Notes on Luang Prabang

Of all the cities I have visited in Asia, I am hard pressed to think of another place that blends east and west as well as Luang Prabang.

Luang Prabang is one of the best preserved colonial cities in Asia. I may not have appreciated this fact had I not already seen other once grand cities that have since been concreted over.

Restaurant La Cave Des

Luang Prabang is located at the junction of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. The Nam Khan flows to form a peninsular of land, which adds to the amount of river frontage. There are no buses allowed in the old town and as the historic section of town is on a peninsular there is no through traffic.

Mekong and Nam Khan rivers

In the centre of town is Phu Si, a hill crowned by That Chomsi (a Buddhist temple). The view from the top gives you a better idea of how well located Luang Prabang is. From here you see the river valley and surrounding mountains.

Luang Prabang from Phu Si

If you are not flying to Luang Prabang it is a bit of a trek getting here. You can arrive by a 2 day boat from the Thai border or by bus on winding mountainous roads.

Despite the relative trek to get here, Luang Prabang has definitely been “found”. There are upmarket villas, boutiques and restaurants everywhere. I found myself in an air conditioned cafe using its free wi-fi while having a Cappucino Freeze.

I took the overnight bus from the border, which was a tortuous 13 hours on a winding potholed road. I found myself never wanting to get on a bus again (actually buses are kind of sucky at the best of times). Being in Luang Prabang is the perfect place to be if you’re not in a hurry to get to the next place.