Around 6.5km from Ban Phanom, and less than 2km further along the road from the tomb of Henri Mouhot, are the mural-daubed old wat and gilded stupa of Ban Noun Savath. The scene is especially photogenic in afternoon light with a large karst-hump mountain forming a perfect backdrop.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
4.99 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'…
5.21 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…
16.73 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…
5.13 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…
5.35 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,…
15.56 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…
1.92 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…
12.34 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 Laos attractions
1.69 MILES
Around 4.5km from Ban Phanom, a steep signed track descends in around 300m to the whitewashed tomb of Henri Mouhot. Mouhot was a French explorer best…
1.92 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…
4.32 MILES
If you climbed Phu Si you'll surely have spied a large octagonal stupa painted a dazzling golden hue near the 'New Bridge'. This is the 1988 Santi Chedi,…
4.33 MILES
An easy 3km walk or bicycle ride northeast of town is Wat Pa Phon Phao, a forest meditation wat famous for the teachings of the late abbot Ajahn Saisamut…
4.7 MILES
Riverside Wat Xienleck has an Angkorian-style brick stupa that looks like it's about to fall over.
4.89 MILES
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…
4.92 MILES
This vital office advises on how new developments must adhere to strict architectural guidelines in order to maintain the historical authenticity of the…