Luang Prabang Hotels, Buildings and Restaurants Part 2

Some of the buildings here are odd-shaped, while most of them are original French styled colonial buildings built during the French influence back in the day. There are no modern developments done here; therefore, everything you see is as original as it can get. 

Luang Prabang old wooden buildings.

Walking around the Luang Prabang town area can be done in a few hours, but it took me longer than that due to multiple stops admiring some of these beautiful structures and buildings.

While most of them are brick, some are still in pure wood and some even in a mix of wood and stone, giving it a natural state of beauty.

The Blue House in Luang Prabang.

Luang Prabang’s old buildings are mostly converted into businesses like boutique hotels, guest houses, villas, restaurants and cafes.

The new generation of Lao people is taking advantage of the UNESCO status by turning some of these buildings into craft and souvenir shops or even traditional massage centres.

The Apsara Hotel in Luang Prabang.

Among the boutique hotels and guest houses in Luang Prabang, The Apsara Hotel is one of them. Housed in an old colonial building that has been carefully renovated, the Apsara sits along the Nam Khan River in the quieter part of town.

Prices are around the USD 130s, so be prepared to splurge here. There is no Internet, TV, or radio, making this a great place to seek peace and quiet.

Say Nam Khan Guest House.

One thing for sure in LP is that the number of guest houses is abundant. You see them just about everywhere around town, making choices pretty hard to choose from.

Some cheaper ones even in the back lanes off the main roads. This guest house in the picture above is called ‘Say Nam Khan Guest House’ located just in the town area on Ban Wat Sene Road.

Prices are from USD 25.00 for a single to USD 50.00 for a VIP room.

Villa Sokxai or Sok Xai Guesthouse.

Some of the guesthouses may even term themselves as villas like the one in the picture above. Called ‘Sokxai Guest House’ or Villa Sokxai as it is now known, it is housed in one of the old colonial bungalow buildings in the town area.

Prices range from USD 25.00 to USD 60.00 here, and they do not accept credit cards for now. But check again if you are headed here.

Khem Khong Guest House.

You will find this narrow guest house with a small balcony up top along the road by the mighty Mekong River.

Called ‘View Khem Khong Guest House’, the room you may want to check in is room number 909. This is the one right above the lobby with the best balcony view of the streets and river.

Rates here are from USD 25.00 to USD 70.00, depending on the season.

Villa Senesouk Guesthouse in Luang Prabang.

Another guest house recently changed to Villa is the ‘Sene Souk Guesthouse’ or now known as Villa Senesouk.

Prices for this basic style hotel ranges from around USD 25.00 to USD 50.00 per room. Nice old charm look and feel if you stay at this place.

Luang Prabang River Lodge Hotel.

With 13 rooms here, the Luang Prabang River Lodge is one of the few hotels facing the Mekong River.

Prices here range from USD 40.00 to USD 60.00, and this hotel is located very close to the famous Hmong Market, Royal Palace Museum, and Phu Si Hill; therefore is suitable for those who dislike long walks.

3 Nagas Hotel.

Another famous or popular hotel is the ‘3 Nagas Hotel by ALiLA’. Fully restored in 2003, this is one of the nicer hotels on the pricier side, where it starts at USD 125.00 onwards.

From the front, it looks basic, but when you go inside or around, you will see how far in the compound stretches back. A little on the high end but well worth the experience for those who are willing to spend.

Nam Khan River Office.

Walking along the Nam Khan River, I stumbled across the Navigation Office of Luang Prabang, and to my surprise, the office still remains in full wood.

I guesswork here is pretty easy as only long boats or hotel boats pass through the Mekong River or Nam Khan River, which cater to the tourist.

Royal Palace Museum of Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang Royal Palace Museum.

Along the main road, which is called Sisavangvong Road, you are bound to pass this huge compound that houses the Royal Palace Museum, locally known as Haw Kham or Golden Hall.

This amazing place was built back in 1904 during the King and his family’s French colonial era. In 1975, the monarchy was overthrown by the communist, and since then, it was converted into a museum in 1995.

There are visiting times and an entrance fee here with some strict rules. Please see the end of this posting for more details.

