"Wow!!! I have just booked the promotion deal for the return ticket to Luang Prabang which costs just only 2000 baht!!"
Luang Prabang : A heritage city of Laos, the city that situated among the mountains which formerly tourists have to travel by bus or boat for several days to get there, thus, we haven't had a chance to visit. Until now that I have luckily booked a cheap return ticket to Luang Prabang which makes my dream trip happens.
The whole 3 days 2 nights trip costs only 4000 baht.
////Travel 6 - 8 January 2018///// - 3 days 2 nights trip -
////Day 1 - Bangkok To Luang Prabang - Phra That Phu Si - Night Market
////Day 2 : - Offer food to the monks - Morning Market - Kuang Si Falls - The Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC) - Night Market
////Day 3 : - Biking around - Wat Chiang Thong - Haw Pha Bang/Royal Palace - Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham - Wat Wisunarat - Luang Prabang to Bangkok
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From airport to the city, we use airport taxi service which costs 50000 kip per person. A van would wait for 6 full passengers to depart and it will drop passenger to their hotels which takes not more than 20 minutes ride. Upon arrival at our hotel, we immediately throw our bags on the bed and go out to take a walk in Luang Prabang.
When we arrives at the city center in the afternoon, we then head to Phra That "Phu Si" which is also the spot to admire panorama view of Luang Prabang city. The entrance fee costs 20000 kip per person, we need to hurry climbing up to the above area before the sun set.
**GPS coordinates : 19.891212, 102.136529
First part of the ascent way would lead straight to the above area which will have the ticket booth located at the end of this path. After that, the path would be less steep that we could walk pleasantly and admire Plumeria flowers along the way.
After climbing for some times, we finally reach the peak of Phu Si where Phra That Jom Si was enshrined. This mountain is located right at the heart of Luang Prabang city, its name means a golden mountain of a hermit who used to live here. Hence, wherever we are in Luang Prabang, we still could always see this Phra That.
**GPS Coordinates : 19.890198, 102.136981
Seem like we already captured by Luang Prabang's charm.
How stunning! the beautiful shades of colors.
The sun is setting down and the Mekong river is flowing, having Luang Prabang as a front scene. 
After getting down from Phousi mountain, you will see that the front area of "Haw Pha Bang" and "Royal Palace" is changed to be "Night Market".
**GPS Coordinates: 19.891407, 102.136437
Luang Prabang's night market mostly sells handicrafts, love it!
Also selling T-shirt, each costs 80 baht.
There are also food stalls located in the alley that connects to the morning market. In the picture is a buffet which costs 15,000 kib per person.
**GPS Coordinates : 19.889522, 102.133797
I would recommend papaya salad with grilled meat, it tastes awesome.
Tourists would wait for giving food to the monks along Sri Sawang road, and the crowded zone would be at Sakkasan road. Well, we choose to wait for the monks at Wat Mai Suwannaram which is near to the adjacent way to Phu si moutain. There are people selling sticky rice to give the monks which costs 10,000 kip per each bucket.
**GPS Coordinates : 19.890596, 102.135359
Laos people will give only sticky rice to the monks, as for the food, they will offer later at the temple.
The old lady offer food to the monks and pour water of dedication right away. To giving alms, you should go out to wait early in the morning as monks will come pretty early and they will all go back to the temple around 06.30am.
After finished sticky rice offering, , the remaining of the stick rice will be molded into small portions to lay along the wall or pillar in order to feed a bird.
Luang Prabang's morning market is a fresh market which opens in early morning till 11.00am, there are a lot of things and exotic vegetables to explore.
****GPS Coordinates : 19.890631, 102.133653
This is my first time seeing olive seed, it has beautiful color, I would say.
My stomach begins growling with hunger, thus I buy some grilled egg with sticky rice to eat, it costs only 2,000 kip.
Love this pair of color.
There are a lot of fish stalls that sell giant size fish from Khong river.
Walk from the market, next to Prachaniyom cafe, there is a shuttle boat pier to-from Luang Prabang and Chiang Man, and if you would like to admire local people way of life, then shouldn't miss out this place.
