Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang is the serene and enchanting spiritual heart of Laos, a UNESCO town of extraordinary charm set on a peninsula where the Mekong meets the Nam Khan river. Its lanes blend gilded, glittering Buddhist temples with graceful French colonial villas, all wrapped in a gentle, unhurried atmosphere. Famous for its saffron-robed monks and the daily dawn ritual of tak bat, when they collect alms of sticky rice from kneeling townsfolk, it is one of the most tranquil and beautiful towns in Asia.

What you actually see

• The temples - the glittering Wat Xieng Thong and gilded monasteries.
• The alms-giving - the dawn tak bat ritual of the monks.
• Mount Phousi - the hilltop temple and sunset view over the rivers.
• The night market - the atmospheric handicraft market.

When to go

November to February, the cool dry season, for the most pleasant weather; the dawn alms-giving happens daily year-round. Mornings are cool and misty over the rivers, and the town is at its most magical early in the day.

Honest expectations

The famous dawn alms-giving has become a tourist spectacle, and disrespectful visitors crowding, flashing cameras and buying rice to hand out have genuinely disrupted this sacred ritual, so watch quietly from a distance or do not participate at all. The town is touristy but retains its serenity. It is remote, best reached by flight or the scenic slow boat.

Nearby

The Kuang Si waterfalls, the Pak Ou caves and the Mekong villages are nearby.