangers Asiatic black bears.
The Chomphet Hike
If you're looking for the most peaceful hike in LP, you want to take a short boat ride across the Mekong River to the Chomphet trail. Wat Chomphet is still technically in LP, so we were surprised at how empty it was - we saw one other hiker through the first five temples and then a family of four moving in the opposite direction near the end of our hike. That's one of the cool things about the Chomphet trail: the trail is named for the Wat closest to the main part of town from where you'll catch your boat, but you can dock at any of the temples along the way. You can start at Chomphet, finish at Chomphet, or start or finish anywhere in between.
We recommend doing the whole hike from Wat Chomphet to Wat Kok Pab (or the reverse). It's an easy trek except for some messy footing right outside Kok Pab, but that's about five-to-ten minutes of moderate struggle for two hours of peace and easy going - or you could stop anywhere before in between; it's really up to you. You just have to let your boat man know in advance where and when to pick you up. Walking from Wat Chomphet to Wat Kok Pab takes about two hours.
Perhaps the most exciting part of the Chomphet hike is the cave at Wat Tham Sakkalin. A caretaker at Wat Long Koon came with us to Tham Sakkalin to open the gate so we could explore the cave temple. This cave was different than most we've seen in that it was very humid and sweaty inside - a true jungle cave, I suppose. Caves are always fun, but it's a special treat when you're the only ones there.
Phou Si and Wat Chom Si
As you drive into town from the airport, you'll see this gleaming golden stupa atop the highest hill in town. It will call to you: "Find me. Climb me." Well, it called to me. The hill is Phou Si, and the golden stupa is the highest point of Wat Chom Si.
There are a couple points of access. The one we used, the easiest one to find, is directly across the street from the Royal Palace and Haw Pha Bang: there is a large terrace with a nice view of the Royal Palace grounds; if you make your way up the stairs from there, you'll be on your way to Wat Chom Si. There is a small admission fee. You can also enter where we exited the site, near Wat Siphoutthabath, which is near one of the seasonal bamboo bridges over the Nam Khan River.
The Seasonal Bamboo Bridges
In the dry season, industrious Lao families build sturdy bamboo bridges over the Nam Khan River. There is one near where the Nam Khan meets the Mekong, but the one we crossed (the one near Wat Siphoutthabath) is further downriver from the Mekong toward the Old French Bridge.
There is a small fee to cross - these families commit a great deal of time and labor to build these bridges. We took a very nice stroll over the bamboo bridge, through town to the Old French Bridge, over the French Bridge, and back up to the main part of town past Wat Wisunarat and Wat Aham. As you might gather from the video, the walk across the Old French Bridge is not for the faint of heart.
Wat Xiengthong
There are so many temples in LP that you likely won't see them all, and that's ok: temple fatigue, much like museum fatigue, is real. You must pace yourself. Wat Xiengthong is the main event among LP's main-part-of-town temples. It is easy to find and is a must-see:
Morning Alms-Giving
Perhaps the most unique experience to witness in LP happens before the sun comes up: all the orange-clad monks in town line up to receive morning alms - food and supplies - from the local townspeople. You, too, can offer alms to LP's holy men. You can buy small baskets filled with appropriate offerings right there from street vendors and then kneel in the appropriate spots. Make sure to be in place around 4:50 a.m. so that you're ready for the monks at 5:00. Sorry - no pictures of this. Some things must be witnessed firsthand. Don't be that tourist.
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