Vientiane, Laos' national capital, mixes French-colonial architecture with Buddhist temples such as the golden, 16th-century Pha That Luang. Along broad boulevards and tree-lined streets are many notable shrines including Wat Si Saket, which features thousands of Buddha images, and Wat Si Muang, built atop a Hindu shrine.
Laos: Luang Prabang – Tak Bat morning alms ceremony
Tak Bat (Morning Alms) is a longstanding tradition in Laos Buddhist culture. In observing it, the devoted offer food to monks throughout the Luang Prabang every morning.
Karen had read about the “tak bat” activity in Luang Prabang, aka Alms Giving Ceremony. This is a significant cultural and religious ritual that takes place every morning. It involves Buddhist monks collecting alms from the local community, usually in the form of food offerings. This practice has a deep history and holds significant meaning in Luang Prabang.
The tradition of alms-giving dates back centuries and is rooted in Theravada Buddhism, the predominant religion in Laos. It is believed to have been introduced to Luang Prabang during the 14th century when the city became the capital of the Kingdom of Lan Xang.
The tak bat ceremony begins at dawn when the monks, dressed in saffron robes, form a single-file procession. They walk barefoot through the streets, carrying their alms bowls, while the local people gather along the route to offer food and other items. The alms can include sticky rice, fruits, sweets, and other necessities.
When we checked in the hotel, they had also said that the monks walk right passed this hotel.
This is something we wanted to see, so we set our alarms to be up for 5 am. Karen went out onto the street, whilst I stayed and watched from the balcony of our room. Sure enough, just as it was getting light monks started to trickle by our hotel. I went down to join Karen on the street. One entrepreneurial lady sold Karen some food to give to the monks for their ‘blessing’. For the next hour or so monks continued to come down the street to collect food. It was a lovely experience.
Planning your visit to Luang Prabang
Plane
Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) is located 4 km from the center of Luang Prabang. Luang Prabang International Airport serves domestic and international flights. Several international and domestic airlines operate scheduled flights to/from Luang Prabang Airport, including Lao Airlines, Bangkok Airways, Thai Airways, China Eastern Airlines, and Vietnam Airlines.
Bus
- Within Laos: The bus from Vientiane to Luang Prabang takes about 10 hours and has a few morning departures from Vientiane’s Northern Bus Station. From Luang Prabang’s Naluang (Southern) Bus Station, travelers can take a shared tuk-tuk ride to the town centre.
- A faster alternative to a public bus is a minibus. You can buy a ticket from most travel agents and some guesthouses. The journey on a minibus is faster but they can also be pretty cramped. A minibus from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang takes 5 hours. From Vientiane, it takes about 7 hours.
- International bus: There are international buses from Hanoi, Vinh (Vietnam), Loei (Thailand), Kunming (China) to Luang Prabang.
Boat
One of the nicest and most popular ways to get to Luang Prabang is to cross the border at Chiang Khong in Thailand to Huay Xai and take a boat up or down the Mekong through spectacular and scenic countryside. If you take the slow boat, it will take 2 days. See our blog post on taking the slow boat.
Train
The 414km-long Boten-Vientiane railway was completed and put into operation in December 2021. There’re 5 scheduled trains available on each way, including 4 speed trains (CXX) and 1 ordinary train (KXX). Speed trains run at 160km/hour and ordinary train at 120km/hour. The speed trains reduce the ride journey between Vientiane and Luang Prabang from 10 hours to 2 hours. Another important station is Vang Vieng in between. It’s now very convenient to travel among Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang and Boten.
The train always sells out so you need to get your tickets in advance. When we travelled it was quite an ordeal to get tickets, but that may have changed, so check with your hotel.
Also, worth noting is that the train station is quite a way out of town (12km). So, you will need transport (and time) to get there!
The best time to visit Luang Prabang
The best time to visit Luang Prabang
Given the climatological patterns, the best time to visit Luang Prabang would be from November to February. During these months, the city experiences relatively cooler temperatures, ranging from 26.3°C (79.3°F) to 30.8°C (87.4°F) in the day and 14.2°C (57.6°F) to 18°C (64.4°F) at night. Rainfall is also at a minimum, with only two to three rainy days per month. The city enjoys an average of six to seven hours of sunshine, making it an ideal setting for outdoor activities.
The worst time to visit Luang Prabang
The least suitable period to visit Luang Prabang would be between June and September. These months experience the highest rainfall reaching up to 289mm (11.38″), with as much as 16 to 19 rainy days in a month. Despite the longer daylight hours, the actual sunlight hours reduce to around 4 to 4.6 hours per day due to cloud coverage. Add high humidity, with average values above 85%, and the appeal for outdoor activities diminishes greatly.
Where to stay in Luang Prabang
1. Luxury – Satri House Hotel
Located in Luang Prabang, the colonial-style Satri House was the previous residence of Prince Souphanouvon. The hotel offers 2 outdoor pools, free Wi-Fi and a spa.
The modern rooms at Satri House feature beautiful interiors and a cable TV. Standard amenities include a minibar and fridge.
Guests can lounge by the 2 pools and enjoy views of the beautiful landscaped gardens. The hotel’s spa features massage services and sauna facilities.
2. Mid-Range – Luang Prabang Museum Inn
Located in Luang Prabang and with Mount Phousy reachable within 1.2 km, Luang Prabang Museum Inn & Travel provides concierge services, allergy-free rooms, free bikes, free WiFi and a shared lounge. This 3-star hotel offers room service and a 24-hour front desk. Guests can enjoy American and Asian dishes at the restaurant or have a cocktail at the snack bar.
The hotel will provide guests with air-conditioned rooms with a desk, a kettle, a fridge, a minibar, a safety deposit box, a flat-screen TV, a terrace and a private bathroom with a bidet. At Luang Prabang Museum Inn & Travel each room has bed linen and towels.
3. Budget – The Jam
Set in Luang Prabang, 1.2 km from Mount Phousy, The Jam offers accommodation with an outdoor swimming pool, free private parking, a garden and a shared lounge. Among the various facilities are a restaurant, a bar, as well as barbecue facilities. The accommodation features a 24-hour front desk, airport transfers, room service and free WiFi throughout the property.
Every room has a private bathroom with a bidet, while certain rooms here will provide you with a terrace and others also provide guests with pool views.
You can play billiards at the hostel, and bike hire and car hire are available.
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