Luang Prabang Solo Travel: My Honest 4-Day Take from Laos

How I Ended Up in Luang Prabang, Laos

Every six months, my DTV visa requires me to leave Thailand for a short period. This time, instead of returning to America, I chose to venture somewhere I'd never been before. My good friend Amanda from Australia suggested Laos, specifically Luang Prabang. I had never heard of this town, did minimal research, and I had never been to Laos before. So it seemed like the perfect place for a new adventure.

Getting to Luang Prabang from Thailand

This part was easy. There's a direct flight from DMK (Don Mueang, Bangkok) to Luang Prabang, under an hour and a half. Upon arrival, there was no security check, no bag inspection. I had done my research and applied for my e-visa before arrival, unlike some unsuspecting travelers in line who had to pay cash and didn't have any. They were running to the ATM at the airport in a panic.

I bought a Lao SIM card at the airport for 10 days. Cost: 150 baht. Easy.

After exchanging some Thai baht at the airport, I took a taxi to my hotel.

Where I Stayed: Ancient Luang Prabang Hotel

The Ancient Luang Prabang Hotel costs approximately $27 a night for the King Suite with two balconies and a jetted tub. A bathtub is my guilty pleasure, and I always try to book one when I travel.

Plot twist that I only discovered on day two: the morning monk procession (Tak Bat) walks right past this hotel.

The First Morning: Alms with 200+ Monks

One of the main attractions in Luang Prabang is waking up at sunrise and giving alms to the more than 200 monks from the 13 Wats (temples) in town. I like to sleep in, so I didn't think I would want to do this on my first morning. But I had to pee at 5 a.m., so I decided to give it a shot.

It was pouring rain. I didn't have an umbrella or a raincoat, but I went out anyway because I'm stubborn.

Having just arrived, I had no idea where to go, so I walked down to the Mekong River, thinking that was the most reasonable route for this tradition. I was wrong. After walking around in the rain for 45 minutes, someone finally directed me to the actual street where the monks collect their rice and snacks at around 6 a.m.

I paid 100,000 kip (approximately $4.58 USD) for some rice and packaged snacks from a lady who put a white cloth around me, and I joined a few others on a little stool. Waiting for the monks. Soaking wet.

I wrote a separate piece on what I wish I'd known about the procession before chasing it through the rain. Read it here: The Tak Bat Monk Procession: What I Wish I Knew.

Food, Coffee, and Where Luang Prabang Really Shines

The food here is phenomenal, and not just the Laotian food. The international food scene is legit. I went to French restaurants that had the best coffee, the best croissants, and big, gutsy baguettes. There was also a Swiss place that was a little expensive but so good. And surprisingly, a Mexican place with killer chips and salsa.

One night, I treated myself to dinner at L'Elephant, a French restaurant just down the street from my hotel. The French onion soup was one of the best I have ever tasted, rich, savory, and topped with a perfectly browned layer of bubbling cheese. I ended up sitting at a table beside two American women from California, Julie and Jamie, who worked as luxury travel agents and were touring Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

Since I had visited Cambodia two years earlier, I asked Julie what she thought about the Khmer Rouge genocide, an experience that had left a lasting impression on me. To my surprise, she said she had never heard of it, despite having spent the previous two weeks traveling through Cambodia.

The exchange stuck with me. Not because she didn't know, but because it highlighted how differently people can experience the same destination. Here we were, three American women roughly around the same age working in the travel industry, sitting beside each other in Laos, yet approaching travel from entirely different perspectives.

As someone who offers travel consulting through Gal Goes Solo, I spend a lot of time helping people understand the places they visit, not just checking attractions off a list. Julie and Jamie likely serve a very different clientele than I do. Their clients are probably looking for luxury hotels, seamless itineraries, and curated experiences. Mine tend to be independent travelers searching for context, local insight, and a deeper understanding of where they are and why it matters.

We were all travelers. We were all Americans. We were all in the travel business. Yet in that moment, I realized I probably had more in common with many of the curious strangers I've met on the road than with the people sitting beside me.

That said, I couldn't help feeling a little envious as they passed plates back and forth across the table, sampling dishes and comparing notes. Sharing a great meal with someone is one of travel's simple pleasures, and as a solo traveler, it's a luxury I rarely get to experience. For all our differences, they got to enjoy that incredible French onion soup along with other delicacies together, and I was reminded that some travel moments are simply better when shared.

The Mekong Sunset Cruise

Another classic Luang Prabang activity is a boat ride on the Mekong at sunset. Several people offered it the first night, and I declined. The next day, I was ready.

Cost: 150,000 kip (less than $7 USD) for an hour and a half. Free beer included. I had spoken to a guy the night before who didn't pressure me to book, so I went back to him.

The boat was small, and there were only a few of us, including a couple from South America and a young traveler in his early twenties. When I first asked him where he was from, he hesitated, then said Russia. He quickly added that he doesn't identify with Russian politics right now. I told him I understood, being from the US, and added a few choice words about my government.

I spent most of the trip chatting with him about his life in Russia, and was surprised to learn that he frequently visits Chernobyl. Yes, that Chernobyl that had the nuclear disaster in 1986. He said he and his friends like to go explore the abandoned buildings that remain a time capsule to the Soviet Union days.

There are many boat operators running this Mekong River sunset tour. I spoke to the boat's captain about his life in Luang Prabang and was surprised to learn that many of the families live on the boat and tie up to the shore, where they can use the land for farming.

As we cruised the river, I saw many crops growing on the banks, along with children running around playing in the lush green vegetation. I also witnessed a wedding party taking photos on a sand bank. In the middle of the river. This was one of the many strange scenes I witnessed during my time in Laos.

