Shopping · Luang Prabang · Laos
Shopping in Luang Prabang
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Textiles are the highlight: hand-woven silk and cotton, Hmong embroidery and indigo cloth, sold at the night market and in weaving-centre boutiques. Mulberry paper goods, coffee and jars of jeow bong make lighter souvenirs. Best souvenirs: Lao silk, Hmong embroidery and Mulberry paper.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 3
- Markets
- 3
- Top souvenir
- Lao silk
Where to shop
Sisavangvong Road
Boutiques and galleries in colonial shophouses selling textiles, silver and homeware.
Ock Pop Tok and the TAEC shop
Fair-trade textiles and crafts from Lao weavers and ethnic minority communities.
Ban Xang Khong
A village across the Nam Khan known for mulberry-paper making and weaving workshops.
Markets
Night market
Hundreds of stalls every evening on Sisavangvong Road; bargain gently.
Morning market
Fresh produce, river weed, spices and jungle foods near the palace from dawn.
Phousi Market
The main local market south of town, for clothing, fabrics and household goods.
What to buy
Lao silk
Hand-woven scarves and sinh skirts in traditional patterns.
Hmong embroidery
Brightly embroidered bags, cushion covers and quilts from Hmong villages.
Mulberry paper
Lanterns, notebooks and cards made from saa paper.
Lao coffee
Arabica and robusta from the Bolaven Plateau in southern Laos.
Jeow bong
Luang Prabang's sweet chilli paste, sold in sealed jars.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · Old Town centre
Night market
Every evening, Sisavangvong Road closes to traffic and fills with rows of red-roofed stalls selling Hmong embroidery, Lao silk, paper lanterns, coffee and silver.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- After dark
- Food
- Kids
Experience · Mekong riverfront
Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre
A weaving centre about 2 km from town on the Mekong, where you can watch weavers at work, learn about natural dyes and take half-day or full-day classes in weaving, dyeing or batik.
- Time needed
- 2 hours to a full day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Market · Old Town centre
Morning market
From dawn, the lanes between Sisavangvong Road and the Mekong near the palace fill with sellers of river fish, herbs, sticky rice, dried river weed, buffalo skin and forest produce.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Photo spot
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Fried river weed, Jeow bong, Lao baguette and Beerlao. The morning market sells it dried; restaurants in the old town serve it fried. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town centre | $$$ | Temples, the Royal Palace and the night market along Sisavangvong Road |
| Mekong riverfront | $$ | Guesthouses, cafés and sunset terraces facing the Mekong |
| Nam Khan riverside | $$$ | Smaller river, bamboo bridges and garden cafés on the peninsula's eastern side |
| Around Wat Visoun | $ | Budget guesthouses and local life south of Mount Phousi |
| Across the Nam Khan | $$$ | Riverside resorts and villages on the far bank, linked by bridges |
| Chomphet | $ | Rural villages and hilltop temples across the Mekong |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in LAK. Tipping is not traditional in Laos, but rounding up the bill or leaving a little extra in restaurants is appreciated. Guides and drivers on day trips are usually tipped modestly.
- The night-market food lane and morning noodle shops are the best-value meals in town.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in May–September; the busiest months are December–January.
- September: Boat-racing festival on the Nam Khan (some years fall in September)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, shopping and culture
Old Town centre
Temples, the Royal Palace and the night market along Sisavangvong Road
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Luang Prabang?
Lao silk, Hmong embroidery, Mulberry paper and Lao coffee.
+Where is the best shopping in Luang Prabang?
Sisavangvong Road: Boutiques and galleries in colonial shophouses selling textiles, silver and homeware.
+What are the best markets in Luang Prabang?
Night market, Morning market and Phousi Market.