After our trekking adventures in northern Laos, we were ready for some relaxing days in the small city of Luang Prabang. It doesn’t feel like a city by any means, because it’s comprised of many adjecent villages. This town is full of ancient and cultural heritage, but also has a modern vibe to it. A perfect hangout spot for tourists and locals alike.

Anyone who is interested in history can explore the many Buddhist temples and French colonial architecture all over the small walkable town.

One of the nature landmarks within the city borders is Phousi Mountain. After a few steep steps you get to enjoy amazing views over the former Laos capital with the Mekong River running along side it. It’s a great place to watch the sunset!

To explore the area outside of town, we decided to rent a moped for a day. After crossing the Mekong river on a ferry with our moped we ended up in the Chomphet area. Immediately we felt like we were in the middle of the country side. A hilly area with tiny villages and dirt roads. At first we weren’t sure if our moped aka “Ol’ Scoopy” would make it up and down the steep and rocky roads. But after a 23 km, 3.5 hour ride and a sore behind, we made it back in one piece.

Now ready to cruise on some paved roads, we went south of town to the Kuang Si Waterfalls. The beautiful falls reminded us a little bit of the Erawan Waterfalls in southeastern Thailand. Clear and turquoise water beyond imagination! Of course I couldn’t resist to go in for a quick swim.

Exploring all these areas was a lot of fun, but what I will remember most about Luang Prabang is enjoying the chilled atmosphere by walking around town, along the Mekong River, sitting in cafes and enjoying delicious streetfood.

While there are a lot of tourists around, it is not overwhelming and you never have to stand in line to get into sights. One of the most prominent attractions, besides the temples and architecture, is cetainly the lively night bazar. While it looks like a big tourist trap (and yes the bazar is basically set up for tourists), on display are mostly arts & crafts that are usually handmade by Laos women.

After visiting plenty of other bazars and markets in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, I felt like this one is mostly authentic where you can buy real handmade clothing, bags etc.. which is sold directly by the tailors. Selling their own products at this market is an important income for many local families. Laos women really know how to weave and sew!

To get a better idea of what it takes to make handmade clothing, I took a weaving class with Ms. Lae. An experienced and talented Laos women who has a big passion for this craft. She has several looms in her home where she makes everything from skirts, t-shirts to scarfs. So I tested my weaving skills on one of the looms to make a short scarf. It turned out pretty well, but only thanks to the help of Ms. Lae’s skillful hands!