The Ancient Capital of Luang Prabang

LP is a UNESCO protected city in northern Laos which was once the capital before it moved to Vientiane in the 1500s. It is chock full of beautiful wats, orange-swathed monks, cheap massage and spaunas, riverside cafes and restaurants, a beautiful night market and is just wonderful! We didn't have lodging booked on arrival so caught the first tuk-tuk to his guesthouse and was pleasantly surprised with a decent guesthouse right next to Utopia, the amazingly chill riverside restaurant/bar/yoga place we had wanted to check out. The ants joined us later and so maybe isn't the best place we have stayed in but for $11 a night we can't complain much. Anyhow, we strolled the quiet and beautiful tree-lined streets to determine our activities for the few days we are here and get some Indian food. Although more expensive than other Laos cities, a beautiful place like this is a steal and I think we will be quite happy here for a few days! It's also fun to talk with fellow travelers to get their input. So far, we had planned on taking the two day slow boat north to Huayxai to catch the Gibbon Experience before heading to Thailand but after numerous dismal reports of the boat conditions and since we like LP, we may brave a long, bumpy overnight bus instead. But first to enjoy Luang Prabang!

The tuktuks make for an interesting ride to and from bus stations. Here's one that also doubles as a nap room!

More on LP to come!