Family-Friendly Travel Guide to Luang Prabang, Laos
Luang Prabang is one of those rare places that feels calm, cultural, and welcoming, especially for families. We travelled with children and found it easy, safe, and full of memorable experiences. Here’s our personal guide to where to stay, where to eat, and what to do in Luang Prabang.
Where to stay:
- Victoria Xienthong Palace Hotel This is where we stayed. Location was great. Room was great, spacious, clean and perfect. Breakfast was average, but the view from breakfast was great. The egg station was great. The staff were lovely and very accommodating. Highly recommend it.
- The Belle Rive Boutique Hotel Many friends have stayed here. Highly recommend it. It was fully booked out during our stay but would have been our first option. We ate at their restaurant and food was good.
- My Ban Lao Recommended by friends. Was our second option. It is a little out of the centre of town, but they offer free transport to town.
Where to eat:
Travelling with children shaped our food choices. These places worked well for families and offered variety.
- Le Cafe/Bistro Ban Vat Sene Our favourite by far. Large menu, with Western and Laotian options. Delicious and lovely atmostphere.
- Le Banneton Café French Bakery Great selection of baked goods for breakfast. Crepes also looked great.
- Joma Bakery Café Great place to grab a morning coffee/tea after the alms giving ceremony. Soy milk available.
- Zurich Bread Factory & Cafe Also a great selection of baked goods for breakfast.
- BOUANG Asian Eatery Laotian food with a modern twist.
- Sena Steak House We enjoyed the food here. Western and laotian options.
- Popolo Pizzas were great. Good for kids.
- Opera House Café Bar Western food and Laotian options. We enjoyed the food here.
- Tangor Restaurant Bar & Lounge Western and Laotian options. Highly recommended by friends.
- Yuni Yupoun Food from all around the world.
- Gelato del Lao Great gelato. They had a nice selection of vegan sorbets too. We came here after most meals.
- Formula B Great coffee and desserts.
- LuLaLao Coffee Delicious coffee with oat milk available.
What to do:
This is what worked for our family on a 3 night, 4 day trip.
Day 1: Arrive & Ock Pop Tock
We took the morning Air Asia flight from Bangkok, arriving in Luang Prabang at about 9:30am. After dropping bags at our hotelVictoria Xienthong Palace Hotel, we had lunch at The Belle Rive Boutique Hotel on the Mekhong River. Food was great laotian fare with a beautiful view.
We came back to check in at 2pm, then hired a tuk tuk to take us to Ock Pop Top, Living Craft Center. Its about a 10 minute ride from the city.
Ock Pop Tock Living Craft Center
Wonderful place. They have a kids treasure hunt (and an adult version too). We tried the kids version. It was excellent. Allowed us to explore the whole property led by our kids. Workshops looked great. And restaurant had the most beautiful view. Well worth spending a few hours here.
Dinner was at Popolo, followed by a relaxing evening back at the hotel.
Back at our hotel, they had set up an extra bed and prepared extra towels for us. There was a fruit welcome platter and everything was spotlessly clean and welcoming.
Day 2: Kuang Si Waterfalls & Laos Buffalo Dairy
Kuang Si Waterfalls
We hired a private van for the day (around 2,000 baht) and left the hotel at 9:00 am. The drive to Kuang Si Waterfalls takes about one hour and is very scenic, passing through small villages and countryside.
Kuang Si Waterfalls is the most beautiful natural attraction near Luang Prabang and well worth the trip, especially with kids. The main waterfall cascades into stunning turquoise pools, and there are several smaller pools along the walking paths. There are wooden walkways and shaded paths, making it manageable for families. Allow at least 1–3 hours to explore at a relaxed pace.
Entry tickets for Kuang Si Falls in 2024 cost 60,000 kip each for foreign visitors. The entry ticket includes the electric cart transport in the park and access to the Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre. (We didn’t visit the Bear Rescue Center but friends have been and said it was small and good for a short stop.)
For more active families, there is a rigorous jungle hike up to the top. To the left of the bridge, there is a pathway up which is a bit rough, wet and uncomfortable. Best to only attempt this if you are wearing decent shoes. Not recommended for kids that are too young or bad knees. The round-trip hike goes all the way up to the back of the main falls to some extra pools. It is quite slippery and muddy, but once at the top you’re rewarded with beautiful pools of water (some areas allowed swimming) and a raft ride to the source of the waterfall – this was beautiful. (Whole trek up and down including raft ride took about 1.5 hours.)