Honest tip: in hindsight, I would book a bigger boat. There's one called Sasa with two levels, a sun covering, more people, and a full bar. I was happy with my small boat, but Sasa looked like more fun.

The Scooter Game-Changer

After two days of walking, including 20,000 steps on day one alone, I knew I needed a scooter. Luang Prabang is a walking town, but once you've gotten your bearings, having a scooter changes the trip.

I rented from a guy named Liam (above, with his tour shop in the background). Driving on the right side of the road on a Scoopy was different from Thailand but familiar from the US. On day three, I rode my scooter to the Kuang Si Waterfalls.

The waterfalls were a whole experience of their own. I write about that adventure here: Kuang Si Waterfalls: Worth Visiting in the Rain?.

What the Tourist Brochures Won't Tell You About Luang Prabang

• It is painfully hot here. Not like Koh Tao, Thailand, hot, but the kind of heat that seeps into your bones and exhausts you to the point where you just want to lie in bed under AC. If you have good AC that works. Which I did not.

• The night market was a disappointment. Four or five blocks of stalls stretched through the city, but many seemed to be selling the same handful of items over and over again. Much of the merchandise looked imported from China or Thailand rather than locally made. I felt for the vendors, who had likely invested in their inventory and were hoping for a good evening's sales, but I didn't find anything that caught my eye. In contrast, when I visited Nepal last summer, I wanted to buy practically everything I saw.

• The Royal Palace and museum were also less impressive than I expected. It was interesting to see where the king and queen once lived and learn a bit about Laos's royal history, but the experience felt somewhat diluted by the constant flow of large tour groups moving from room to room.

• Massages are incredibly affordable here, even cheaper than in Thailand, but the quality can be inconsistent. In a few places, the staff seemed more interested in their phones than in the customers. Then there was the foot massage I received from a man down a side alley that felt less like relaxation and more like an endurance test. To be fair, I may have simply chosen the wrong places.

The Cambodian Thumbs Down Moment

One extremely awkward moment happened in line to buy a ticket to the Royal Palace. A huge group of older Asian tourists walked by, and I asked where they were from. Cambodia. They asked where I was from, and I stupidly said Thailand. That's when I got the collective group thumbs down.

I had forgotten about the war and the tensions between Thailand and Cambodia. Foot in mouth moment. I bowed and apologized, and then they all wanted to shake my hand. And of course, I saw them everywhere I went in town, so I just started yelling Cambodia with my fist in the air. They seemed to get a kick out of it.

The People You Meet Here

I did not see another solo woman traveler the entire four days I was here. Not one. Western travelers were mostly European couples, and we'd give each other a small nod when we crossed paths, a kind of unspoken "we're united in this minority status."

The Laotian people are beautiful, accommodating, and welcoming. Even when they don't speak any English, if you greet them with a smile, they smile back. Similar to Thai people, but a little softer, a little different.

The Chinese tourists were a different story. Big groups, very loud, very together. I barely interacted with any of them except for one Chinese YouTuber I met at a coffee stop on the way to the waterfalls. He was 73, very curious about me, told me he had a show, and pulled out photos of him with young Western women. We took a selfie. Later that same day, I ran into him again at the waterfalls. Pure serendipity. (Full story in the waterfalls article.)

Practical Tips Nobody Told Me

• Bring a raincoat and an umbrella. I left all three of my raincoats in Koh Tao. The umbrella my hotel lent me was clear, great for visibility in the rain, useless for the sun.

• Rent a scooter from day one. Don't waste two days walking before you figure out you need wheels.

• Exchange cash at the airport or a proper exchange office. The ATMs charge a very high fee, aren't reliable, and limit you to about $100 US at a time.

• Pack good shoes. My choco slides and knockoff K-Swiss tennis shoes were perfect for the mix of rain, walking, and scooter days.

• If the monk procession matters to you, book a hotel on the procession route. The Ancient Luang Prabang Hotel is on it. Staying there saves you 45 minutes of walking in the wrong direction at 5 a.m. You're welcome.

  Things I Skipped (and Maybe You Should Too)

  There's a boat tour two hours north to a cave full of Buddhas. I heard it wasn't that special, so I skipped it. There's also a big temple on top of a mountain with views. It was so hot, and there were so many Chinese tourists, that I had had enough and skipped that too. Maybe next time.

  Something I regret missing: Big Brother Mouse. It's a reading program where you can volunteer to help locals practice English. Amazing concept. I didn't stay long enough, and the hours are limited, like many things in this town. Next time, I will be more prepared.

  

  Final Verdict: A Visa Run, Not a Discovery

  Luang Prabang is changing rapidly, much like many destinations across Southeast Asia. Chinese investment and tourism are visible everywhere, from the high-speed railway to the large tour groups moving through the city's most famous attractions. None of this is necessarily bad. In fact, it makes the city incredibly easy to visit and navigate.

  But for me, something felt missing.

  The waterfalls felt more developed and commercialized than I expected. The night market seemed filled with imported goods rather than local treasures. The streets are undeniably charming, yet at times, they felt curated more for visitors than for everyday life.

  That's not to say Luang Prabang isn't worth visiting. If you're looking for an easy visa run from Thailand combined with a few days of sightseeing, good food, beautiful temples, and comfortable travel, it's a great option.

  But if you're searching for somewhere that feels raw, unusual, surprising, or completely different from what you've experienced before, Luang Prabang may not scratch that itch. At least it didn't for me.

  Then again, travel is funny that way. One person's hidden gem is another person's tourist trap.

  I left Luang Prabang on the China-Laos Railway bound for Vang Vieng. Perhaps that's a little hypocritical after everything I just said about modernization and outside influence. But travel is rarely black and white. The same railway that symbolizes change also made it possible for me to explore a part of Laos I might never have seen otherwise.

  And with that, it was time to go looking for the next adventure.