Luang Prabang: Temples, Colonial Heritage, & More

By: Maya Liem

Luang Prabang. The city with a magical sounding name, which literally means 'Royal Buddha Image,' is an elegant place in north central Laos. The city is located on a peninsula at the point where the Mekong River and its tributary, the Nam Khan river, meet each other. A natural beauty of limestone hills surrounds the city, while the wide Mekong River meanders through the city. The town, the capital of Luang Prabang Province, was the royal capital of the Kingdom of Laos until 1946, when Vientiane took over as administrative centre. Since 1995 Luang Prabang is listed by the UNESCO as World Heritage. And rightly so. Luang Prabang offers a beautiful harmonious blend between the traditional Lao or Asian architecture and colonial French heritage in the 19th and 20th centuries.

What to See in Luang Prabang

The most beautiful architecture in Luang Prabang, including Buddhist temples (wat), residential-, commercial and institutional buildings, is to be found in the old part of the town. This is a small area of around1 km by 300 m, located at the very end of the peninsula, with only four parallel streets over the length of the peninsula and plenty of side roads, alleys and dead ends to keep you busy.