The Best Things to Do with Kids in Luang Prabang
We absolutely loved our time in Luang Prabang — it was the perfect sized city to explore on foot, and we never ran out of things to do or see. Here are some of the best things to do with kids when visiting Luang Prabang:
Taste Your Way Through the Night Market
Little Miss and Young Mister WorldSmith loved visiting the night market in Luang Prabang, which happens every night of the week. The main street gets shut down to traffic just before sunset, a large food vendor area is set up, and a bunch of smaller vendors that sell proper Laotian food start to line the alleyways off the main road. The best food prices, unsurprisingly, are from the local vendors. The food area has lots of variety and gets busy, so if you want to eat you should plan to show up early (definitely before 7 pm) for an easier time getting a table.
Once you and the kids have had your fill at the food area, take a stroll through the night market, where vendors sell beautiful hand-woven silk textiles, clothing, handicrafts, and other small souvenirs typical to markets in Southeast Asia, from Buddha beads to incense sticks to key chains and other kitschy items.
Climb Mount Phousi
There aren’t a lot of public parks or open spaces in Luang Prabang, so when your kids need to burn off some energy it can be tough to find a good place for them to let loose. Luckily, there’s a (small) mountain right in the middle of Luang Prabang’s old town, with a massive staircase running up it that’s enough to tire out even the wrangiest of kiddos. And once they’ve managed to make it to the summit, they’ll be rewarded with breathtaking 360 degree views of the surrounding countryside and mountains.
The entry cost is very reasonable, at 20,000 kip per adult, and younger kids are free. There are various entrances and exits that you can use, but we recommend entering through the gates right off the main street, and then exiting using the path on the opposite side of the mountain, as there are other great views and lots of neat statues and shrines on the back side of the mountain for your kids to explore.
This place can get busy at sunset and descending in the dark is likely not optimal with little ones, so we recommend going in the morning or closer to midday, when you’re more likely to have the stairway and summit to yourselves. There are 300+ steps to the top, some of which are uneven or steep, so keep that in mind when doing this — it definitely isn’t stroller or pram-friendly, and it may not be the best option for toddlers or very young children, though our 5- and 7-year-olds managed it without any issue.
Visit Ock Pop Tock Living Craft Centre
Ock Pop Tock is a social enterprise that supports local female weavers in the production of high-quality textiles, as well as a learning centre with exhibits and demonstrations about silk and silk-weaving, and also a riverside cafe. A visit to Ock Pop Tock was on our to-do list before we arrived in Luang Prabang, but we almost didn’t make it there as it was a long walk away from the old town.
We finally ventured out there on our last full day in Luang Prabang, and we’re so glad we did. Our meal at the Ock Pop Tock cafe ended up being the best one we had in Luang Prabang, with fantastic riverside views and an amazingly tranquil tree house ambiance. The kids enjoyed exploring the grounds, watching the weavers at work, and learning about silk production.
This is not one to be missed, though we might recommend taking a tuk tuk or taxi there instead of doing the long walk through the midday sun like we did!
Circumnavigate the Old Town
Luang Prabang is truly a town that you can get everywhere on foot quickly and easily (ahem…except for maybe Ock Pop Tock). It’s also one of the rare cities in Southeast Asia where traffic is more manageable (relatively speaking) and you don’t feel like you’re taking your life in your hands every time you cross the street. So walking around the old town, both along the main streets and down by the river, is not only very doable, but also quite pleasant.
Following our first walk around the old town, the kids ended up with full bellies from all the various treats we purchased along the way, and we ended up with a massive list of restaurants that we wanted to try. (Lots of vendors have restaurants set up along the rivers with breathtaking views of the mountains surrounding the old town — you can read about some of our favourites here).
Set Sail on a Sunset Cruise
Luang Prabang is beautiful any time of day, but when the sun starts to set over the Mekong and the whole town is bathed in golden-hour light, it becomes absolutely otherworldly. The two best ways to enjoy this daily spectacle of cotton candy skies are from one of the restaurant patios overlooking the river or from the river itself, aboard one of the several sunset cruise ships that set sail every evening just before dusk.
You can opt to do either a full dinner cruise or a shorter cocktail cruise, which usually only last an hour or so and cost around 10 USD per person. Either option will offer stunning views of the sun setting behind the mountains framing the Mekong, and some boats also offer special activities or ceremonies, like writing a wish on a banana leaf and sending it off into the river.
A bonus for most cruises is that because sunset is relatively early in Luang Prabang, you’ll be back at port well before bedtime, so you won’t have to worry about being stuck at sea with cranky, overtired kids.
Participate in the Giving of Alms (Sai Bat)
Each morning at sunrise, the monks of Luang Prabang exit their monasteries and walk through the streets to collect alms from devoted local villagers and tourists. If you’re willing to wake up before the crack of dawn, you can join in on the ritual by either standing back from the roadside to observe or purchasing small packets of sticky rice from local vendors to offer to the monks. You can learn more about the ritual and how to join it here.
Join in the Bustle of the Morning Market
Since the Giving of Alms requires you to wake up very early in the morning, we recommend pairing that activity with a visit to the morning market, which is much less touristy than its night market counterpart. The morning market is held every day of the week, one street down from the main road. It’s where the locals come each morning to purchase their produce — selecting from stacks of juicy green oranges, heaps of fragrant herbs and spices, and pails full of the morning’s catch: live frogs, eels, prawns, fish, and other flora and fauna harvested fresh from the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers.
In addition to the produce and seafood vendors, there are a few stalls scattered throughout the market that sell street food and fresh juices, so your kids can have fun choosing local delicacies to try while taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of this local tradition.
Take a Dip in the Kuang Si Waterfall
A little farther out from Luang Prabang, about an hour’s tuk tuk ride away, lies the majestic Kuang Si Waterfall. It’s the perfect spot to wade through the pools at the foot of the waterfall or cool off with a swim in its lagoon. There are restaurants there with lovely views of the waterfall, so it’s also a great place for a light lunch — though we recommend visiting earlier in the morning, before the crowds arrive and it gets too hot. There’s also a bear rescue centre and butterfly park nearby, so you can pair the visit with some learning opportunities as well. The entry fee is very reasonable (about 25,000 kip per person), though be aware that the toilet facilities there are far less than ideal, so try to plan accordingly!