Luang Prabang

Following Myanmar, Laos is next on our itinerary. Our first stop was the former royal city of Luang Prabang. We immediately felt a connection to the city even during the approach by plane. The flight provided a first glimpse of the landscape as well. Laos has many mountains, all covered in lush green vegetation. Although it should be noted that we were there shortly after the rainy season. At the end of the dry season, the scenery might look entirely different.

Since we arrived in the evening, we only had dinner at a great Italian restaurant and then enjoyed a cocktail at the Utopia Bar by the riverside.

Old Town, Wat Xieng Thong, and Night Market

After getting a proper rest, we headed to the Old Town of Luang Prabang. It is truly beautiful there. Many buildings date back to the French colonial period. There are plenty of stalls to explore, and you can enjoy the view of the Mekong River from one of the many cafes. Unlike in Myanmar, the city was bustling with tourists.

The Old Town is also home to the Royal Temple of Wat Xieng Thong. We visited this temple in the afternoon. It is also quite magnificent, although it cannot be compared to the golden pagodas in Myanmar.

In the evening, we strolled through the night market. The street in the Old Town is closed at 5 PM to allow the vendors to set up their stalls. We bought some souvenirs and clothes there. In a side alley next to the market, we found some food. I first tried the so-called "original German" bratwurst. It was tasty but not really comparable to a German bratwurst. Then we had dinner at one of the vegetarian buffet stands. For only 1.50€, you can fill a bowl with as much vegetarian food as you can. Additionally, the night market offers various fish and meat skewers, soups, crêpes, fruit shakes, and pastries.

Kuang Si Waterfalls and Mount Phousi

The next morning, we took a scooter to the Kuang Si Waterfalls. To reach the waterfalls, you first pass through a bear sanctuary. As you can see in the pictures, the water here is truly beautiful and blue. We hiked all the way up to the top, which was quite challenging. Once at the top, you also have the option to take a small boat tour through the landscape. However, apart from some hand-sized spiders, there wasn't much to see. We then went back down to the areas where you can swim. We sat directly in one of the small waterfalls and enjoyed the refreshing water. It was a good thing that we left early in the morning because it got incredibly crowded around noon.

Mount Phousi

For the sunset, we climbed Mount Phousi, the city's hill. From there, you have a beautiful view of the city and the Mekong River. However, we preferred the sunset on Mandalay Hill.

In the evening, we ended up back at the Utopia Bar, where we met other German travelers and exchanged our experiences so far.

We took our last day in Luang Prabang very relaxed. We had a late breakfast, strolled through the city, and tried some local specialties in the evening. The next day, we took a mini-van to Vang Vieng.