Safety
Safety in Luang Prabang, Laos
What do other Racers need to know in order to be safe? Current safety protocols/precautions in place? Any relevant issues/concerns? Any precautionary suggestions?
People’s Opinions
- This is the safest my team has felt since being on the race and this is our tenth month. Other than being cautious of what you search and share on the internet in regards to religion, the city itself is safe. Very touristy and friendly. We leave our things in the hostel, unlocked, throughout the day and haven’t had any problems. It’s like being at the beach back in the states where you have that unspoken rule of people not messing with your stuff and you don’t mess with theirs.
Food / Meals
Food / Meals in Luang Prabang, Laos
What did you eat? Where did you get the food? Cost (per person per day in USD)? Contact info (if applicable).
People’s Opinions
- Breakfast: Obvi it’s easier to find a hostel where breakfast is included.Lunch: Not as many options as dinner but still plenty.SANDWICHES – you will find this day one of venturing through the city and think it’s gold. We certainly did. A line of sandwich stalls that sell crepes, coffee, smoothies, and of course SANDWICHES ranging from 10,000 kip to 20,000 kip depending on how much goodness you want on it. They do make sandwiches with out the break for those gluten free babes. (salads)There are also noodle soup stands throughout various streets if yo look a little bit harder beyond the sandwich ladies.Dinner: Many options once the night market is set up to it’s full potential between 6-7 and it closes a little after 9.There are different buffets for 15,000 kip, chicken and other meats on a stick starting at 10,000 kip, egg rolls for 5,000 kip, fruit for 10,000 kip, amazing noodle soup for 15,000 kip on the corner of the main road and market (just outside the start of the night market), and SANDWICHES all day.Coffee: Lots of options, but these are some of our encounters.96 Cafe – Our first cafe encounter after the night bus ride from the capital, near central backpackers hostel. It is attached to a nice guesthouse so it is a bit pricey, but quiet atmosphere and good wifi. You can get an Americano for 15,000 kip.SANDWICH stalls – Coffee is really good and only 5,000 kip! You can get it iced, frapped and other various forms of coffee.Pilgrims Cafe – Bottomless coffee or tea/iced or hot for 12,000 kip. Down a little ways from the entrance of Mt. Phousi on the road the night market is on. Sakhalin Rd. Great food and drinks salad, soups, sandwiches, mac and cheese, brownies, bagels, gluten free brownies, and various goods. Stop in, you won’t regret it.Joma Bakery – Joma is like a tiny Panera Bread. This has the most options in regards to drinks, food, and baked goods, it’s also more expensive. Wifi is good and we love the atmosphere. It is quaint. They also give really good coupons where you can get up to 2 baked goods at half price same day after 2:00 pm if you buy something in the morning. DO IT. Plus, they’re a Christian business so it’s fun to support the local peeps doing WORK for Jesus.There are other bakeries and cafes throughout the city however these are the best. Night market desserts are da bomb. Coconut balls, American doughnuts, jelly filled and chocolate iced, all for 5,000 kip each. Treat yourself to a doughnut, you won’t regret it. Indigo cafe always has a display of goods like pumpkin cake, chocolate cake, brownies, etc. Don’t be fooled. Try it for yourself and have your own opinion but ye be warned.Basically, there’s always a SANDWICH option, any time of day. Even if you’d like one at 6 in the morning.
- There are a lot of restaurants in the area that offer rice noodle soup for 15,000 kip. Your best option for dinner is to go to the night market (right in the middle of the “downtown” area) and go into a big alleyway on the left side to get to the food street. You can buy 5 veggie spring rolls, a half kilo of sticky rice and some fried bananas for 10,000 kip which is an awesome deal!
Financial
Financial in Luang Prabang, Laos
Location of banks or ATMs, notes about transaction fees, best places to exchange money, and other money related advice.
People’s Opinions
- Since Luang Prabang is a tourist city you won’t have any trouble finding an ATM or money/currency exchange. Make sure you don’t get short changed by checking the exchange rate before you go. They easily exchange Baht and USD. A lot of businesses even accept Baht and USD as a form of payment.
Translators
Translators in Luang Prabang, Laos
List any local translators – name and contact information, languages spoken
People’s Opinions
- We don’t have.
Off Days / Fun Activities
Off Days / Fun Activities in Luang Prabang, Laos
What activities did your team experience? Recommendations? List locations/contact info. Any locations to be avoided? Any extra safety tips for off days?
People’s Opinions
- There is a nice hotel Maison Souvannaphoum on the main road. You can use their pool for 12 dollars, it’s quiet and peaceful. Not to mention you get a meal, cocktail and wifi included. Fo. Free.WATERFALLS! There are several around, the main one people go to are Kuangsi waterfalls. I highly suggest this one. Our whole team went for my 30th birthday! So much exploring to be had. Now, lets talk prices. It’s a 25,000 – 30,000 kip ride depending on how friendly you are with your tuk tuk driver. We waited till the end of the month to go and asked our Lao friends to find us a good deal, and they even got to go with us. It’s 20,000 kip to get into the park with a bear refuge included. Think zoo, but only bears. The water is beautiful, the falls are amazing and the hike to the top is challenging. DO THE CLIMB! Don’t give up if you’re half way up and you think you can’t make it. If this 30 year old can make it, you can do it. You can swim on top of the falls in a magical land that feels like you’re in Narnia. Climb up the left hand side, walk across the river over the falls and come back down the right hand side. If you see a sign for a spring/caves that says 3km. It is indeed 3km, if not more, but the spring is a stagnant pool of water. Nothing was fresh about that spring. The caves were interesting. We walked up to see what it was about but to actually explore the inside it was another 10,000 kip. I’m not sure what is in there except darkness but if you’re feeling like exploring it’s a nice walk. We found a secret waterfall on the way to the “spring” by crossing a sketch bridge and walking through the woods as we followed the sound of water cascading over rocks.TIP: You can’t get back out of the park once you’re in so if you’re going for lunch, which I hope you do, make sure to buy it before you go so you can enjoy food at the top of the waterfalls.Another TIP: You’ll probably want to stay all day. Make a day trip of it. One hour is not enough. The earlier in the morning you go, the less crowded it is. The further to the top you go, the less crowded it is.Another, nother TIP: Wear your swim suit, or take something to change into, you’ll want to swim. Especially if you climb to the top first…you’ll be sweaty and want a refreshing dip.Several of my teammates say this is their favorite place they visited on the race. I would have to agree. In short, GO. DO IT!There’s a tourist information center in town, if you’d like to do something in addition to the waterfalls, there are elephant rides, cave exploring, kayaking, and plenty of other things. The waterfall and pool are our only real life experiences. Although we’ve heard the elephant riding is fun from other tourists we talked to.
- There is a bowling alley! Mainly backpackers go here but it is super fun! (granted that after about 11:30pm all the people from the bars go there and we have heard it gets crazy then but we went earlier than that). They people that work there are friendly and let us play our own music while bowling!It was 20,000 kip per game, so not something that you do every night but a fun night out especially to meet with the backpackers to connect and have fun!All you have to do is tell the tuk tuk driver “bowling alley” and they know where to go. We got ours from the night market and it was 6,500 kip/person to get there because the most people in it the better!
Tips
People’s Opinions
- Preserving culture. Observe silence and respect the monks when walking by. Don’t shout and wave. Such a tourist city it is respectful to still V or bow to the person you greet or buy from. Some may laugh but the older generations recognise and appreciate it. Women don’t touch the monks, don’t be offended if they don’t shake your hand. It’s just not a part of their culture.
