Luang Prabang Solo Travel: My Honest 4-Day Take from Laos

Why I Ended Up in Luang Prabang

I needed to leave Thailand for my DTV visa and didn't want to go back to America this time. My good friend Amanda from Australia suggested Laos, specifically Luang Prabang. I had never heard of this town, never done any research, and I had never been to Laos before. So it seemed like a new adventure to explore.

Spoiler: it was an adventure, just not the one I was expecting.

Getting to Luang Prabang from Thailand

This part was easy. There's a direct flight from DMK (Don Mueang, Bangkok) to Luang Prabang. Under an hour and a half. Upon arrival there was no security check, no bag inspection. I had done my research and applied for my e-visa before arrival, unlike some unsuspecting travelers in line who had to pay cash and didn't have any. They were running to the ATM at the airport in a panic.

I bought a Lao SIM card at the airport for 10 days. Cost: 150 baht. Easy.

After exchanging some Thai baht at the airport, I took a taxi to my hotel.

Where I Stayed: Ancient Luang Prabang Hotel

The Ancient Luang Prabang Hotel cost approximately $27 a night for the King Suite with two balconies and a jetted tub. A bathtub is my hidden pleasure, and I always try to book one when I travel.

Plot twist I only discovered on day two: the morning monk procession (Tak Bat) walks right past this hotel. More on that disaster in a minute.

The First Morning: Alms with 200+ Monks

One of the main attractions in Luang Prabang is waking up at sunrise and giving alms to the more than 200 monks from the 13 watts (temples) in town. I like to sleep in, so I didn't think I would want to do this on my first morning. But I had to pee at 5 a.m., so I decided to give it a shot.

It was pouring rain. I didn't have an umbrella or a raincoat, but I went out anyway because I'm stubborn.

Having just arrived, I had no idea where to go, so I walked down to the Mekong River thinking that was the most reasonable route for this tradition. I was wrong. After walking around in the rain for 45 minutes, someone finally directed me to the actual street where the monks collect their rice and snacks at around 6 a.m.

I paid 100,000 kip for some rice and packaged snacks from a lady, she put a white cloth around me, and I joined a few others on a little stool. Waiting for the monks. Soaking wet.

I wrote a separate piece on what I wish I'd known about the procession before chasing it through the rain. Read it here: The Tak Bat Monk Procession: What I Wish I Knew.

Food, Coffee, and Where Luang Prabang Really Shines

The food here is phenomenal, and not just the Laotian food. The international food too. I went to French restaurants that had the best coffee, the best croissants, and big gutsy baguettes. There was also a Swiss place that was a little expensive but so good. And surprisingly, a Mexican place with killer chips and salsa.

That night I ate at a fancy French restaurant called Le Elephant, about a block from my hotel. I sat with two American women from California, Julie and Jamie. They were luxury travel agents doing a tour of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. After several days in Cambodia, Julie had no recollection or information about the Khmer Rouge genocide. It was painfully embarrassing to be an American woman at that table. I have less in common with them than with most strangers I've met on the road.

The Mekong Sunset Cruise

Another classic Luang Prabang activity is a boat ride on the Mekong at sunset. Several people offered it the first night and I declined. The next day I was ready.

Cost: 150,000 kip for an hour and a half. Free beer included. I had spoken to a guy the night before who didn't pressure me to book, so I went back to him. Small boat, only seven of us: a couple from South America, and a young Russian traveler in his early twenties. When I first asked him where he was from he hesitated, then said Russia. He quickly added he doesn't identify with Russian politics right now. I told him I understood, being from the US, and added a few choice words about my own president.

Honest tip: in hindsight, I would book a bigger boat. There's one called Sasa with two levels, covering, more people, and a full bar. I was happy with my small boat, but Sasa looked like more fun.

The Scooter Game-Changer

After two days of walking, including 20,000 steps on day one alone, I knew I needed a scooter. Luang Prabang is a walking town, but once you've gotten your bearings, having a scooter changes the trip.

I rented from a guy named Liam (above, with his juice and snack shop in the background). Driving on the right side of the road on a Scoopy was different from Thailand but familiar from the US. On day three, I rode my scooter to the Kuang Si Waterfalls.

