Brimming with Beerlao, buffalo and even ballet, Luang Prabang in Laos might just be the most unexpected – and unforgettable – honeymoon destination. Former ETGer, Philly, found out first-hand…
Fabled as the most romantic city in Asia, Luang Prabang had long been on my travel wishlist. When my honeymoon came around, I knew that my husband and I had to visit.
I’ll never forget the sunset there. Across the north side of the city is a stretch of bars that overhang the banks of the Mekong. With laid-back jazz like Chet Baker or Bill Evans playing in the background, it’s all too easy to while away the evening soaking in the views with a Beerlao in hand and some delicious crispy spring rolls. As you settle in, the river and mountains transform – the sun turning the sky a deep amber red. All the while, you see the odd fisherman coming in for the day, Chinese boat trippers blasting out ear-splitting karaoke, or a chug boat docking to bring in supplies. Then, as the sun sinks behind the mountains, the scene turns purple – this is when it’s at its most beautiful. It feels like a total paradise on earth.
Located on a gorgeous stretch of the Mekong, Luang Prabang is a city made up of old French colonial architecture, striking Laotian palaces and ancient Buddhist temples. While the place is a mecca for tourists, they certainly haven’t spoiled the city (yet!) – instead, you’ll see a lot of thriving restaurants, bars, boulangeries (filled with delicious croissants) and boutiques as well as a generally upbeat, entrepreneurial atmosphere on the streets.
We stayed at the beautiful Villa Maydou, which was around a 15-minute car ride from the airport. A boutique hotel selected by ETG, it’s on the outskirts of the city, so has a particularly peaceful vibe surrounded by lush tropical palm trees and a quiet Buddhist monastery. Accommodation is in wooden-clad colonial buildings with a chilled swimming pool, perfect for unwinding after a day of exploring. We particularly loved breakfast here – the hotel’s Laotian omelette filled with local veggies was a great way to start the day, and we fell in love with their resident kitten who enjoyed sitting on our laps as we tucked into a fresh fruit platter. The hotel also offered free bikes, which made nipping in and out of the city really easy.
The night market is also an incredible string to Luang Prabang’s bow. From around 6pm, the main street transforms into a bustling shopping event, filled with handmade jewellery, clothes, pottery, wood-carved items as well as delicious street food. One night, we wanted to find the best Laotian fried chicken and ended up getting three dishes from the same guy as his drumsticks were so good. It was also a really social spot – we got to know a lot of French, Brazilian, American and Portuguese travellers on the communal benches that make up the south side of the market.
Our local guide, Si, gave us all the insider knowledge of the region, taking us on a beautiful boat ride up the Mekong to visit a local village that specialises in pottery making. The community-run pottery business is like a co-op, so instead of one person benefiting from the majority of sales, more people get a share of the tourist dollar. This is good to see (and to contribute to), as many families are disadvantaged, with access to school dependent on whether they can pay for it – this communist nation doesn’t quite believe in education for all for free. I got a lovely vase, which is now at home with me in London, holding my dried flower bouquet from my wedding.
Si also took us to a monastery with an amazing view overlooking Luang Prabang on the other side of the river. Up here, we got some of the prettiest shots of our whole honeymoon.
There’s so much to do around Luang Prabang, our week in the city flew by. We went to Mandalao Elephant Conservation Centre to see these gentle giants in their natural habitat. We went for a stroll with them through the forest and it was such a magical experience. ETG did a great job selecting this one, as elephant rides just make me depressed. The Mahouts here clearly have great bonds with the creatures but also know the ultimate aim is to get them back to living in the forest in a herd – as close to how they’d live in the wild as possible.
We also had a great time at the Buffalo Dairy Farm – an entrepreneurial venture by two French businesspeople who realised just how delicious buffalo milk is and that it can be used to create cheese, cakes and, crucially, ice cream. We met all the animals on the farm from very tame rabbits to piglets, and the buffalo themselves were very sweet. The ice cream was absolutely delicious!
Kuang Si Falls was also a magical experience. These natural freshwater waterfalls are beautiful and you can swim in the pools here. Si showed us a 40-minute hike up from the main waterfall area, which led to a much quieter swimming area. Here, my husband and I enjoyed a peaceful swim through the jungle as we cooled off from the hike. We also had the chance to see some lovely sun bears saved from bile farms en route to the falls, a convenient two-in-one experience.
Si also pulled out all the stops when he managed to get us the best seats in the house for the Laotian ballet. My partner LOVES music and we got to see a fun performance complete with xylophone players, Laotian opera singers and drummers. While this isn’t exactly your West End affair for music lovers, it was pretty charming – especially when a little three-year-old got to tread the boards with his Dad on stage.
We rounded off the night with a specially arranged meal at Manda de Lao, which we’d never have found without ETG. It’s down a side road to the south of the city and was an absolutely gorgeous boutique restaurant, with tables arranged around a lily pond that had all opened up for the night. We reminisced about all the fun we had over the past five days.
My heart slightly breaks at the thought that I might not be back in Luang Prabang for a while. It truly is a spectacular place to travel to, and it’s no wonder Lonely Planet has named it ‘The Top Place to Visit in Asia in 2025’. With new railway links to China, my advice is to go sooner rather than later, as this absolute gem of a destination is only going to get more popular as time goes by…
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