****GPS Coordinates : 19.890852, 102.132297
Car ferry is located behind the royal palace. Next time, I plan to ride and take a ferry to Chiang Man side.
We walk to the end of the morning market and seem that a grilled egg with sticky rice is not enough, thus we stop by and have a Pho noodle with various vegetables to choose from, one portion costs 15,000 kip, eating a hot pork bone soup in the pleasant cold weather is just great.
**GPS Coordinates : 19.890112, 102.132870
Place that must not miss out to visit in this trip is Kuang Si Falls which is one of the most beautiful falls in Luang Prabang. Kuang Si Falls is located around 30 kilometers far from the city, tourists could buy one day trip tour or rent a car to the falls which costs around 1,200 baht for 4 people.
Then again, there are only 2 of us, thus we choose to rent a motorcycle which costs 90,000 kip for 24hours renting with additional price of gas costs 20,000 kip.
At the front of the falls, the area is crowded by shops, and there are also parking lots, we recommend you guys to park car at the shops that have people take care of, otherwise your car might disappear, parking car costs 5,000 kib.
Well, although the rain keep falling, we still reach at the falls, upon arriving, we pay 20,000 kib for the entrance fee, the first scene of the falls that I have seen makes me stunned as it is so beautiful with a fog covers above.
There is also the decent to the falls below which would separate tourists and a beautiful nature, the water has a beautiful emerald green color.
**GPS Coordinates: 19.749505, 101.991957
I happen to catch eye at a small path that located on the left of the falls, which I think it is a nature trail route.
Walk around 10 minutes, then we have arrived at this place where we can see the bridge that we just took the picture with.
As we walk to this point, we come to know that we are walking to the headwaters of Kuang Si falls. This point is a stairway that flanked along a cliff.
Fog after the rain make camera lens a bit blur.
And finally we reach at the top where a headwaters located.
The path will restrict us to walk to other side of Kuang Si Falls, the scenery is pretty nice with sunrise reflects on the splashing spray. It takes around 30-45 minutes walking around the area, yet there also a hot springs at the above area, and as it will take another 3 kilometers walking from here, therefore I decide to give in and walk back.
We walk along a wooden bridge located right in the front of a clear emerald water falls.
At this point we just find out that we walk in the wrong directions Lol.
At the time we saw them, they were sleeping tightly.
The Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC) is a center for exhibits about ethnicity of Lao people, opened in September last year, this place has been renovated from old colonial buildings and would open every day except Mondays.
**GPS : 19.888611, 102.135240
Inside would tell a story of various hill tribes which is a large population living in high mountains in Laos.
Akha girl's hat.
This is Hmong tribe clothes. After explore the whole museum makes me have knowledge of clothing of ethnic groups in Laos.
Then we ride to the road near Nam Khan river. This hotel looks awesome.
Bamboo bridge to cross the Nam Khan river, from this point, we could see a river bend having the mountain as its background. **GPS : 19.892627, 102.139730
This blue house also looks beautiful.
This is the area where Nam Kham rive and Khong river has met and there is also a bamboo bridge crossing other side. **GPS: 19.898609, 102.145354
Coconut pancake is famous here.
While we were thinking about what to eat for dinner, we then see this shop selling Spicy Hotpot, they would have a small basket for us to pick meat and vegetables inside and they will boil them together and serve in a big bowl which costs 38,000 kip.
This is our breakfast, Grilled Pork with Stick Rice which tastes pretty good.
Sri Sawang Wong road is a main road of Luang Prabang. There are full of food shops , tour companies and accommodations in this area.
After breakfast, monks will travel to study the Buddhist scripture, some temples would have their own school, but some don't have, thus their monks need to travel to other temple for study.
Sticky Rice with Steamed Custard topping tastes delicious.
Wat Chiang Thong is one of the most beautiful temple in Laos, located at the end of the town which is around the mouth of Nam Khan river and Khong river. The main hall of this temple is pretty unique with the gable apex above. This side of the main hall's wall has been decorated with the picture of Bodhi tree or golden tree, which is a symbol for the enlightenment of the Lord Buddha, we would recommend you guys to travel here during noon as the sun will beautifully reflect on the stained glass and the scenery is pretty spectacular.
