Season guide · Luang Prabang · Laos
Luang Prabang in the early rains
May–July: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Allie Caulfield, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Afternoon storms clear the air, the countryside turns green and hotels lower their rates. Expect highs up to 34°C (93°F) and lows around 23°C (73°F), with about 52 rainy days across May–July.
Key facts
- Months
- May–July
- Temperatures
- 23°C (73°F) to 34°C (93°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 52
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in the early rains
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | 34°C (93°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 15 | 13.1 h | 2/5 |
| June | 33°C (91°F) | 24°C (75°F) | 17 | 13.3 h | 2/5 |
| July | 32°C (90°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 20 | 13.2 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 33°C (91°F) against a yearly 32°C (90°F), and 52 of the year's roughly 118 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in the early rains
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- May: Boun Visakha Bucha — Buddhist holy day with candlelit processions (usually May)
- July: Start of Buddhist Lent (Khao Phansa) — monks begin the rains retreat (usually July)
Good choices for the early rains
Palace · Old Town centre
Royal Palace Museum (Haw Kham)
The palace built in the early 1900s for King Sisavang Vong blends Lao and French Beaux-Arts styles and preserves the royal throne hall, mirrored-mosaic walls and gifts from foreign governments.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Around Wat Visoun
Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre
Visit before shopping at the night market to learn how to recognise authentic textiles.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Luang Prabang town
UXO Laos Visitor Centre
This small exhibition explains how more than two million tonnes of ordnance were dropped on Laos between 1964 and 1973 and how unexploded bombs still affect rural communities.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
Experience · Mekong riverfront
Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre
Book a natural-dye class to take home a scarf you coloured yourself; free tours of the workshops run through the day.
- Time needed
- 2 hours to a full day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Day trips in the early rains
- Tad Sae Waterfall (About 30 minutes by road, then a short boat) — A series of low, wide limestone cascades and pools in the forest, quieter than Kuang Si.
- Nong Khiaw (About 3–4 hours by road) — A riverside village on the Nam Ou surrounded by dramatic limestone peaks, known for the steep hike to the Pha Daeng viewpoint, caves used as shelters during the Indochina wars and boat trips upriver to Muang Ngoi.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the early rains a good time to visit Luang Prabang?
It is a trade-off: Afternoon storms clear the air, the countryside turns green and hotels lower their rates. The best months overall are November–February.
+What is the weather like in Luang Prabang in the early rains?
Highs of up to 34°C (93°F) and lows around 23°C (73°F), with about 52 rainy days over the season.