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Information about Luang Prabang, Laos, and Travel Guide to Hotels and cheap guesthouses.
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LUANG PRABANG
INFORMATION
HOTELS
TRAVEL AGENTS
RESTAURANTS
INTERNET
MAP
Luang Prabang s the former capital of Laos and a UNESCO World Heritage city.
Nestled in a remote mountain valley on the Mekong River it is small and very peaceful with the many ancient temples to explore.
 Temple Luang Prabang
Laos Hotels from Agoda. A new window opens.
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  TIPS.   
Visas: see Laos Introduction page.
Luang Prabang Airport is International so 15 day Visa on arrival is available to most western nationalities.
Immigration offices are at the boat landings and the bus terminal and on Thanon Wisunalat.
Shopping:
Talaat Dala (market), at the intersection of Thanons Kitsalat & Latsavong, for all that regular market stuff including hardgoods, clothes, handcrafts etc.
Fresh food markets are Talaat Sao (cnr. Thanons Phothisalat & Phu Wao) and Talaat Vieng Mai (Thanon Photisan)
Warnings:
ask other travellers and embassies etc.
There are still might be few bandits in some areas, but it generally very safe now.
Lao Aviation planes are very suspect, especially the Chinese made ones.
Some NGO's won't allow there staff to use them.
Coming & Going:
AIR:
The airport is just north of town and has scheduled flights from/to Vientiane, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hanoi and Siem Reap.
Lao Aviation (office on Thanon Wisunalat) has daily flight to/from Vientiane (40 mins,$US45 one way)
To/from Phonsavan 4 times a week (35mins,$US31).
To/from Huay Xai 3 times (50mins, $US40).
To/from Luang Nam Tha twice a week (30 mins,$US34).
To/from Udomxai, variable departures, (35 mins,$US25).
To/from Bangkok: Bangkok Airways (15,000 Baht approx. very expensive!) Twice daily.

Road: Is OK now, but very slow rough old Buses.
To Luang Namtha is about 9 hours (30,000 Kip) leaves from Northern Bus Station about 9am.
To Vang Vieng (8 hours approx) and Vientiane also running from the South Bus Station.

Highway 13 connects Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng and Vientiane in the south and via Highway 1 to the north. Highway 13 is sealed and in good shape all the way to Vientiane.

There were some shootings along this road (between Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang) some years ago,
including one incident in which two foreign cyclists died in crossfire, but at the moment it appears to be safe. There are three bus stations, each a little bit out of town, who serve different directions.
Tickets can be bought at every travel agent in town for a little surcharge, or at the bus station, or when boarding the bus. The air-conditioned so-called VIP bus costs 70k Kip to Vang Vieng and 115k Kip to Vientiane,
more if booked through an agent (2007 Mar). It should be noted that tickets purchased in Vientiane to Luang Prabang
is somehow more expensive (160k, Mar 2007) than those purchased in Luang Prabang.

Note that the VIP bus has poor suspension, is crowded and sometimes breaks down.
Nevertheless, it's still better than the public bus.
Also the road is winding and mountainous, and the driver typically of the ying (break) and yang (accelerator) school of driving,
considering the middle way to use both the break and the accelerator simultaneously. The bus ride to Muang Xay (Oudomxai) is done by public minibus only.

Big backpacks are carried on the roof. Price for the ride is about 40 kiloKip and it lasts 5 hours on normal conditions.
From there you can catch the bus to Luang Namtha, which takes about the same amount of time and money.
No need to have a reservation usually, just take care to go early in order to secure a good seat.
Boat: Slow boat landing is at the end of Thanon Kitsalat.
Speedboats land at Ban Don, 6km north. Slow boat to Vientiane is 3-4 days. See Vientiane page for details.

To Pakbeng (160 Km north-west, 1 day) and to Huay Xai (300 Km, 2 days) is possible with permits, by slow boat.
By speedboat its 3 hours and 7 hours respectively.
Boats ply the Mekong to and from Huay Xai at the Thai border,
stopping in Pakbeng where you can connect with bus and truck heading towards the north-east and the border with China.
Slow boats leave several days a week, usually around 08:00. Expect to spend the night in Pakbeng if you're taking a slow boat (the safest option),
or to arrive in Huay Xai deaf, shaken and either exhausted or exhilarated from three hours in a speedboat. "One day comfortable boat" is the new kind of boat travel to Luang Prabang from Houy Xai.

Supposedly safe and big, these boats make the same trip in one day. Boats leave every Tuesday and Friday. To travel on the speedboat (a light canoe with a very powerful engine), a crash helmet and life-jacket are usually provided.
The pilot requires a good knowledge of the river, particularly in the dry season, as there are many rapids and rocks.
One tall Danish guy found that he could not squeeze up into the position for the ride.

The slow-boat is absolutely packed with tourists - so much so that there are not enough seats to go round.
It can be quite uncomfortable, but if there are two of you on your bench,
it can be worth one of you taking the whole bench and the other sitting in the aisle for a while, then swapping.
More than likely, you'll both be happier in the end. Make sure to bring a book or travel game to while away the hours and swap with other travellers.
It costs about 85k Kip to Pak Beng, more if booked through an agent.

Long distance ferries to Vientiane stopped running when Highway 13 was sealed a few years ago,
but it may be possible to do the trip by private tourist boat when the water levels are high enough.
Money:
Change cash & T.C's ($US, Baht) into Kip ( but not the reverse) at Lane Xang Bank, 65 Thanon Phothisalat. Credit Card advance available.
Communication:
telephone area code is 71. Local and international calls available from telephone office, 7:30am-10pm, cash & collect only.
Accomodation:
Many cheap Guest Houses ($US 2-5) with a few 4-5 star hotels.
Attractions:
Wat Xieng Thong (Golden City Temple) built by King Setthathirat in 1560,
Royal Palace Museum. For a look at the local history. Open 8:30-10:30 Mon-Fri.
Wat Wisunalat, built in 1513,
Phu Si, the hill overlooking the town, with numerous Wats (Temples).
Pak Ou caves full of thousands of Buddha images are a popular trip upriver for half a day.
Get a small group together and negotiate with the boat guys along the river side. About $10-12 for a boat full.
Entertainment: Not much. Some Guest Houses run Hollywood movies in the evening.
I think there are a couple of Karaoke places and maybe a Disco but didn't look.
Geography:
Luang Prabang is on the Mekong River where the Nham Khan runs into it. Phu Si, a large hill, overlooks the town. A quiet town of 16,000 people surrounded by mountains.
History:
Luang Prabang was the centre of the first Lao Kingdom, Lan Xang, established in 1353 and maintained until 1545 when it was moved to Vientiane.
Old French buildings remain and Buddhist temples abound.
Health:
Not a place to stay if you have serious problems. Thailand is the place to get to quickly.
There is a Hospital.

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