Luang Prabang Holidays

What you can find in Luang Prabang that you won't find anywhere else?

In between temple visits, visit the local markets or relax at one of the many small restaurants and cafes perched on the banks of the Mekong and watch the world go by. The countryside around Luang Prabang is dominated by the slow, snaking rivers, paddy fields and green hills. A cycle ride through the fields and villages is the only way to absorb this beautiful scenery and the traditional way of life of the people who still work the land here.

Journeying some 15 miles upriver from Luang Prabang are the Pak Ou caves, situated at the confluence of the Ou and Mekong rivers. Here, thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues are crammed into two caves carved out of a towering limestone cliff. The images of Buddha range in size from a few centimetres to full human size, and have been placed here over the centuries by devotees, turning the caves into glittering shrines.

The caves can be reached by boat on a day trip from Luang Prabang, or you can spend the night at a lovely nearby lodge.