Discover Luang Prabang


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Wednesday, December 19, 2018

From Silk to Art: Shops and Galleries in Luang Prabang

See the locations on Luang Prabang Google Map by #treasuresoflaos and get the kmz-file for Google Earth.


Luang Prabang is "the best place in Laos to find the country’s remarkable textile treasures" according to wanderingsilk.org.


Anakha (The Blue House): Anakha fuses French design with elegant Laotian and Indochina textiles. Founder Veronique Cottereau-PravinAnakha is inspired by her creative designer love of hand-made textiles, nurtured while living in Vietnam for many years. The house was built in late 1920’s by Maohui Yun, who was born in Hainan (China). After living in Hanoi, Vietnam, he went to Lao after the First World War. Inspired by the colonial style that he observed in Hanoi, he built this French style house in Luang Prabang. A flux of people from Hainan, young or old, followed his steps later. They stayed at the house until they found places to live.








Galerie Asiama:
Alain Menoni presents antiques, ethnic objects and curiosities mainly from the Asian continent. Linda S. McIntosh has brought together textile collections from South East Asia and neighboring countries. See Asiama on Facebook.


Camacrafts: Above JoMa Bakery. Handicrafts from Hmong and Lao village women.


Lifescene wallhanging from Camacrafts. The Lifescene contains images of Hmong and Lao life that are embroidered onto “story cloth”. Each wallhanging is a unique original. There are no patterns. The artists stich the scenes from their life experience.


Caruso Lao: Sakarine Road. Caruso Lao's carvers, turners, silversmiths and weavers transform the natural treasures of Laos into handcrafted furnishings and fashion accessories.




Fibre2Fabric Gallery: Fibre2Fabric Gallery is a non-profit exhibition space in Luang Prabang dedicated to documenting and exhibiting textiles from the Lao Textile Heritage Collection.


Kopnoi: Near l'étranger books and tea and on Sisavangvong Street in front of primary school. Eco-dyed cotton apparel collection for men, women & kids. Also silk apparel & accessories, designer jewelry, spices and delicacies.


Naga Creations: Handmade jewelry from silver and gem stones.




Ock Pop Tok. Ock Pop Tok is the Lao translation for east meets west: Laotian weaver Veomanee Duangdala and English photographer Joanna Smith have set up the company to promote Lao textiles. Today Ock Pop Tok works together with around 500 women in villages in Laos. Their main center lies outside the old town at the Mekong River. You can visit the flagship store, the textile production, classes in weaving and dying and have a meal at their Silk Road Cafe. Exhibitions are shown at the Fibre2Fabric gallery. They even have a guesthouse at the centre where you can stay, The Mekong Villa. On the main road in Luang Prabang you find the Boutique shop and the Ock Pop Tok Heritage shop with articles from the Village all over Laos.






Ma Te Sai: Sisavangvong Road. This shop is about ethnic handicrafts. You get souvenirs made from bamboo, fabric, recycled paper and other natural materials. Herbal tea, coffee, local whiskey and rice can be found here as well.




Passa Paa Boutique & Textile Studio: Heather Smith, managing a textile design studio in London UK, saw the opportunity to mix two worlds and develop textiles that could provide a sustainable market for the skills of Hmong artisans. In 2016 Heather teamed up with her long time friend Hongkham Xiong ‘Pok’, a local Lao/Hmong entrepreneur and Hmong craft enthusiast, and together they have evolved Passa Paa into a thriving studio team of in-house makers where they work in collaboration with a number of Hmong families within Luang Prabang province. Passa Paa is a textile studio that merges traditional Hmong handicraft skills with a modern print aesthetic.






Queen Design Lao: Hand-woven linen, silk and cotton dresses, skirts. Beside pashminas and scarves, organic face scrubs and wood glasses are sold here.


Samsara Restaurant & Gallery:




Satri Lao: Sisavangvong Road. Silks, jewellery, home furnishing.




Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (Taec): The Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre works together with over 600 handicraft producers. They are dedicated to the collection, preservation, and interpretation of the traditional arts and lifestyles of the diverse ethnic groups of Laos. Le Patio Café is part of the centre. They have another shop at Sakkaline Road.




