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 蝉菒尘 (ordination hall) features old murals, one of which depicts giant fish attacking shipwrecked sailors. Ask at the ticket desk for the key required to visit Tham Sakkalin, a humid, slippery 100m-long limestone cave. It's a three-minute walk further east then up a few stairs. A few Buddha fragments are kept here. Bring your own torch (flashlight).
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糖心传媒's must-see attractions
0.84 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鈥
14.25 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鈥
0.39 MILES
Luang Prabang's best-known monastery is centred on a 1560 蝉菒尘 (ordination hall). Its roofs sweep low to the ground and there's a stunning 'tree of life'鈥
1.44 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鈥
11.19 MILES
Where the Nam Ou (Ou River) and Mekong River meet at Ban Pak Ou, two famous caves in the limestone cliff are crammed with myriad Buddha images. In the鈥
0.76 MILES
Evoking traditional Lao and French beaux-arts styles, the former Royal Palace was built in 1904 and was home to King Sisavang Vong (r 1904鈥59), whose鈥
0.99 MILES
Visiting this professionally presented three-room museum is a must to learn about northern Laos' various hill-tribe cultures, especially if you're鈥
Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre
2.04 MILES
Set serenely close to the Mekong, this beautiful, traditionally styled workshop, where weavers, spinners and batik makers produce top-quality fabrics,鈥
Nearby Luang Prabang attractions
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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鈥
0.14 MILES
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鈥
0.39 MILES
Luang Prabang's best-known monastery is centred on a 1560 蝉菒尘 (ordination hall). Its roofs sweep low to the ground and there's a stunning 'tree of life'鈥
0.43 MILES
This vital office advises on how new developments must adhere to strict architectural guidelines in order to maintain the historical authenticity of the鈥
0.45 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,鈥
0.46 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鈥
0.48 MILES
The most prominent building of Wat Souvannakhili looks more like a colonial-era mansion than a monastery, but the small 蝉菒尘 (ordination hall) is a classic鈥
0.49 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鈥