Dated 1737 but rebuilt a century ago, Wat Pakkhan has a simple, appealingly archaic look with angled support struts holding up the lower of its two superposed roofs. Across the road, the ochre colonial-era villa that now forms Unesco offices was once the city's customs office.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.1 MILES
Luang Prabang's best-known monastery is centred on a 1560 sǐm (ordination hall). Its roofs sweep low to the ground and there's a stunning 'tree of life'…
0.69 MILES
Dominating the old city centre and a favourite with sunset junkies, the 100m-tall Phu Si (prepare your legs for a steep 329-step ascent) is crowned by a…
14.22 MILES
Thirty kilometres southwest of Luang Prabang, Tat Kuang Si is a many-tiered waterfall tumbling over limestone formations into a series of cool, swimmable…
1.21 MILES
The sobering UXO Laos Information Centre helps you get a grip on the devastation Laos suffered in the Second Indochina War and how nearly 40 years later…
0.79 MILES
Wat Mai is one of the city's most sumptuous monasteries, its wooden sǐm (ordination hall) sporting a five-tiered roof in archetypal Luang Prabang style,…
12.38 MILES
Set up by some Australian pioneers with no prior experience in farming, the Buffalo Dairy is now producing a range of delicious cheese and dairy products…
6.17 MILES
The wide, multilevel cascade pools of this menthol-hued waterfall 15km southeast of Luang Prabang are a memorable sight from August to November. Unlike…
7.97 MILES
Thirty-two kilometres west of the city, this slice of natural paradise reclaimed from a rubbish dump uses the forest and a stunning cascade as its…
Nearby Luang Prabang attractions
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This vital office advises on how new developments must adhere to strict architectural guidelines in order to maintain the historical authenticity of the…
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The most prominent building of Wat Souvannakhili looks more like a colonial-era mansion than a monastery, but the small sǐm (ordination hall) is a classic…
0.1 MILES
Luang Prabang's best-known monastery is centred on a 1560 sǐm (ordination hall). Its roofs sweep low to the ground and there's a stunning 'tree of life'…
0.25 MILES
Rich ruby-red walls with intricate gold overlay give Wat Sensoukaram one of the most dazzling facades of all of Luang Prabang's temples. The name, temple…
0.35 MILES
Riverside Wat Xienleck has an Angkorian-style brick stupa that looks like it's about to fall over.
0.45 MILES
A beautifully faded temple guarded by emerald nagas (river serpents) on its roof, supported by columns and with an illustrated ochre interior.
0.46 MILES
When the coronation of a Luang Prabang king was pending, he spent three days in retreat at Wat Longkhun before ascending the throne. The central sǐm …