Ban Xieng Maen's long, narrow, brick-edged 'street' slowly degrades into a rough track, eventually becoming little more than a rocky footpath. At about this point, climb an obvious 123-step stairway to find the 1888 Wat Chomphet fronted by greying twin pagodas. The hilltop temple is little more than a shell, but the site offers undisturbed views of the town and river.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.48 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'…
0.82 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…
14.15 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…
1.42 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…
0.81 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,…
12.21 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…
6.73 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…
7.6 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
0.14 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 …
0.17 MILES
Ask at the Wat Longkhun ticket desk for the key required to visit Tham Sakkalin, a humid, slippery 100m-long limestone cave. It's a three-minute walk…
0.33 MILES
First founded in 1592, Wat Xieng Maen gained a hallowed air in 1867 by housing the Pha Bang, the sacred gold Buddha statue that gives the city its name,…
0.48 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'…
0.53 MILES
This vital office advises on how new developments must adhere to strict architectural guidelines in order to maintain the historical authenticity of the…
0.53 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…
0.56 MILES
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…
0.56 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…