Comparison · Hanoi vs Luang Prabang · Vietnam / Laos
Hanoi vs Luang Prabang
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Quangnlnhe182394, CC0
Quick answer
Choose Hanoi for Old Quarter, Hoàn Kiếm Lake, nightlife and free sights; choose Luang Prabang for Wat Xieng Thong, Morning alms giving and a milder winter. Hanoi is generally less expensive, and the two are about 408 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 408 km
- Less expensive
- Hanoi
- Best time for Hanoi
- March–April and October–December
- Best time for Luang Prabang
- November–February
Side by side
| Hanoi | Luang Prabang | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Vietnam | Laos |
| Known for | Old Quarter, Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Phở | Wat Xieng Thong, Morning alms giving and Kuang Si Falls |
| Best time to visit | March–April and October–December | November–February |
| Ideal stay | 4 days | 4 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $60–$120 | $60–$140 |
| Cost level | Very affordable | Affordable |
| Warmest month | June, 33°C (91°F) | April, 35°C (95°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 19°C (66°F) | December, 27°C (81°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 9 | 5 |
| Day trips in our guide | 5 | 5 |
| Beaches | — | — |
| Airports | HAN | LPQ |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Hanoi for…
Old Quarter, Hoàn Kiếm Lake, nightlife and free sights. Hanoi has been Vietnam's capital, on and off, for about a thousand years, and it shows: a dense Old Quarter of guild streets and narrow tube houses, French colonial boulevards around the 1911 Opera House, and the Confucian Temple of Literature founded in…
Choose Luang Prabang for…
Wat Xieng Thong, Morning alms giving and a milder winter. Luang Prabang occupies a narrow peninsula where the Nam Khan river joins the Mekong in northern Laos. The former royal capital is a UNESCO World Heritage town of more than 30 Buddhist monasteries, French colonial shophouses and wooden Lao houses, small…
Top sights compared
| # | Hanoi | Luang Prabang |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple | Wat Xieng Thong |
| 2 | Old Quarter guild streets | Royal Palace Museum (Haw Kham) |
| 3 | Temple of Literature | Mount Phousi |
| 4 | Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square | Morning alms giving (Tak Bat) |
| 5 | One Pillar Pagoda | Night market |
Food compared
| Hanoi | Luang Prabang |
|---|---|
| Beef phở | Luang Prabang khao soi |
| Bún chả | Or lam |
| Chả cá Lã Vọng | Fried river weed |
| Bánh cuốn | Jeow bong |
Which is cheaper?
Hanoi is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $60–$120 per person there, against $60–$140 in Luang Prabang (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Hanoi on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Hanoi and Luang Prabang are about 408 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 4 days in Hanoi and 4 in Luang Prabang.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Hanoi or Luang Prabang cheaper?
Hanoi is usually less expensive: about $60–$120 a day mid-range against $60–$140 (estimates).
+Is Hanoi or Luang Prabang better for a first trip?
Pick Hanoi for Old Quarter, Hoàn Kiếm Lake, nightlife and free sights, or Luang Prabang for Wat Xieng Thong, Morning alms giving and a milder winter.
+How far is Hanoi from Luang Prabang?
About 408 km in a straight line.