• Admission – 30,000 Kips (USD 3.00)
• No photography is allowed inside the museum.
• You must leave your bags in lockers near the entrance.
• You must remove your shoes before entering.
• You need to be dressed conservatively.
• Open Monday to Saturday from 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM, 1.30 PM to 4.00PM

Typical guest houses with balcony.

Some of the colonial guest houses have a decent small seating place right in front of the building. It is here where you will see the travellers sipping Lao Coffee and watching the locals’ daily lives in Luang Prabang.

Occasionally you see orange-robed monks passing by and waving to you in a friendly manner, only returning the gesture.

Luang Prabang’s main street.

Along the main street in town, some visitors are seen heading to the day markets, some to the hills and some just wandering around.

Hundreds of Lao vendors sell various items from lamp shades to blankets and silver wear to paintings.

Lao school children play during break.

A typical Lao school housed in one of the old colonial single storey buildings with a dirt compound was also spotted during my walk around the town area. 

English is taught as an additional language in some of the schools here, while it is also taught in many monasteries.

You will be surprised when some of the younger monks come and ask you questions in English, as they are thought this is school.

A Lao schoolgirl poses for a picture.

Children are seen playing during a break, and some of them sit by the 3 feet wall looking at tourist passing by.

Some even try to communicate with the travellers who provide entertainment to both parties like the child above did with her sweet smile.

Luang Prabang Traditional Steam Bath and Massage centre.

Further, off the main town area, you will see various colonial buildings which house Traditional Lao Steam Baths.

Some come all-in-one with Traditional Lao Massage or even a Traditional Lao Medicinal Message. These are proper places which have experienced Lao people attending to you, so fear not.

Me taking a quick pose outside some of the Luang Prabang massage centres.

Oh well, I just could not resist taking a picture in front of some local Lao Massage centres, and if you explore this part of town, you will find most of them around the river area.

The ones in town are a little more expensive, but then again, my expensive would range around US$10.00. A tip is to explore and shop for prices for any traditional Lao massage.

Some of the more modern contemporary buildings in Luang Prabang.

Because of the UNESCO status in Luang Prabang, most developments are re-constructing older buildings or even re-building new ones that follow the colonial style.

One of the new projects as in the picture above are some new villas or hotels and not worry as you will not find any modern buildings.

One of the old French-inspired buildings in Luang Prabang.

An old French-inspired colonial building is seen selling traditional Lao textiles. The place is called Laha Quality Natural Textiles and has a good collection of these beautiful Lao designed fabrics.

The building is located just near the Phu Si Hill or Royal Palace; it is just a short walk from the main town.

L’Elephant French Restaurant in Luang Prabang

L’Elephant French Restaurant in Luang Prabang.

Apparently, one of the most popular restaurants in Luang Prabang, L’Elephant Restaurant, serves French and Lao cuisine, grown in their own little garden.

This well-known restaurant is also run by a French man and his French-Lao partner since opening, and this place is always full, so please make reservations.

Famous people like Mick Jagger and Kylie Minogue have dined here, and L’Elephant Restaurant has been reviewed by the New York Times, Bangkok Post and various other media.

Aroma Spa and Beauty centre in town.

In the main town area of Luang Prabang, you are guaranteed to come across various spas and beauty centres, namely for women.

For the ladies, please do not let go of this opportunity as they provide one of the best spas and treatments around, and all this for a fraction of what you are used to paying back home.

Somehow I got roped in by my travelling partner after much persuasion, and we took up a 4-hour spa for only US$25.00 per person. Now that is very worth it if you ask me. 

I also visited a local place called Whisky Village, which is highly recommended to explore if it is your first time.

The village was actually a stopover on the way to see the amazing Pak Ou Buddha Caves, which is another amazing must-visit place in Luang Prabang.

If you explore the main town area, don’t forget to visit the famous Phu Si Hill for an amazing sunset of Luang  Prabang.

Make sure the weather is good on that day and be early so you can get a good spot to sit and just absorb the natural beauty.

Here is also a list of things to do in Luang Prabang for those planning a trip to visit this UNESCO World Heritage town in Laos.

While you are here, do not forget to admire the natural beauty of all the Luang Prabang buildings, hotels, and restaurants found all over the town area.