It’s Luang Prabang For Our Family Vacation

After living in Asia for nearly three years, my family has started to demand more adventurous types of vacations. While beach holidays are always nice, we now seem to gravitate toward smaller Southeast Asian cities that are steeped in history and culture. Even better if the destination has access to lots of natural beauty and outdoor activities. Luang Prabang, Laos has all of that and was our unanimous choice for our upcoming getaway.

Night Market in Luang Prabang

Reopened to tourism in 1989, Luang Prabang was designated a UNESCO world heritage site. It’s known as a well preserved traditional city that is tranquil and charming, dotted with splendid temples. We’re planning to spend a few leisurely days exploring the old town by bicycle, hoping to partake in the daily morning ritual of Buddhist monks from local temples collecting alms at dawn.

Monks Collecting Alms

Of course we’ll venture through markets and night stalls perusing local produce and colorful wares … and it wouldn’t be a vacation unless we stop for plenty of tasty local snacks.

After we get our fix of city life, we’ll explore the outskirts of town and investigate the Elephant Village Sanctuary, an elephant conservancy that was created to provide ex-logging elephants and their mahouts a new home.

Elephant Sanctuary, Luang Prabang

We’ll then head up river in a long boat to Kamu Lodge, a secluded eco-resort next to Yoi Hai, a Kamu village of 84 families.

Long Boats on the Mekong River

The lodge is dedicated to providing aid to the neighboring village and educating the public about Laos’ richly diverse ethnic minorities through socially and culturally responsible tourism.

Kamu Lodge, Laos

Luang Prabang has a reputation for wrecking tightly planned itineraries so we’ll be sure to leave plenty of time to sit in at a cafe and enjoy the picturesque charm and friendly local people.  We can’t wait to check it out.