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Location: 73/5, Luang Prabang, Laos

Friday, December 14, 2018

Lick your Lips in Luang Prabang: From Laotian to French Cuisine

See the locations on Luang Prabang Google Map by #treasuresoflaos

Picture by marhas
This watercress soup at L'Eléphant was delicate.


Restaurants

See the locations on Google Map and get the kmz-file for Google Earth.

The Laotian and the French cuisine are converging in Luang Prabang, as The Australien notes. Sweet, sour, bitter and salty are the Lao tastes. Rice is the central thing in Lao cuisine, not the long grain rice, that Viet". It's rolled into small balls and eaten with the hand. The Lao people do not cook with a lot of chili in their food, but they have a vast array of side dishes made of chili, ginger, soy with chili or ginger and sweet and sour dips. Or they eat sweets made of sticky rice. Read more about Lao cuisine.

Some specialities:

Orlam: Beef or chicken casserole with green leafe vegetables, onion, fungus, crisp green beans with a small amount of
chilli, juniper wood and fennel. See picture by flickr.com

Oh phak dak: Fermented fish casserole.

Ua nor mai: Crispy bamboo shoots stuffed with pork
and vegetables with sweet dipping sauce.

Say ua: Pork sausages only made in Luang Prabang.

Geng Phet: Chicken or pork or beef casserole with coconut sauce, Lao basil, eggplant
and crispy green beans.

Larp: Minced fish or chicken or pork
meat salad.


Ban Lao: Ban Mano. Lao and Chinese food.



3 Nagas Restaurant:


Picture by marhas


Arisai Restaurant and Wine Bar: Sakarine Road. Mediterranean cuisine, for example couscous with lamb.




Baràvin: 59 Sisavangvong Road.




Boungnasouk Restaurant: With view over the Mekong. Read the review by mmm-yoso.typepad.com.


Boua Savanh Restaurant: Bank Mekhong Rd. Lao and Thai food. On a terrace, overlooking the river.


Blue Lagoon Cafe:. A mix of eastern and western delicacien, Laotian highlights and Swiss classics as well as tender local beef and a large variety of delicious snacks and fresh salad creations.




L'Eléphant: French and Laotian cuisine. Wildboar in the sauce of Luang Prabang chanterelles, watercress soup, roasted duck breast in the sauce of roselle, crème brûlée with coconut and pan fried bananas are some of the elements of the menu.





Pictures by marhas

Lao Ethnic Café and Dining Son phao: With musicians and dancers ar dinner shows. See pictures by patrickmccoy.typepad.com


Le Patio Café: In "Traditional Arts and Ethnology Museum" in an old French colonial villa on top of a hill near the town center. You get food of the ethnic minorities Akha, Hmong. Khmu and Tai Lue as well as French sandwichies. "Authentic, simple and tasty", notes Nicole Long.


L'Etranger Books and Tea: Many kinds of tea and smoothies and a library with books. Tourists can rent them, for people from Luang Prabang it's free. And they show films in the night.


Picture by Kleinmatt66


JoMa Bakery Café: Fa Ngum Road. Organic Lao Arabica Coffee. Besides a wide selection of breads and pastries You get sandwiches, salads and soups.




Kaiphaen Restaurant: Creative Lao cuisine. "Friends International" are training young people to get them into employment.




Lao Vegetarian:

Malee Restaurant: Manomai Road. You do your own barbeque of fish and fresh vegetables. Read review and see pictures by Eating in Translation.

Pak Huoy Mixay: 47/5 Ban Vatnong, Thanon Savang Vatthana.Fresh fish from the Mekong, Lao specialities, barbecue.

Saffron Caffè: High in the mountain plateaus surrounding the city of Luang Prabang, Hmong, Yao and Khmu hilltribes produce a rare specialty highland Arabica coffee. Cool air at the high elevations and rich forest soil combine with the distinctive care make these mountain estates an exceptional coffee growing region. Saffron Caffè is as restaurant as well as a project to get hilltribes away from opium plantation by planting and distributing coffee. Read more in the blog of Saffron Caffe




Samsara Restaurant and Gallery: With open-air roof terrace.


