With kids · Luang Prabang · Laos
Luang Prabang with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Allie Caulfield, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Luang Prabang is calm and easy with children: short walks, boat rides, swimming at Kuang Si Falls, the bears at the rescue centre and weaving classes for older children. Traffic is light by regional standards but pavements are uneven. Top picks: Mount Phousi, Night market and Mekong sunset cruise. Families usually base themselves in Mekong riverfront.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 5
- Best area for families
- Mekong riverfront
- Rainy-day options
- 1
- Busiest months
- December–January
Best things to do with kids
Viewpoint · Old Town centre
1.Mount Phousi
A hill rising about 100 m above the town centre, climbed by more than 300 steps from Sisavangvong Road opposite the palace. The gilded That Chomsi stupa crowns the summit, with views over the rooftops, both rivers and the surrounding mountains. A second path down the Nam Khan side passes Buddha statues and a shrine with a giant footprint.
Sunset is very crowded; sunrise or late afternoon gives the same view with space to breathe.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Iconic
- Photo spot
- Active
- Kids
Market · Old Town centre
2.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. A narrow lane of food stalls nearby serves grilled fish, sausages and one-plate vegetarian buffets.
Bargain gently, and look for weavers selling their own work; prices are lower than in the boutiques.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- After dark
- Food
- Kids
Experience · Mekong riverfront
3.Mekong sunset cruise
Long wooden boats leave the riverside landings for a one- to two-hour trip on the Mekong as the sun sets behind the hills, passing fishermen, temples on the far bank and the confluence with the Nam Khan.
Shared sunset boats are inexpensive; hire a boat privately for a group or a quieter evening.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Views
- Kids
- Photo spot
Experience · Mekong riverfront
4.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. Its riverside café has views over the water.
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
- Book ahead
- Classes have limited places; reserve a day or more ahead in high season.
- Art
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Experience · Nam Khan riverside
5.Nam Khan bamboo bridge
Each dry season, villagers build a temporary bamboo footbridge across the Nam Khan, which is washed away when the river rises in the rains. Crossing it, for a small toll, leads to the far bank's village lanes and riverside cafés.
Cross in the late afternoon and return at sunset; the bridge only exists from roughly November to the start of the rains.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Rainy-day ideas
- 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.
Where families should stay
$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, budget and families
Mekong riverfront
The riverside road on the Mekong side of the peninsula is lined with guesthouses, restaurants and bars on wooden terraces, many with views of the boats and the hills of Chomphet opposite. Boats to Pak Ou and sunset cruises leave from the landings below.
- Good
- Sunset views over the Mekong; Easy access to boat trips; Good mid-range choice
- Watch out
- Road traffic along the river; Can be dusty in the dry season
- Nearby
- Mekong boat landing, Royal Palace Museum, Wat Xieng Thong
Family travel tips
- Kuang Si Falls is the top family day out; bring swimwear and go in the morning before the pools get busy.
- The Pak Ou boat trip is long; bring snacks, hats and something to do.
- Climb Mount Phousi early in the day with children, when it is cooler.
- Use mosquito repellent at dusk, especially near the rivers.
- Many guesthouses have family rooms, but few have pools; choose a riverside hotel or one across the Nam Khan if a pool matters.
Day trips for families
- Kuang Si Falls (About 45 minutes by road) — A series of limestone cascades tumbling into turquoise pools, some open for swimming, beneath a high main fall.
- Pak Ou Caves (About 2 hours upstream by boat) — Two caves in a limestone cliff where the Nam Ou meets the Mekong, filled with thousands of wooden and gilded Buddha images left by pilgrims over centuries.
- 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.
- Vang Vieng (About 1 hour by train) — A town on the Nam Song river ringed by limestone karsts, with tubing, kayaking, caves, blue swimming lagoons and hot-air balloon flights.
When to go with children
The best months overall are November–February. December–January are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Luang Prabang good for kids?
Luang Prabang is calm and easy with children: short walks, boat rides, swimming at Kuang Si Falls, the bears at the rescue centre and weaving classes for older children. Traffic is light by regional standards but pavements are uneven.
+What can kids do in Luang Prabang?
Mount Phousi, Night market, Mekong sunset cruise, Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre and Nam Khan bamboo bridge.
+Where should families stay in Luang Prabang?
Mekong riverfront: Guesthouses, cafés and sunset terraces facing the Mekong.