The waterfalls were a whole experience of their own. I wrote about that separately too: Kuang Si Waterfalls: An Honest Review (Skip the View).

What the Tourist Brochures Won't Tell You

It is painfully hot here. Not like Koh Tao Thailand hot. It's the kind of heat that seeps into your bones and exhausts you to the point where you just want to lie in bed under AC. If you have good AC that works. Which I did not.

The night market is a letdown. Four or five blocks of stands, the same items repeated, and most of it does not feel like Laos. Most of it looks shipped in from China or Thailand. I feel bad for the vendors, who probably bought the stock and are trying to resell, but most of them don't speak English and the merchandise is interchangeable.

The Royal Palace and museum was underwhelming. Sure, I got to see where the king and queen slept, which was interesting in a way. But the experience was diluted by the hordes of Chinese tourists wandering around with us.

Massages are super cheap, even cheaper than Thailand. But quality is uneven. A lot of young girls giggling on their phones, not taking it seriously. And the foot massage I got from a man down a side alley was way too rough. Maybe I went to the wrong places.

The Cambodian Thumbs Down Moment

One extremely awkward moment happened in line to buy a ticket to the Royal Palace. A huge group of older Asian tourists walked by and I asked where they were from. Cambodia. They asked where I was from, and I stupidly said Thailand. They gave me the thumbs down and walked off.

I had forgotten about the war and the tensions between Thailand and Cambodia. Foot in mouth moment. I'm sorry.

The People You Meet Here

I did not see another solo woman traveler the entire four days I was here. Not one. Western travelers were mostly European couples, and we'd give each other a small nod when we crossed paths, a kind of unspoken "we're united in this minority status."

The Laotian people are beautiful, accommodating and welcoming. Even when they don't speak any English, if you greet them with a smile, they smile back. Similar to Thai people, but a little softer, a little different.

The Chinese tourists were a different story. Big groups, very loud, very together. I barely interacted with any except for one Chinese YouTuber I met at a coffee stop on the way to the waterfalls. He was 73, very curious about me, told me he had a show and pulled out photos of him with young Westerners. We took a selfie. Later that same day, I ran into him again at the waterfalls. Pure serendipity. (Full story in the waterfalls article.)

Practical Tips Nobody Told Me

• Bring a raincoat and an umbrella. I left all three of my raincoats in Koh Tao. The umbrella my hotel lent me was clear, great for visibility in the rain, useless for the sun.
• Rent a scooter from day one. Don't waste two days walking before you figure out you need wheels.
• Exchange cash at the airport or a proper exchange office. The ATMs charge a very high fee, aren't reliable, and limit you to about $100 US at a time.
• Pack good shoes. My choco slides and knockoff Adidas were perfect for the mix of rain, walking, and scooter days.
• If the monk procession matters to you, book a hotel on the procession route. Ancient Luang Prabang Hotel is on it. Saves you 45 minutes of walking in the wrong direction at 5 a.m.

Things I Skipped (and Maybe You Should Too)

There's a boat tour two hours north to a cave full of Buddhas. I heard it wasn't that special so I skipped it. There's also a big temple on top of a mountain with views. It was so hot, and there were so many Chinese tourists, that I had enough and skipped that too. Maybe next time.

Something I regret missing: Big Brother Mouse. It's a reading program where you can volunteer to help locals practice English. Amazing concept. I didn't stay long enough, and the hours are limited like many things in this town. Next time I will be more prepared.

Final Verdict: Visa Run, Not a Discovery

Luang Prabang is changing rapidly, like much of Southeast Asia, due to Chinese influence. It's very pleasant and very easy, especially coming from Thailand. But it feels a bit inauthentic to me. The waterfalls felt fabricated. The night market felt imported. The streets are charming but they feel curated for tour buses.

If you're looking for an interesting border pass and a little vacation from Thailand, this place is very cool. But if you're looking for somewhere unique, exotic, different, weird, this is probably not the place. At least not anymore.

Tomorrow I'm taking the China-Laos railway to Vang Vieng. Probably a hypocrite, given everything I just said about Chinese influence. But I'm real about it.

Always looking.