History · Luang Prabang · Laos
8 historic sites to see in Luang Prabang
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Wat Xieng Thong, Royal Palace Museum (Haw Kham) and Morning alms giving (Tak Bat). Together the 8 picks below take roughly 8–10 hours across 5 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 8–10 hours
- Areas
- Xieng Thong end of the peninsula, Old Town centre and Around Wat Visoun
Historic sites in Luang Prabang
Religious site · Xieng Thong end of the peninsula
1.Wat Xieng Thong
The rear wall is covered with a glass-mosaic 'tree of life', and a separate hall holds the gilded royal funeral carriage.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Art
- History
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Palace · Old Town centre
2.Royal Palace Museum (Haw Kham)
In the grounds, the gilded Haw Pha Bang houses the Phra Bang, the revered Buddha image that gave the city its name.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Experience · Old Town centre
3.Morning alms giving (Tak Bat)
It is a religious ritual rather than a show, and the town asks visitors to watch quietly from a distance or take part respectfully.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- History
Religious site · Old Town centre
4.Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham
It housed the Phra Bang image for decades and is where the statue is ritually bathed during Lao New Year.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Architecture
- History
Religious site · Around Wat Visoun
5.Wat Visoun
Its rounded stupa, That Makmo, is nicknamed the 'watermelon stupa', and the hall displays old Buddha images collected from around the region.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Around Wat Visoun
6.Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre
Its shop sells crafts with income returning to the makers.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Luang Prabang town
7.UXO Laos Visitor Centre
Displays include defused cluster bomblets and the work of clearance teams.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
Neighbourhood · Chomphet
8.Chomphet across the Mekong
A short ferry ride across the Mekong leads to quiet villages and old monasteries such as Wat Long Khoun, where kings traditionally stayed before their coronation, and hillside temples with views back to the old town.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Off the beaten path
- History
- Outdoors
- Views
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Xieng Thong end of the peninsula | Wat Xieng Thong | 1 hour |
| Old Town centre | Royal Palace Museum (Haw Kham), Morning alms giving (Tak Bat) and Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham | 1–1.5 hours + 30 minutes + 30 minutes |
| Around Wat Visoun | Wat Visoun and Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre | 30–45 minutes + 1 hour |
| Luang Prabang town | UXO Laos Visitor Centre | 45 minutes |
| Chomphet | Chomphet across the Mekong | Half a day |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 free, 6 low cost. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Chomphet across the Mekong; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Xieng Thong end of the peninsula, Old Town centre and Around Wat Visoun): Wat Xieng Thong → Royal Palace Museum (Haw Kham) → Morning alms giving (Tak Bat) → Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham → Wat Visoun, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Around Wat Visoun and Luang Prabang town): Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre → UXO Laos Visitor Centre, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Chomphet): Chomphet across the Mekong, at least 3 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- May: highs of 34°C (93°F), about 15 rainy days, quiet crowds. The first rains clear the haze and green up the hills; heavy afternoon storms are common.
- September: highs of 32°C (90°F), about 15 rainy days, quiet crowds. Rains gradually ease; waterfalls are full and the countryside is at its greenest.
- June: highs of 33°C (91°F), about 17 rainy days, quiet crowds. Wet and lush, with low hotel rates; rivers rise and the bamboo bridge is gone.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Old Town centre — Temples, the Royal Palace and the night market along Sisavangvong Road
- Xieng Thong end of the peninsula — Quiet lanes, monasteries and river views at the tip where the Nam Khan meets the Mekong
- Mekong riverfront — Guesthouses, cafés and sunset terraces facing the Mekong
- Nam Khan riverside — Smaller river, bamboo bridges and garden cafés on the peninsula's eastern side
- Around Wat Visoun — Budget guesthouses and local life south of Mount Phousi
- Chomphet — Rural villages and hilltop temples across the Mekong
More of Luang Prabang
All things to do in Luang Prabang · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Luang Prabang?
Wat Xieng Thong. Built around 1560 under King Setthathirath, Wat Xieng Thong is the finest monastery in Luang Prabang, its main hall sweeping almost to the ground in layered roofs.
+Which of these are free in Luang Prabang?
Morning alms giving (Tak Bat) and UXO Laos Visitor Centre.