Chapter 26: Slow Life in Luang Prabang Fahpawa

When it comes to neighboring countries, many people may think of developed cities like Singapore or trendy cities like Vietnam. Luang Prabang may be a bit off the beaten track, but believe me, if you go there once, you'll definitely want to go back again.

Traveling to Luang Prabang is not difficult at all, taking just over an hour from Bangkok. This time, we traveled to Luang Prabang with AirAsia, which offers direct flights every day at affordable prices.

Upon arrival in Luang Prabang, the first thing to do is to purchase a SIM card at the airport. A 3-day SIM card costs 100 baht, and while the internet may not be as fast as back home, the signal is decent. In Laos, Thai currency is accepted, but items may be slightly more expensive. If you don't mind the slight price difference, using Thai baht is convenient. However, if you prefer to exchange for Lao kip, you can do so at the airport before boarding the transportation.

For this trip, we exchanged 2,000 Thai baht, which is approximately 500,000 kip. 10,000 kip is roughly equivalent to 40 baht.

This time, we stayed at the 3 Nagas M Gallery by Sofitel, a boutique hotel located in the heart of Luang Prabang. The hotel is conveniently located within cycling distance of the night market and Wat Phra That Phu Si. For those looking for a relaxing stay in the heart of the city, the 3 Nagas is an excellent choice.

Nagas 3 offers only 15 rooms, as it is an old house built a long time ago. The rooms are located in two buildings. Facilities such as the spa and swimming pool can also be used at the Sofitel Luang Prabang Hotel.

In the evening before our dinner, the hotel hosted a Bai Sri ceremony at the Sofitel Luang Prabang. This ceremony is a cultural tradition that is practiced in every household in Luang Prabang. Local residents perform the ceremony every day when they return home.

The ceremony was very heartwarming. The people of Luang Prabang are truly lovely. : )

After the ceremony, there will be a small event called the Management Cocktail at the Sofitel Luang Prabang Hotel. This is an opportunity for hotel guests to meet and chat while enjoying wine or small canapés. It's a great way to make new friends.

After the bai sri ceremony, our exploration of Luang Prabang began. Our first stop was Secret Pizza, a popular restaurant open only on Tuesdays and Fridays. Hidden away, the restaurant requires insider knowledge to find. The bustling atmosphere is likely due to its limited opening hours and its reputation among locals and tourists alike. Offering pizza, lasagna, and fresh salad, Secret Pizza also boasts delicious fruit smoothies, including an exceptional banana smoothie that had me coming back for seconds.

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If you think Luang Prabang is a quiet city with nothing to do, you might be wrong. There are still bars and pubs for young people to have fun in Luang Prabang. We went to two of them: Full Moon, a restaurant with live music that plays songs in English, Chinese, and Thai, and Dao Fa, which is about 300 meters away from Full Moon and plays more upbeat music. The highlight of Dao Fa is that they play the song "Cookie Fortune Teller".

We woke up late the next morning because we had plans to visit Kuang Si Falls, a landmark of Luang Prabang. It is a large waterfall with blue lagoons where you can swim. Let me tell you, it was very, very cold. The water was freezing.

After getting soaked playing in the water, we stopped by a buffalo farm before returning to the city. As you may know, buffalo meat and milk are still popular in Laos. In Luang Prabang, there is a farm that has made buffalo farming a story, and they also produce and sell milk and cheese made from buffalo milk.

The farm offers a variety of activities, including feeding wild boars, bottle-feeding buffalo calves, bathing buffalo, and milking buffalo. Visitors can experience authentic agricultural life.

Be sure to try the delicious buffalo milk cheese and ice cream. The ice cream comes in a variety of flavors.

The highlight of this trip was a cruise along the Mekong River. We chose to go with Mekong Kingdoms, the same company that Yaya Urassaya used when she visited Luang Prabang. The atmosphere was amazing, and a sunset cruise on the Mekong River is a must-do when visiting Luang Prabang.

The two-hour boat ride was an absolute delight, with a constant stream of delicious snacks like salads and canapés, accompanied by a selection of wines and soft drinks. The romantic atmosphere was simply unforgettable.

After returning to shore, we decided to have dinner at 3 Nagas. Since arriving, we haven't had the chance to try any local cuisine. The 3 Nagas Hotel offers authentic Lao food, and let me tell you, it's just as delicious as Thai food. The highlight of the meal was definitely the grilled buffalo meat.

After a day of action, we decided to dedicate the next day to spiritual pursuits. We started by waking up early to participate in the local tradition of offering sticky rice to the monks. Every morning, over 300 monks gather to receive alms, and residents offer them sticky rice. We observed vendors selling sticky rice and "khanom khon" (steamed sticky rice dumplings) along the way.

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After finishing our morning alms offering, we decided to fuel up before embarking on our temple tour. We were particularly impressed by the breakfast options at 3 Nagas. While they offer an à la carte menu, there's no need to worry about going hungry as you can order as much as you like. The selection includes both standard ABF options and local breakfast dishes, such as rice porridge and white sausage.

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The cantaloupe here is incredibly delicious and extremely sweet.

We borrowed bicycles from the hotel and cycled to the nearby Wat Phou Si. The climb to the temple took about 10 minutes and was quite strenuous, but the view from the top was breathtaking. We had a 360-degree view of Luang Prabang and the surrounding area. The air was also fresh and clean. Before climbing to the stupa, we passed by local vendors selling flowers, fruits, and vegetables.

The view was worth the climb. Before heading to other temples, we passed a pedestrian street lined with beautiful vintage buildings.

And of course, once you arrive in Laos, you wouldn't want to miss out on trying a sandwich, would you? Let me tell you, they are delicious!

Before returning to Bangkok that evening, we must stop by the important temple, Wat Xieng Thong. Everyone who goes there will not miss taking a picture with the window, which is beautifully decorated on the outside.

Can you believe that our three-day trip to Luang Prabang was filled with such happiness? There was no chaos whatsoever. It's a laid-back city with friendly people and pleasant weather. Everywhere we went, people greeted us with smiles.

Sometimes, the joy of travel truly comes from the people around you. :)


FAHPAWA

Photo by: @Nookchun