I last visited Luang Prabang in 2016 and if you haven’t read about my 24 hour adventure to the city via bus from Vientiane, you can do so here. Luckily, I was wiser this time around and chose to arrive from Nong Khiaw, a mere four to five hour bus journey – still as bumpy, though! Despite the fact that I had visited before, Luang Prabang remained just as enchanting as I remembered.

Although I visited Wat Xieng Thong in 2016, I had to return to its vibrant murals and serene landscape. Located by the mighty Mekong, there are numerous men offering boat tours – if that’s your thing, and in your budget, of course.

If you can afford to, I highly recommend dining at Manda De Laos – a local restaurant set by a UNESCO listed lotus pond. I visited in 2016 but it definitely wasn’t in my budget this time around so I stuck to eating at the night market instead; just a mere RM7 (15,000 LK) for the all-you-can-fit-on-your-plate buffet.

Tat Kuang Si: the highlight of Luang Prabang for any nature lover. You can either find a tuk-tuk driver or buy a tour, which includes transport to and from the waterfall + the entrance fee (20,000 LK) – the tour I bought costed 40,000 LK.

If you have time to spare then watch a free screening of Chang at Sanctuary Palace Hotel (6.30 pm) or Victoria Xieng Thong Palace Hotel (7 pm) – Chang is a black and white silent film set in the jungles of Laos during the 1900s and a delight to watch.

“Although he who walks behind an elephant may feel very secure, he is likely to get splattered with elephant dung.” Laotian Proverb