The Cube

I visited Luang Prabang late December last year with my sister. It was the start of my annual compulsory leave before a longer duration in Malaysia. Had the intention to also do some doodle drawing for Luang Prabang but it is hard to to draw for me... So I put up a map instead.

Anyway,
Things to do in Luang Prabang
Food or places to eat in Luang Prabang



Day 1
Stroll around town and visit the night market



Day 2
Walk the morning market, visit the Royal Palace then cross over to walk up Mount Phousi. End with another visit to the night market.



Day 3
Wake up for tak bat. Visit Wat Xieng Tong and bamboo bridge. Take a ferry to cross over to Chomphet district. Return to visit the bamboo bridge for night view.



Day 4
Wake up for tak bat again. Take a Mekong River cruise and end the day with a cooking lesson.



Day 5
Stroll around the old city and visit Big Brother Mouse to volunteer if have some spare time


P/S: We have ample of time to visit the famous Kuangsi Falls and Pak Ou Caves but decided not to make a trip.


Side note: How do you motivate yourself to exercise?

2. Phat lao koung (stir fry rice noodles)
I don't think this is particularly Lao food but maybe a variation of it as it reminded me of Thai's pad see ew, stir fry noodles with sweet soy sauce. We also had it in Sackarinh Guest House and paid 20,000 kip (yes, we had 4 meals there). Haha.



3. Stir fry basil pork
Like #2, maybe a Lao variation of stir fry basil pork, yummy nonetheless. We walked in a random shop on Sisavangvong Road. Sister and I ordered this with an iced Lao coffee and paid 30,000 kip for both. It was a light lunch because we had a very big breakfast that day and unfortunately, it was the worst meal we had in Luang Prabang and also the most expensive one.



4. Sindad (Lao barbeque)
This stall was in front of Sackarinh Guest House. We had grilled cuttlefish and chicken breast as entree before dinner. It was good and we planned to return to eat more as dinner the next day but the stall wasn't open. The skewers were 3,000 kip each.




5. Orlam chicken
Orlam is a spicy, peppery meat (we chose chicken) curry made from ingredients from the wild like cloud ear mushrooms, some greens and pea eggplant. It is one of Luang Prabang specialty food. You guessed it correctly, we also had at Sackarinh Guest House, 30,000 kip.




6. Khao piak (Lao tapioca noodles)
This was breakfast. Yup, Asians eat noodles for breakfast. We ordered noodles with pork and egg. Bean sprouts were served separately. This was at Xieng Thong Noodle, 14,000 kip.


We had another round of khao piak at another shop near Wat Xieng Thong, just near one of the entrance. The shop doesn't have a sign but this is how it looks like. I prefer the taste of this one and this is a bit cheaper at 10,000 kip but of course, this is pork and no egg added.





7. Kaipen (Mekong river weed)
Kai pen is Mekong river weed that was sprinkled with slices of garlic, onion, tomato and sesame seeds and dried. It is served fried and crispy, cut into squares. Addictively delicious. I imagine it would be a good beer snack. 15,000 kip at Sackarinh Guest House.



8. Fresh spring rolls
One of the ingredients in use is noodles strand and these little rolls were served with peanut dipping sauce. Yup, Sackarinh Guest House, 15,000 kip.



9. Mok pa (Steamed fish in banana leaves)
We ordered it at Sackarinh Guest House but also had it after making it at cooking lesson. The piece of fish meat is wrapped together with some combination of herbs, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.

The one we ordered from shop

the one I cooked in class

10. Tam mak hoong (Luang Prabang papaya salad)
The taste of Luang Prabang papaya salad is different from Thai papaya sald. The Lao version is more of salty and spicy flavour, owing to the taste of fermented fish sauce. Sackarinh Guest House, 15,000 kip. 





11. Crepes
There are many stalls selling crepes leading to the night market. We bought from this stall, it was next to one that sells juice and we suspected they are husband and wife. We first ordered one with banana mango nutella and paid 10,000 kip. We walked away with our crepe, had the first piece and returned to get another one. It was really good - the crispy crepe and the combination flavour. The second crepe was equally good but the flavour combination not as good as the first one. We had banana mango pineapple for our second order, also 10,000 kip.



12. "Lao favourite" breakfast at Bamboo Tree Restaurant
If you want something more than just a bowl of noodles, please have this one. Both of us was very happy eating this and polished everything served. Sis stumbled on this breakfast meal when she was trying to find reviews for Bamboo Tree Restaurant's cooking lesson. We ended up having our lesson at Tamarind as it was a no lesson day at Bamboo Tree but we had this very good breakfast there.

Surprisingly we were not able to see this on their menu at the restaurant but were quite determine of having this. Lucky for us as well that when we were there, the restaurant owner was also at the shop and was very helpful. We told him we saw this on their facebook page, he logged in, saw the posted photo and made us this breakfast. Have a look on their facebook page, there are a few other options on offer but we wanted this one - Lao favourite breakfast, 28,000 kip.

Patongko is the deep fried crullers, somewhat similar to chinese youtiao.