**GPS : 19.897425, 102.143421
Buddha image hall is located behind the main hall, the painting or stained glass tell the story Lao folk tales called "Si Saliao Siao Sawad" which is about Buddhist teachings such as the law of karma.
This is a hall that keeps a royal vehicle and a royal urn of King Sisavang Vong, inside there is a royal urn located on the a royal vehicle to be seen.
This is a famous spot for photographing.
This menu calls Luang Prabang papaya salad which is a recommended menu here, thus we don't fail to try a bit, I think the one that we have eaten in night market is more delicious. And we also order Fried Mekong fish, overall of this meal, we feel a bit disappointed, the food costs 94,000 kip in total.
Now it is around 11am already, and we just know that "the midday break here is 2 hours" during 11.30am-01.30pm and we need to check in the return flight before 14.00pm, thus we need to hurry and run to the museum or royal palace before they are closed.
This is Haw Pha Bang, while we were running to the hall above, the officer was closing the first door, left only the second door opens, thus, we get in time to see Pha Bang Buddha image.
**GPS : 19.891668, 102.136408
King Sisavang Vong monument (King of Lan Chang Kingdom, Luang Prabang) who bestows the constitution upon Lao people, the stand posture statue, with his hand holding the constitution, was located at the front of Phralak Phralam Theatre in the royal palace.
**GPS : 19.891305, 102.135861
Visiting time: Morning 8.00am - 11.30am, Afternoon 13.30pm - 16.00pm, admission fee 30,000kip.
Wat Mai Suwan Phumaram which Luang Prabang people called "Wat Mai" used to be the residence of Patriarch Boonthan who is the last patriarch of Laos. the front wall of the entrance decorates by a golden low relief sculpture telling the story of Phra Wessandorn Chadok.
**GPS : 19.890658, 102.135110
In the past, Wat Wichun used to be museum of religious arts, later they have been moved to keep at Luang Prabang national museum, left only some artifacts such as wooden Buddha image.
Wat Wichun is the oldest temple in Luang Prabang, and Prabang Buddha statue also used to enshrine at this temple.
**GPS : 19.887280, 102.138602
On the return route, we suggest you guys to sit on the right side window seat as you will see the beautiful views of Luang Prabang, Khong river, Sogn river.
/////Summary/////
- Weather: from night to morning time, the weather would be cold and the weather is pretty pleasant in the afternoon.
- Food: it is pretty similar to the south of Laos, I have tasted all the famous recommeded restaurant here and found out that the small food shops is more delicious and cheaper.
- Traveling: Take a flight for around 1 hour, the airport here is around 3 kilometers away from the city, and there are a lot of option for sightseeing such as hiring car, boat or motorcycle.
- Attraction: There 2 groups which are culture and natural tourism, the temples are pretty captivating and its nature is abundant, especially Kuang Si falls is spectacular, they take pretty good of this place by dividing swimming area and restricted area. Well, walking or biking to explore the city is also a good idea.
- Accommodation: The accommodation we chose has reasonable price with 3 bunk beds and a toilet inside. The con point is that the owner is Vietnamese, I think if he is Laos, he might recommend some more traveling tips to us.
- Feeling: Luang Prabang is changed a bit, yet we still feel captivating by this city.
Overall is perfect, people is pretty kind and if you would like to spend slow life, this place is just the right place that having all the things for you, whether it be falls, temple or cave.
/////Budget/////
- Accommodation 2 nights (Phanhthasone Guesthouse 158THB/person/night) Total 645THB
- Food expense 3 days total 2,032THB
- Transportaion expense (within the city 826THB + promotion return ticket of airasia Bangkok-Luang Prabang-Bangkok 2,007/person) Total 4,840THB
- Entrance fee/Enter the city fee Total 466THB
Total expense costs 7,983THB divided by 2 person which costs 3,991.5THB per person
Ps. Exchange Rate 1THB = 256.41Kip
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Thursday, January 10, 2019 4:37 PM