Somchan Restaurant: Suvannabanlang road. Enjoy sour fish lab, described by Eating in Translation. Or take a duck soup. Or enjoy a salad with watercress as mmm-yoso did.


Picture by mmm-yoso


Tamnak Lao: Authentic Lao food. They have cooking classes too.




See another picture and a review by Umdiewelt.de


Tamarind: Opposite Wat Nong. Real Lao food on a french colonial terrace. Run by Melburnian Caroline Gaylard and her Laotian partner Joy Ngeuamboupha. Lao style fish barbecue on friday nights. From their shop you can take home Lao cookbooks, sticky rice, sweet chilly paste, dried fruits or seeds. The restaurant closes at 6pm.



The Apsara: Luang Prabang buffalo sausages served with fresh ginger, peanuts and garlic; braised fillet of local river fish with a tomato and saffron butter sauce or braised pork belly on roasted pumpkin with aubergine chutney and star anise broth.




The Pizza:




Tum Tum Chong:





Un Petit Nid Biblio Bistro: Sakarin Road. A 154 years old house has been converted to a café by a Chinese construction method of that era. Read more on kulahaus.blogspot.com




Visoun restaurant: Wisunalat road. Lao and Chinese.



Dinner on Mekong River
Nava Mekong: Dine & Cruise for lunch with visit to Pak Ou Caves, leaving Luang Prabang 10.30 am at Wat Nong's Pier and returning at 2:30 pm. Dinner with sunset on the way to Xieng Men Village and traditional Lao music and performance, returning at 9:00 pm.
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Location: Luang Prabang, Laos

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Your Guide in Luang Prabang

Presented by #treasuresoflaos
Your Google Map for Luang Prabang by #treasuresoflaos

The Jewel at the Mekong: One of Southeast Asia's best preserved old cities
Between heaven and earth: Luang Prabang counts more than thirty old temples.
Hotels and Guesthouses in Luang Prabang; Reviews by other guests and pictures
Lick your lips: Restaurants in Luang Prabang Laotian and French cuisine are converging in Luang Prabang
Pha Tad Ke: A Dutchman's Faszination with Ethno-Botanism in Luang Prabang
How you arrive in Luang Prabang
Climb Mount Phousi and have an amazing view
From Silk to Art: Shops and Galleries in Luang Prabang
Markets in Luang Prabang
Puang Champa: A house for the traditional royal arts
Dinner Cruise on Mekong
Bibliophiles in Luang Prabang
The Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre
Tours from Luang Prabang


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Location: Luang Prabang, Laos

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Hotels and Guesthouses in Luang Prabang

See the locations on Luang Prabang Google Map and get the kmz-file for Google Earth.

The Belle Rive: Outstanding hotel with good spirit and great restaurant terrace shaded by coconut trees at Mekong River. The people working here seem to do it in a good mood, their service is amazing. In the room you find water bottles along with a map of water supply stations throughout the town where they could be refilled. These are part of the REFILL NO LANDFILL initiative in Luang Prabang - the involved hotels want to reduce plastic waste and protect environment. Read excellent reviews on tripadvisor.com. Damian Killer from Switzerland is General Manager.


The Belle Rive has 3 houses with 8 rooms and 5 suites.
Picture by marhas


Mango room
Picture by marhas


Restaurant Terrace at Mekong River
Picture by marhas
See more pictures of The Belle Rive on Instagram.


3 Nagas Luang Prabang MGallery by Sofitel: From 198 USD. Sakkalin Road. Located in two houses, one, The Lamache House, built 1898, hosted the royal family. As there is a wooden floor, you stay better on the upper floor to not be disturbished by people above your head. Good reviews on tripadvisor.com.




Ancient Luang Prabang (Ban Phon Heuang) หลวง พระ บาง: The hotel is situated in the old temple district. The balcony is a prime spot to see the morning alms giving ceremonies or Tak Bat as it is called in Lao language.