From Bamboo Tree Restaurant facebook page

Sister's camera as prop

13. Ping pa (Grilled fish)
We had this in one of the restaurants overlooking Mekong River together with some bamboo fried rice. Grilled fish cost 40,000 kip and bamboo fried rice 16,000 kip. 

Grilled fish in action in morning market

14. Oua Si Khai (stuffed lemongrass), jeow mak keua (eggplant dip), jeow mak len (Lao tomato salsa), jeow som (sour peanut dipping sauce), gaeng nor mai (bamboo shoot soup), khao gam (purple sticky rice with coconut milk)

We made all the ones in this photo except for the bamboo soup and sour peanut dipping sauce. I'm sure the stuffed lemongrass and mok pa (steamed fish in the banana leaves) will impressed if you served your guests with them. Ha. I like all the food but not so much the bamboo soup.

Purple sticky rice is a very popular Asian dessert but the variation comes in the toppings. We added a dollop of tamarind sauce, sesame seeds, mango, apple, red dragon fruit, banana and fresh tamarind fruit.


15. Khao gee (grilled sticky rice)
It is sticky rice pressed and moulded into a flat-cake, lightly dipped in an egg wash and grilled over coals, giving it a thin, smokey and slightly crispy skin layer. We bought it when we were strolling at the morning market and caught a whiff of yummy food smell. However, after a bite, we think it probably wasn't this snack because it wasn't impressive.




16. Khao nom kok (Lao coconut cakes)
These little cakes are made from mixture of sticky rice flour, rice flour, coconut and sugar, poured into little round moulds and cooked over some hot charcoals. They were sold in fives cakes, served in a "bowl" made of banana leaves, 5,000 kip. We bought this on the same road to the night market.

This reminded me of a Malaysian cake called kuih cara. The sweet version of kuih cara uses a somewhat similar mixture but flour, coconut, pandan and gula melaka. They are cooked the same way though.




17. Fried bread
Actually I don't know what exactly this is called but the texture felt like deep fried bread, the soft kind of bread. We tried to ask but we didn't understand each other. :(
We saw this in Chomphet, 1,000 kip each.





18. Lao coffee
I don't remember how much was the iced coffee but the one with free banana cake was 15,000 kip.
We imagined it to be the fluffy kind of banana bread type but this one had a different texture but was tasty. Good strong coffee too.






19. Saffron Coffee
We had some time before going to the airport so we thought we would try out one of those hipster cafe. Did a takeaway to bring to the airport for lunch as well.

Large machiato + cheesecake brownie

Lao chicken in peanut sauce wrap

Side note: Now I need to go find something to eat to curb the growling stomach...

Here are the things we have done when we were in Luang Prabang, so they are not in any particular order. Here's a map for orientation.



1. Luang Prabang Night Market
The evening or night market operates every day and takes place from 17:00 to 23:00. The night market runs at Wat Mai and all the way till Sisavangvong Road to the town centre (Settathilat Road).

Vendors sell various of goods like clothes, bowls made from coconut shell, teas, etc. You can find different things for souvenirs but remember to shop around and haggle.

Opening hours: 17:00-23:00, daily







2. Morning market
The morning market is the usual wet market but with local produce so there are some products on sale that I am not familiar with.

Opening hours: Morning hours





3. Palace Museum/Haw Kham
Royal Palace Museum is located off one of main boulevards. The current main building dates from the early 20th century after the previous palace was destroyed by invaders in 1887. Current museum exhibits from several centuries back and include royal religious objects, paintings, gifts from other countries, etc. The palace was converted into a museum in 1995.

On the grounds of Royal Palace Museum also houses Haw Pha Bang, the "Royal Temple" as well as a lotus pond.

Opening hours: 08:00-11:30 and 13:30-16:00 every day except Tuesday.
Entrance: 30,000 kip per person

Royal Palace

Royal Temple

4. Phousi Hill and Wat That Phousi
It is more often referred to as Mount Phousi but the height probably is more of a hill, if any a small mountain. There are 2 ways to get to the top, opposite Royal Palace Museum and the other is on Thanon Phousi. At the top of the hill is Wat That Chomsi, a golden pagoda.

The stairway from Thanon Phousi has a few viewpoints along the way, including Wat Tham Phousi if you have time for stops on your way up, can consider this way to go up and come down the other way. However, we noticed that most tour buses arrange to go up this way as well (i.e. via Thanon Phousi) so it could be a bit more crowded this way.

We went up stairways across from Royal Palace Museum as we went after visiting the Royal Palace for sunset view. There was already a fair of people sitting around waiting for the sun to set.

Opening hours: Can climb the mountain from 06:00am.
Entrance fee: 20,000 kip per person








5. Tak Bat / Alms giving ceremony
As the sun rises in Luang Prabang, Buddhist monks depart from their various temples to gather their daily meal. It started off with ringing bell from the temple.

Locals prepare the food for the monks and quietly wait by the roadside. Men could stand but the women kneel down, to keep their head lower than the monks when giving alms. There are "rules" (so to speak) but it all stem from respect.

