One of the really nice things about visiting Luang Prabang is that there is a lot you can do on your own. The activity in the center of the old town is so compact that it is an easy walk to temples, restaurants, shops or any of the daily markets that take place there. And with the help of a guide or travel agent, there is no end to the activities travelers can enjoy.

On several days after viewing the morning procession of the monks we would make our way down to the morning market to see the vendors selling fresh produce and prepared items for breakfast. Color was everywhere and everything appeared to be extremely fresh and in all likelihood, was grown by the person selling it.

On more than one evening, before and/or after dinner we would venture to the night market where we got some of the best buys on weavings created in nearby villages and brought to town to sell.

Temples that house a total of approximately 300 monks are scattered all over the town and range from very simple to ornate. On some mornings while we were there we would simply walk up to and then enter the grounds of temples where we not only got the chance to see the architecture and the interiors of the temples but also were able to get a little glimpse into the daily life of the mostly young monks.

In Lao, education is an expensive undertaking that many families cannot afford. Many boys and young men from the town as well as from the outlying countryside will enter a monastery as a novice in order to gain an education. When attending the morning procession, we were often times amazed at the young age of the monks.

In addition to self guided activities, our trustworthy guide took us on excursions to the Pak Ou Caves of 1000 Buddhas and Kuangsi Water Falls. In addition, we also took an overnight side trip to the All Lao Travel Service Elephant Camp that can be seen on other pages in this website.