Picture by marhas


Bakery Guest House: Sisavangvong Road. Three rooms with balconys overlook the road. There is a restaurant downstaits, so you may hear some noise. Mixed reviews on tripadvisor.com

Picture by marhas


Villa Ban Lakkham: From 105 USD. Kingkitsarath Road. One of the new guesthouses. Nice room, shower in the bath with a lot of variations, beautiful balcony with view of the Nam Khan River. Helpful owners. The dust on the balcony was not cleaned, when this blogger was there for some days. Ask for the Lao noodle soup for breakfast. Good reviews on tripadvisor.com

Picture by marhas




Pack Luck Villa: From 40 USD. Room 1 and 3 are the best, according to travelfish.org. Read review by easteatswest.typepad.com

Picture by marhas


Boungnasouk Guesthouse: See picture and read review on Thorntree and on tripadvisor.com.


Burasari Heritage: From 194 USD. 44-47 Unit 03, Khiri Village, Kingitsarath Road. Situated at Nam Khan River, in different buildings, meals are taken on the terrace of the river bank. Very good reviews on tripadvisor.com.

Picture by David McKelvey




Chittana Guesthouse: From 8 USD. In a small lane between Sakkarine and Kingkitsarath Road. Basic rooms with own and shared bath, vary in size and qualitiy, according to the review on travelfish.org. See a picture. Read also reviews on tripadvisor.com.


Indigo House: From 80 USD. With bar on top floor. Some mixed reviews on tripadvisor.com

Picture by Indigo House




Golden Elephant (Souk Lan Xang) Guest House: From 20 USD. Cheap, clean and quiet and very helpful staff, as very good reviews on tripadvisor.com describe Souk Lan Xang Guesthouse. The name has changed zu Golden Elephant Guest House and the website is now also in Chinese language.


Lao Wooden House: From 55 USD. In a restored Lao style house, once built for a member of the royal family.

Picture by Lao Wooden House

Picture by Lao Wooden House


Levady Guesthouse: Off Sisavangvong Road. From 10 USD. Read the review of travelfish.org, the review of tamar hadar and see pictures on flickr.com and study the good reviews on tripadvisor.com.


Lotus Villa Boutique Hotel: From 52 USD. Kounxoa Road. The hotel sponsors the Deak Kum Pa orphanage with 500 children with bread and milk for breakfast. Guests are invited to donate. Read about a visit to the orphanage. Very good reviews on tripadvisor.com.






Frangipani room



Manoluck Hotel: The hotel lies far of the historic centre, as the reviewers on tripadvisor.com underline.


Mekong Riverview Hotel: From 190 USD. All rooms vith terrace or balcony with Mekong riverview. The hotel is owned by Urban Paulsson, read his story, it has an organic garden across the Mekong. Excellent reviews on tripadvisor.com.


Picture by marhas




Namma Vong Guesthouse: Ban Phonheuang. Critical reviews on tripadvisor.com.




Oui's Guesthouse: 14 Sukkaserm Street. Run by sisters, very good reviews on tripadvisor.com.




Phousi Hotel: From 52 USD. Mixed reviews on tripadvisor.com.


Ramayana Boutique Hotel and Spa: From 100 USD. Mixed reviews on tripadvisor.com. They mention, that the morning market starting at 4am takes place in front of the hotel, so guests in rooms to this side can feel disturbed by tuktuks and people, who are talking.




Sackarinh Guesthouse: Sakkarine road. From 12 USD. Good review on
Thorntree-forum.

Picture by marhas




Sala Prabang: From 50 USD. The hotel comprises seven buildings. The Villa and the Cottage were the former residence of the first Prime Minister of Laos. There is a street between the hotel and the Mekong, so if you book rooms with Mekong view, be aware, that there can be some street noise. And the view is not so great, because there are trees between you and the Mekong. Sala Prabang consists of six buildings. Quite good reviews on tripadvisor.com



Picture by guscairns.com


Picture by marhas


Satri House: From 100 USD. 057 Phothisarath Road. In this house Prince Souphanouvong grew up, the later known "Red Prince" and from 1975 Lao president. Good review on travelfish.org, a bit mixed reviews (charming, needs renovation) on tripadvisor.com. And description by luang-ptabang-hotels.com



