Luang Prabang is one of my favourite cities in Asia, and one of the best places to visit in Laos. If you’re going to Laos with kids, (or without kids), Luang Prabang is likely on your radar. It’s a small, friendly place, more like a little riverside town than a big city. And while it’s still distinctly Asian, it has a lovely European vibe. Auto-rickshaws lumber past quaint sidewalk cafés and bakeries. Monks scurry between temples, past well-kept colonial buildings and old-time cars. The streets are quieter than most Asian cities, making it an ideal place to travel as a family. There are so many things to do in Luang Prabang with kids, you’ll never be bored!

If you’d rather watch it than read about it, you can check out or YouTube video about our time in Luang Prabang!

Things To Do In Luang Prabang With Kids

Luang Prabang is the perfect Asian city to visit with kids. There are wide boulevards with sidewalks (almost unheard of anywhere else in Asia!), and there are so many fun things to do in Luang Prabang, you’re kids won’t get bored.
The activities below are listed in the order we did them, which has no significance whatsoever!!

Fair Trek Eco Bungalow by Tiger Trails

The Fair Trek Eco Bungalow is a short 1hr drive from town. The road’s in relatively good condition (meaning no one got car sick), and we arrived mid-afternoon. Our package included three meals a day, however upon our arrival at 1:30pm they seemed surprised that we’d want lunch! Once the formalities were sorted, we’d met with our “host” family (who would cook our meals), and were settled into our room, we were finally able to head back up to our host’s house to eat. It was 3pm and we were all starving!! After such a late lunch, we skipped dinner and all headed to bed early. One of the things I love about village stays is that everyone retires shortly after sunset, so I don’t have to feel bad going to bed early!

 

We were woken the next morning by two boys trying to peek in the hut! It was a bit disconcerting to have an audience all the time, something we haven’t experienced on previous village stays. I have to admit, it detracted from the experience slightly, but we tried not to let it get to us. We made friends with the gentleman who owned the shop just down the path, and the girls enjoyed chasing his baby chicks and ducklings.

It was also nice to be able to just wander around the village. On our second morning, we stood by and observed men splitting bamboo to make baskets and women sitting together knitting and embroidering. Kacela and I watched an older lady making bundles of thatching for a new roof. It was fascinating! I loved all the groups of people, gathered around chatting and visiting while they worked. Children played at their feet, and a few babies clung to their mothers. It looked relaxing and enjoyable. I wanted to sit down and join in. Had we been there longer than 2 days, I probably would’ve got to the point where I sat down and joined the ladies, but felt awkward doing it at the first meeting.

Of all the village stays we’ve been lucky enough to experience, this was the most impersonal. We watched daily life happen, but didn’t get the chance to be a part of it. There was a house where we ate our meals, but we didn’t really have a host. There was no one to help translate or make the connection with the villagers. We ate in the home of our host, but didn’t eat with our host. As much as I like the spirit of the project, and the goal of bringing money into the community, there wasn’t much of a cultural exchange. It did give us a little glimpse into rural life in Laos, but we felt more like spectators than participants.

Family Dying Class At Ock Pop Tok

Earlier that day, while we were enjoying a latte and croissant at the French bakery, I looked across the street to Ock Pop Tok. Our Portland friends had told us they offered a variety of classes, so we wandered over to have a look. It turns out they had a family dying class, perfect for the kiddos! I signed us up for the following morning! I think this is one of the best things to do in Luang Prabang. It wasn’t cheap, but looked like a lot of fun. We’d be making tie-dyed scarves, so Randy opted out, or so he thought! The lady in the shop convinced him to bring a book and come along to hang out in the café for the morning. It wasn’t long before we’d summoned him into the “craft room” to help us out!

Things to do in Luang Prabang with Kids

The morning started with a tour of the facility, where we learned about silk production and traditional dying techniques. Everything is completely natural, and done using traditional methods. It’s pretty incredible how many colours can be made from a few simple products found in nature!! We watched some master weavers, and learned about the incredible skill required for the various crafts practiced at the center.