We stood from across the street, I haven't got a camera and only use my phone so the photo is blurry due to low light.



6. Wat Xieng Tong
One of the most historic and enchanting Buddhist monastery in the country. The main temple of Wat Xieng Tong or known as the Golden City Monastery, was built in 1560. It is said that the curving lines of the roof evoke a bird with outstretched wings like a mother hen sheltering her broad. The walls of the temple are elaborate and decorated with stencilled gold motifs.

Opening hours: 08:00-17:00, daily
Entrance fee: 20,000 kip per person





7. Bamboo bridge
The bamboo bridge is only available 6 months of the year. The bridge is removed during rainy season due to strong current and will be washed away when the water rises. Bamboo bridge is located over Nam Kham River, off Kingkitsarath Road. There's a booth to collect a fee for those who crosses the bridge to support the Lao family that build the bridge. We walked across the bridge and continue till The Weaving Sisters, a weaving workshop/class. We didn't do any class or buy anything but there was a lady half way into her weaving lesson. We went again at night when it was lighted up to some photos, yup, the one below taken using mobile phone too.

Bridge fee: 5,000 kip per person






8. Hiking at Chomphet District
Part of the attraction is the ferry ride from Luang Prabang's main boat landing behind Royal Palace Museum. We took the vehicle ferry to cross over to the Chomphet District and wanted to do the 5 temples hike but only managed to visit 2 temples and saw one from the entrance.


The main temple that we wanted to go is Wat Chomphet but on the way, we stopped by Wat Xiengmenesaiyasettharam. I'm not sure if this one charge an entrance fee as there was no payment booth like the one at Wat Chompet. Nobody approached us to pay for entrance ticket but an elderly monk beckoned us to follow him to one of the building. It looked like their living quarter, and he went inside a room which we think is his room and took out a box. He told us to kneel down and started to pray and then tied a yellow blessing string on our left wrist. We put a little donation inside one of the box that he has. We were the only visitors at that time. There was another visitor when we first arrived but he left not long after.



We then continued our way to Wat Chomphet. Wat Chomphet is perched above 123 steps. It was built in 1888 but not very well maintained. Due to it's location, it has great view of the surrounding area, Mekong river and Luang Prabang town.



We left Chompet almost during sunset time in hope to catch the setting sun on boat but it was hidden from behind a hill. Good colour, nonetheless.


Ferry: 5,000 kip one way, per person
Wat Chompet: 10,000 per person


9. Mekong River cruise
Lucky that there are many cruise options along Mekong River and engaging a boatman by ourselves aren't too expensive so that was what we did. In fact, many would approach and ask if we wanted a river cruise. We went around mid morning and the cruise went for an hour.

Mekong River cruise: 80,000 kip per boat




10. Lao cooking class
We did a cooking lesson in Laos and it was fun. Initially we wanted to enrol with another school, Bamboo Tree & Vatsene Restaurants & Lao Cooking School but they don't run cooking lessons on Monday which was the only day we have left. We contemplated for awhile before deciding wanting to do the lesson so we only registered ourselves the same morning. Despite the website mentioned that lessons are available daily but it wasn't on the Monday that we want to join. So we registered with Tamarind and did the evening lesson because morning lessons usually includes a visit to the market and more pricey.

We went to Tamarind Restaurant just before 4:30pm and paid the balance as we had to pay a deposit upon registration. While waiting, we were served a welcome drink. Then we were brought to their offsite cooking school by van. The class we attended had 7 pax including my sister and I. We really enjoyed ourselves, it was a fun activity! I definitely enjoy this one much more than the one I did in Sri Lanka. This one allows hands on experience.

We made 2 types of jeow (Lao spicy dipping sauce), mok pa (steamed herbed fish wrapped in banana leaves), lemongrass stuffed with chicken and herbs and a black sticky rice pudding dessert topped with fruits. Then we had them for dinner, along with a soup and 2 different salads (one was laab) and we were also given a recipe book to bring home. Now I just need to find some motivation to cook them again. :P

Lesson fee: 215,000 kip per person





11. Ock Pop Top
Ock Pop Tok is a centre that curates hand loomed textiles by village weavers or ethnic group in Laos, providing them with the ability to earn a livelihood; also workshops in weaving, etc. It is also provide colourful background for photography.




12. Big Brother Mouse
Big Brother Mouse was set up to promote literacy in Laos. We swang by and thought we could volunteer a couple of hours with younger kids as we are worried that we can't hold a conversation for up to 45 minutes as we are bad in small talks. However on the day of our visit, the volunteer work was done off site at their new school, Big Sister Mouse and we needed to get to the airport by noon time so we didn't.


13. Just random walkabout
There are many other temples dotted around the old city that are worth a visit, or shops that are going in just to check it out.

This is Utopia

Wat Choumkhong Sourin Tharam

14. Others
Outside of Luang Prabang, many make a trip to Kuang Si Falls and Pak Ou Caves. We didn't visit either despite we were there for 5 days. Hahaha.


Side note: What camera do you use?