Arrive in Luang Prabang and you’ll be awed by the whimsical temples, the serene city streets – and all the well-heeled tourists. Luang Prabang retains its sleepy Laotian charm and breathtaking natural scenery, but in recent years this UNESCO Heritage city has primarily gained popularity with the sort of traveler who arrives by plane, wheels a Samsonite suitcase and prefers to put on a tie before going for dinner.
It’s not your typical backpacker crowd – and there’s nothing wrong with that! But doing Luang Prabang on a budget isn’t like doing Siem Reap or Bangkok on a budget: this is going to take some planning and travel smarts. Here are six tips to get you started.
1. Eat On The Street
Peruse a few menus around town and you might start to wonder if you’ve teleported to Paris, France. Restaurant prices are high, and although some of the food is worth it, most isn’t. (Did you really go to Laos to pay US$12 for a hamburger?).
Step outside, though, and cheap and tasty eating abounds. If your guesthouse doesn’t offer free breakfast (most do), pick up a crepe from the line of outdoor stalls on Sisavang, the main road. In both sweet and savory varieties, these crepes are freshly made, full of simple sustenance and cost less than US$2. Add a coffee or fruit shake and sit at the small benches to enjoy your meal.
Along with crepes, the Sisavang stalls also sell baguettes, which make for a delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner. Fillings include cheese, egg, bacon, avocado and lots more, snuggled up in a big soft baguette with fresh veggies and sauce. Baguettes sell for the same price as crepes, and one sandwich can easily fill two stomachs for breakfast, a light lunch or a mid-day snack.
For dinner, most backpackers are already in the know: you must try the vegetarian buffet. Located at the night market just off Sisavang Road, the buffet is actually a number of stalls offering the same great deal: pay US$1.25 to heap you plate with all the rice and cooked vegetable dishes you can manage. Spring rolls and meat options cost extra, but for that fantastic price you’ll be getting home-cooked Lao taste at a price that fits the budget.
2. Don’t Book Accommodation Ahead
Wait, what?! It goes against what every careful travel planner knows, but in Luang Prabang, booking ahead can mean breaking your budget. The cheapest guesthouses around town aren’t listed online, and the ones you do find through aggregate sites like Agoda or HostelWorld will often quote more expensive prices over the internet than in person.
Instead, when you arrive in Luang Prabang, head to the Nam Khan River area down Phousi Road where you’ll find lanes dotted with cheap and cheerful guesthouses. If no one’s got a room available, ask to leave your bags while you search out something different – walking west of the Sisavang crepe and baguette stalls should lead you somewhere good.
If you’re arriving at night or just can’t stand the thought of turning up without a bed reserved, email Sokdee, Sysomphone Guesthouse or Kammany Inn to book ahead. All three of these guesthouses feature friendly staff, internet, free breakfast and very good rates on both private rooms and dorms.
3. BYOB
Even at bars and restaurants alcohol is inexpensive, but buying booze from an ubiquitous Luang Prabang minimarket is another great way to keep costs low. Whiskey is extremely cheap, with some bottles costing less than US$1. Is it the highest quality liquor you’ll ever get your hands on? No. But Lao whiskey isn’t bad, and the low low price will encourage you to find new friends to share it with. Bring a bottle to your hostel rooftop, or if you’re staying in a guesthouse without much of a social scene, head over the Khammany Inn – you’re sure to find friendly folks sitting out front every night of the week.
4. Don’t Pay To Get Online
The internet revolution hasn’t quite hit Luang Prabang yet, so even if your accommodation promises Wi-Fi, be prepared for sporadic signal and slow speeds. Cafes and restaurants that advertise Wi-Fi don’t always deliver: you’ll pay your daily budget on a café latte you don’t want, then spend the next 20 minutes trying to load Gmail.
It’s nearly frustrating enough to send you in to one of the city’s internet centers, where you can pay by the minute to check your email on someone else’s computer, but there is another choice: find a reasonably priced café with fast and reliable internet. (Warning: if it’s Wi-Fi rather than bagels you’re after, check the signal at the ever-popular Joma before you place your order).
Saffron Bakery on has two outlets, fast internet and very few customers. The food’s not nearly as good as the Wi-Fi, so we recommend enjoying a coffee while you surf. If you are in the mood for going online over a meal, Delilah’s on Chao Fa Ngum Road offers delicious and homey dishes for under US$5, and the internet is consistent.
5. See The Sights With Friends
When hitting the tourist hot spots, bring a buddy. A tuk-tuk for one to the stunning Kuang Si Falls will set you back more than US$25, but get a friend (or six) to come too and you’ll pay US$5 instead. If you’re traveling on your own, no fear: a driver wants as many people in his tuk-tuk as possible, so when you’re approached about the waterfalls (don’t worry, you will be), just ask to join whatever group he’s currently putting together.
6. Entertain Yourself On The Cheap
Luang Prabang is not a city renowned for its nightlife, but there’s more to do during the after-dark hours than wander a night market. The more upscale restaurants around town offer cultural performances, but for a real look at local dance get yourself and your friends in a tuk-tuk to Dao Fah nightclub: the drinks are cheap, the music is loud and the experience is guaranteed to be one-of-a-kind.
Be Sociable, Share!
