After two wonderful days gliding down the Mekong on a slow boat, we arrived in Luang Prabang and took a tuk-tuk to our guesthouse. We had planned to stay for five days, but the town’s gentle charm quickly won us over. We ended up staying for ten glorious days.

Luang Prabang is one of those rare places that feels just right. Our afternoons were spent sipping cold Beerlao by the river, while our evenings were filled with excellent meals at local restaurants. We even found a lovely wine bar for our evening aperitif. Our home for the stay was the Lao Wooden House Guest House, located on a quiet street between the Mekong River and the old town. Our room was spacious with a beautiful balcony — perfect for breakfast or simply relaxing with a book.

While many restaurants in Luang Prabang served Thai food disguised as Lao or French classics, we made it our mission to find authentic Lao cuisine. We were richly rewarded.

Tamarind Restaurant
We loved this place so much we ate there twice and even spent a full day at their cooking school. The set menu was outstanding — starting with bamboo shoot soup, followed by Luang Prabang sausage, river weed crackers, jeow dips, mok pa (fish steamed in banana leaves), stuffed lemongrass, and finishing with purple sticky rice with coconut. Everything was fresh, fragrant, and full of flavour.

Tum Tum Cheng
Run by a local chef with international experience, this slightly hidden gem served excellent pan gai yoh (pork spring rolls), steamed fish with lemongrass, and áw lám — a traditional Luang Prabang stew with a slightly bitter, medicinal taste from special wood chips.

Mekong Fish Café
Our favourite casual spot was right by the river. With terraces overlooking the Mekong, it was the perfect place to watch the river flow while enjoying cold Beerlao and simple but tasty food.

Beyond the food, we rented bicycles to explore the old town, visited beautiful wats, and spent a memorable day at Tat Kuang Si Waterfall. In the wet season it was a powerful, roaring cascade. We also visited the Bear Rescue Sanctuary, where rescued bears from bile farms now live in peace — a sobering but heartwarming experience.