Laos Buffalo Dairy
After Kuang Si, we continued on to the Laos Buffalo Dairy, which is a fantastic stop for families. The dairy focuses on ethical buffalo farming and produces a range of products including buffalo milk ice cream, yogurt, and cheese. Kids loved learning about how the buffalo are cared for, and the short educational tour was engaging without being too long. The ice cream was a highlight and a perfect treat after a warm morning outdoors. It’s both fun and educational, and a great way to support a local social enterprise.
We returned to Luang Prabang in the afternoon, relaxed and ready for a quieter evening in town.
Day 3: Nahm Dong Park, Boat Ride & Night Market
We spent Day 3 enjoying a slower pace, mixing nature, culture, and food.
Nahm Dong Park is a peaceful eco-park located just outside Luang Prabang and is especially great if you’re travelling with children. The park features landscaped gardens, small waterfalls, walking trails, and natural swimming pools. Best of all are the long canopy walkways called Tree Top Walks and the zip lines. While we didn’t do them, we know they offer cooking and craft workshops.
In the afternoon, we took a boat ride along the Mekong River, which is a lovely way to see Luang Prabang from a different perspective. The slow pace of the boat, combined with views of riverside villages, temples, and daily life along the riverbanks, makes this a calming and memorable experience. Sunset boat rides are particularly popular, but daytime trips are also enjoyable and less crowded. We hired a boat just by walking to the pier opposite Victoria Xienthong Palace hotel and negotiated with the boat driver for a 1 hour round trip. (Approximately 1000 baht for the boat for our whole group. Non peak time.)
In the evening, we headed to the Luang Prabang Night Market, one of the town’s most vibrant spots after dark. The market is a great place to browse handmade crafts, textiles, souvenirs, and local products. Food stalls line the streets, offering everything from Lao snacks and grilled dishes to fresh fruit shakes and desserts. Even if you don’t eat here, the atmosphere alone is worth experiencing, especially for first-time visitors.
Day 4: Alms Giving, hang out in Town & Depart
We started Day 4 early to witness Alms Giving (Sai Bat), one of Luang Prabang’s most well-known and meaningful daily rituals. At dawn, long lines of saffron-robed monks walk silently through the streets as locals offer sticky rice and food as part of their morning prayers. It’s a beautiful experience. At 5:30am, we walked to the main center street in town close to the front of Joma Bakery Cafe. There are many locals with alms-giving seats and mats already set up. You can walk up to any of them and buy alms from them and they will guide you to a seat and through the process. The alms cost approximately 500 baht.
After giving alms – it was about 6:30am, many cafés open early nearby, making it easy to watch calmly with a morning coffee afterward. We went to Joma Bakery Cafe and then walked back to the hotel for breakfast.
After breakfast, we spent the rest of the morning wandering around town, enjoying Luang Prabang’s relaxed pace. This is a great time to explore small streets, visit cafés, browse local boutiques, or stop by nearby temples you may have missed earlier in the trip. It’s also ideal for last-minute souvenir shopping or simply sitting by the river and soaking in the atmosphere.
We then headed to Luang Prabang International Airport for our departure. The airport is small and easy to navigate, making departures relatively stress-free. Allow enough time for check-in, especially during peak travel periods, but overall it’s a smooth and straightforward experience.
Things we didn’t do but our friends have done:
Sunset at Mount Phousi Its a 300 step climp to the top. While the view is nice, its not advisable for people with knee issues or very young children. As it is quite steep.
Dinner at the Night Market. Most friends have had dinner once at the market. Food is okay. Atmosphere is plenty. Lots of festive stalls in a square, followed by a strip of stalls leading to Luang Prabang town.
Wat Xiengthong Beautiful temple. Great architecture.
What to buy:
Passa Paa High-quality, beautifully made gifts.
TAEC Boutique A lovely mix of items; we especially liked the kids’ t-shirts.
Handy Tips for Families
Snacks are limited. Local shops mostly sell chips and soft drinks. If travelling with kids, bring your own nutritious snacks.
Mosquito Repellent is necessary. Bring and apply lots of it.
Luang Prabang is relaxed, charming, and surprisingly easy with children. We would happily return and probably eat gelato after every meal again.
Disclaimer: The photos on this website are mostly from Pixabay and credited as in footnotes. We purposefully chose not to use AI to generate images for sustainability reasons. When possible, images will be replaced with author’s own photography and images.
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