Picture by annamatic3000




See more pictures of Satri House on Instagram


Saynamkhan Riverview: See picture by Michael&Sharon




Sayo Guesthouses: From 30 USD. Three houses - Sayo Xieng Mouane, Sayo Naga and Sayo River - in renovated old style buildings. Good reviews - especially for Sayo Xieng Mouane with the neighbouring temple - on tripadvisor.com and on frommers.com

Picture by marhas


Sayo Xieng Mouane


Villa Senesouk: From 25 USD. Sakkarine Road. No breakfast, but nearby many possibilities. Lately critical reviews on travelfish.org and on tripadvisor.com.

Picture by marhas

Picture by marhas


The Apsara: Good reviews on tripadvisor.com, but the safes in the room seem not to be safe, as one guests writes. The hotel has a younger sister: The Apsara Rive droite, see pictures on Instagram.




The Chang Inn / The Chang Heritage Hotel: From 80 USD. 93/03 Sakkarine Road. The newer Chang Heritage Hotel is just around the corner at Kingkitsarath road on Nam Khan River. "Absolutely gorgeous", comments travelfish.org. On the second floor is a balcony perfect for lounging, where you can also take the breakfast. Or you have it in a palmed courtyard behind the hotel. On tripadvisor.com is noted, that the walls in Chang Inn are thin, so you here the phone of the reception ring. Good reviews for Chang Heritage on tripadvisor.com.


The Chang Inn


The Chang Heritage Hotel


Vanvisa Guest House: Read the review of thewanderingstraycat and comments on travelfish.org. And read a story in The Guardian. At around 30 km from Luang Prabang lies Vanvisa At The Falls. This lodge is located directly on the Kuang Si waterfall and surrounded by organic gardens where homemade vegetables are grown.



Villa Laodeum / Villa Laodeum Nam Khan View: Villa Laodeum (reviews on tripadvisor.com) is located in the center of Luang Prabang, between the Mekong River (50m) and the Night Market (50m). The Royal Palace (National Museum) is right across the street. Villa Laodeum Nam Khan View (reviews on tripadvisor.com) is situated near this river.


Villa Laodeum


Villa Laodeum Namkhan Riverview


Villa Champa:: Quite good reviews on tripadvisor.com, some point out, that the rooms are not cleaned on a daily basis. Lies on the way of the monks, who collect alms in the morning.

Picture by marhas


Villa Chitdara:


Villa Maly: Going to open soon. 33 rooms spread across five buildings, a mix of Laotian architecture and French and British colonial influences. Five of the rooms are deluxe and have their own balconies and views over the gardens and pool. In the centre is the 1938-built residence of Princess Khampieng and Prince Khamtan, a grandson of the 19th century’s King Zakarine. Read a description here.


Villa Maydou: From 85 USD. Ban Meuna.






Villa Phathana:


Villa Santi: The hotel has been created 1992 from a former royal mansion on Sakkarine road in the old town (from 150 USD). In 2001 the Santi Resort & Spa has been constructed 6 km south in a 10 hectare valley, beautifully lanscaped with streams leading to the Mekong River, surrounded by mountains, hills and terraced rice fields and with swimming pool (from 150 USD). According to some reviews on tripadvisor.com the rooms of the hotel in the old town need some renovation and are therefore overpriced. A part of the hotel is situated next to Luang Prabangs Primary School, some guests complain about the noise of the children. For the Santi Resort & Spa the reviews on tripadvisor.com are good.




Villa Santi Princess Wing.


Villa Sayada. 29 USD.


Villa Saykham:


Villa Sokxai 1 + 2: Villa Sokxai 1 is on Sakarine Road, Villa Sokxai 2 on Phosi Road. See the view from balcony of Sokxai 1 on youtube.com and find a good review on virtualtourist.com. Hayleyandlorna on travelpod.com note, that you can sit on the balcony and see the life of Wat Phon Heuang. It may wake you up at 4am (they bang the drums...), but "sitting on the balcony and listening to the evening chanting and singing at 6pm is magical". Read also the review by kolalo.com. A review of Sokyai 2 can be read on tripadvisor.com.




