Luang Prabang – 25 Feb – 2 Mar 2024

A Long Backstory

Taking the new high-speed Loas China Railway that was launched in 2021 to enter China, particularly Yunnan, was our primary reason to visit Laos. At the time of planning, our powerful Singapore passports allowed us to stay visa-free in Laos and China for 30 days respectively. Of course we booked our accommodations way in advance and maxed out our visa-free stay allowance.

Just a week before our departure, some family members who had crossed the Laos-China land border prior to COVID told us that they were given only a 15-day visa-free stay instead of 30-day that they would have gotten if they'd entered by air. Should we or should we not take our chances? Would things be different post COVID?

We'd decided not to risk ruining our carefully crafted route in China and 25 nights of accommodation bookings. It would have been very stressful if we had to make changes to those bookings after entering the country. So we went back to the drawing board and came up with a modified plan that guaranteed staying in China for 30 days and required changing only the first destination and accommodation.

From Luang Prabang it took us 2 hours to reach Vientiane by high-speed train. Outside the railway station, many vans and tuk-tuks were available to bridge the 16km distance to the Vientiane town. We hopped onto a van and went to our one-night-stay near Wattay International Airport before flying to Kunming the next morning.

Luang Prabang

Some parts of Luang Prabang are definitely a bit touristy, but for very good reasons. In addition to having beautiful sceneries, it has a peaceful vibe.

After spending a few days near the buzzing old quarter sightseeing and all that, we went to the countryside and stayed at Naga Lodge for 3 nights. Away from the hustle and bustle, it's a perfect place to relax. Although just 7km from the old town, the last stretch of dirt road made the whole motorbike journey an hour long even in good weather. We arrived covering with a layer of dirt. Fortunately the lodging was comfortable with an open view of mountains and paddy fields. More importantly, it's a short walking distance to Nahm Dong Park.

Restaurants (in order of preference):

1. Ajam Mora Restaurant:
   • Many options, freshly made and huge portion. Good food with affordable prices. We ate there many times and still our favourite local restaurant.
2. Restaurant in Nahm Dong Park:
   • Hardly any tourists there. We liked the grilled salted crusted fish and fried spring rolls with lots of vegetables. A laid-back environment.
3. Mekong Cafe:
   • Delicious food and a beautiful view. Highly recommended to stop in on your way from or to Kuang Si Waterfall.
4. Lao Green Restaurant at Kuang Si Waterfall:
   • Nice view of waterfalls but the food is just average. Nothing to talk about.
5. Serious Khao Soy Noodle Shop:
   • Great khoa soi with crispy pork and rich broth. The place is full of locals. But due to "hygienic" reasons, not in the top 3 lists.

Places worth visiting (in order of preference):

1. Kuang Si Waterfall:
   • Entrance fee 25k kips per person. We went there by motorbike and parked outside for 5k kips. Located about 1 hour outside of Luang Prabang town. It exceeded all our expectations! The water is stunning, crystal-clear turquoise.
2. Wat Xiengthong (temple):
   • Entrance fee 20,000 kips per person. Beautiful temple with a nice shrine. It is one of the oldest and most important temples of Luang Prabang city in Laos.
3. Luang Prabang old quarter:
   • UNESCO world heritage listed site. Preserving the timeless history of old quarter Luang Prabang, both traditional Laos and French colonial heritages.

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