Villa Sokxai 1


Xieng Mouane Guesthouse: Good reviews on tripadvisor.com, guests say, they were not bothered by the drums of Wat Xieng Mouane.

Picture by marhas


Victoria Xiengthong Palace Hotel: From 90 USD. A former royal palace, turned into a luxury hotel with "Ayu Spa", just around the corner of the famous Wat Xieng Thong. Outstandding hotel according to the first reviews on tripadvisor.com



Picture by marhas
The restaurant

Picture by marhas


Picture by Xiengthong Palace
Jasmine suite
See more pictures on Instagram



Hotels and Guesthouses outside of the old town


Amantaka: From 1500 USD. 55/3 Kingkitsarath Road. In a French colonial former hospital set in gardens you find 24 luxury suites. Wonderful according to reviews on tripadvisor.com.

Picture by Richard Michael Shaw


Mekong Estate: 555 USD per week. Thou Gnai Thao Road. "More luxury apartment than hotel", notes travelfish.org. Two storey for each guest.






Le Parasol Blanc Hotel: From 51 USD. A fifteen-minutes-walk from the restaurants in Luang Prabang, therefore mixed reviews on tripadvisor.com..


White Lotus restaurant


Maison Souvannaphoum: From 180 USD. Mostly very good reviews on tripadvisor.com.

Picture by Lisons&Dansons




La Residence Phou Vao From 241 USD. The most luxurious option in Luang Prabang with excellent reviews on tripadvisor.com. "A high-end experience", notes the New York Times. The hotel sits on a hill - one mile outside of town, a long walk, but they offer a shuttle of course. Phou Vao is part of the Orient-Express group. "Excellent and decadent", means travelfish.org.






Massage at the Spa


See more pictures of Residence Phou Vao on instagram


The Luang Say Residence: From 401 USD. 4-5 Ban Phonepheng. The new buildings gives an air of old French colonial life. Very good reviews on tripadvisor.com.


The Grand: From 120 USD. On grounds of the Xiengkeo Palace, which belonged to Prince Phetsarath, four kilometres and a ten minutes drive from the centre. Good reviews on tripadvisor.com and in Lonely Planet and on kolalo.com.




See more pictures on Instagram


The Mekong Villa by Ock Pop Tok: With breakfast at Silk Road Cafe and Veranda at Mekong river. The Hmong, Katu, Tai and Hill Tribe room feature textiles handmade by artisans Ock Pop Tok works with through the Village Weaver Projects. Free tuk tuk shuttle to the main town.


Veranda at Mekong River


Thongbay Guesthouse: From 22 USD. Bungalows set around a small but beautiful tropical garden. "The place is gorgeous", comments Two Go Hobo. But you have to walk 20 minutes to the town centre. Bungalows in the garden, some with a river view, some with a garden view. Good reviews on travelfish.org. Thee wooden bungalows are in Lao sytle, they have no glass in the windows, just mosquito net. There is a bar on the other side of the river that plays Lao pop music in the night. Good reviews on tripadvisor.com.







Hotels and Guesthouses outside of Luang Prabang

Kamu Lodge: Located 2 and ½ hours upstream from Luang Prabang, on the left bank of the Mekong River. Twenty Safari tents provide unique accommodation, attached are stone bath rooms.The tents are furnished with bamboo and rattan furniture and have private balconies,overlooking the river.

Picture by Kamu Lodge


Khoun and Khone Bungalows:From 15 USD. In the hills surrounding Luang Prabang, ten minutes from the centre, run by a young family. Good reviews on travelfish.org. See a video of the sunset, the interior and the exterior


Lao Spirit Resort: 99 USD. 15 km out of Luang Prabang, along the Nam Khan river. Old houses from the French colonial era were brought here and restored. Read more. See pictures on flickr.com


Long Hanfa: Bungalows on the road to Kuang Si Waterfall, around four kilometres from Phosi Market.


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Location: Luang Prabang, Laos
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