Luang Prabang is known for its astounding 34 UNESCO protected temples (wats).
Temples in Luang Prabang
It was a privilege to visit the temples in Luang Prabang. Even though they have many similarities, you may spot the differences. In total there are 34 UNESCO heritage listed temples in the town. Visiting and studying the temples here is one of the main things to do and you should try to incorporate it into your Luang Prabang itinerary.
Today the temples in Luang Prabang are still places of worship and used for studying by the local people. As functioning temples, they are home for hundreds of monks. Each morning at dawn you can witness hundreds of monks together silently walking along the street to collect their Morning Alms. You may want to give an offering or just see and enjoy the procession.
All the temples in the town welcome visitors from around the world to explore them. However, some temples charge a nominal entrance fee. For others there is no admission fee but donations are welcome.
With so many choices, here are my personal favourite temples in Luang Prabang town centre, on the outskirts of the town centre and in Chomphet District. I hope these selections help you in deciding your Luang Prabang trip itinerary.
History of the temple in Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang was the capital of the King of a Million Elephants or the Lane Xang Kingdom. Inhabited for thousands of years, it was the royal capital of Laos under a number of different reigns until 1975.
The location of Luang Prabang is strategic, being near to the Silk Route and the Mekong River. It is also a centre of Buddhism in the area. Luang Prabang means city of the Golden Buddha Phra Bang. An 83cm Golden Buddha statue was a gift from the Khmer monarchy in the mid 14th century.
Luang Prabang has changed rulers and administrations over the years. In the late 19th century, bandits from China destroyed the town and the temples. Many of the temples were destroyed and Buddha statues were destroyed or stolen. A few, however, survived during the attack e.g. Wat Xieng Thong and Wat Mai. The temples were rebuilt and restored identically to their original standards. In 1995, UNESCO declared Luang Prabang a world heritage site because of its rich architectural and religious heritage.
Luang Prabang temple architecture
The style of Luang Prabang’s temples is characterised by its high pointed roofs made from tiles that almost extend to the ground, multi-tiered roofs and elaborate front facades. The tips of the roofs are adorned with finials shaped like a Naga. Naga is the mythological serpent which is believed to protect the Buddha.
The main criterion of Loa temples is the 'Dok So Faa', an ornamental roof element, which consists of a few small pagodas topped with a parasol. Most of temples in Laos contain murals and stencilling on lacquer depicting various tales. The tales are about the stories of the previous life of the Buddha.
More reading // Things to Do in Luang Prabang
Things to Do
Self-guided visits to temples
These temples are located in the town centre or just on the outskirts of the town. If you visit the temples by yourself you may want to do it on foot or hire a bicycle. Some of them are easy to reach on foot or by bicycle. Wat Xieng Thong and Wat Mai Suwamnnaphumaham are the most beautiful temples in the town.
Golden City Temple/Wat Xieng Thong
Wat Xieng Thong is one of the most important and stunning temples in Luang Prabang. It was built around 1560 by King Setthathirat. He built it in memory of the legendary King Chanthaphanith. The temple is located at the end of the peninsula where the Nam Khan River flows into the Mekong River.
The building looks magnificent with gold colour on both sides; the entrance is emerald green and the back of the building is decorated with a tree of life motif. Inside the temple there is a big Buddha statue and some small Buddha statues. There are lots of paintings on the walls and some intricate and interesting carving which taken together make the temple look even better. As well as the main temple there are another two small temples, one of which you can get into.
There are lots of things to be learned from both inside and outside the temple, besides the opportunity for taking nice photos. It takes 1 to 1.5 hours to walk around the temple.
Address | At the end of the peninsula, between Khem Khong road and Sakkaline road, Luang Prabang, Laos / Hours | 8am to 5pm, daily / Admission | 20,000 Kip
Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham
Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham is located on Sisavangvong road. Wat Mai means New Monastery. It's easy to find the wat because it is located on the main road which is busy with tourists. The temple was built in the late 1700s and took 70 years to complete. This is a beautiful temple and was once used as a royal family temple.
On entering the wat you see the beautiful Buddha statues in different sizes plus the wall paintings. In addition, you can enjoy the wood carvings. You can walk around the temple to enjoy the architecture. It has columned porches under an impressive five-tiered roof. A magnificent black-lacquer and gilded relief covers the exterior. There are three stupas standing in front of the temple. Outside of the temple you can see the monks' houses plus interesting quotes of the day.
Location | On the Sisavangvong road next to Vat Haw Pha Bang, Luang Prabang, Laos / Hours | 8am to 5pm, daily / Admission | 10,000 kip
Wat Sensoukaram
This wat is not far from the Three Nagas Hotel, maybe only a few minutes walk. You can walk into the wat compound area to see and explore the wat.
Wat Sensoukaram was built in 1714 by Tia Tio. Enter the temple to enjoy the ochre coloured paint, flamboyant decorations and glittering gold coloured walls. There is a standing Buddha shrine with gold colours for you to see and enjoy. In addition, there is a small place to house two boats that are located next to the shrine. The architecture is a bit similar with the other temples but maybe the decorative motifs are a bit different. The way the roof is carved looks very impressive and beautiful.
If you walk along the Sakkarine Road, this is one of the wats that you must explore.
Location | On Sakkaline road opposite a tiny Lao noodle shop, Luang Prabang, Laos / Hours | 8am to 5pm, daily / Admission | No admission fee
Wat Monorom
Wat Monorom is located slightly out of the town centre. This is one of the oldest temples in Luang Prabang. The monastery is believed to have been founded between 1372 and 1375 by King Semsenthai. None of the original buildings remain intact because Luang Prabang has been invaded many times. The current Wat Monorom hall was constructed between 1971 to 1972.
The arch to the entrance and the temple is all plated in gold colours. The main door features gold reliefs and the exterior wall is covered with paintings depicting scenes from the Buddha's life. Wat Monorom houses the largest and oldest bronze Buddha statue in Laos. Its sim is the tallest amongst the temples in Luang Prabang.
An active temple, the grounds include living quarters for the monks and it has the largest number of resident monks. There is a primary school on the grounds too. A great place to spend some quiet meditative time.
Location | Located on the Thammamikalath Road, Luang Prabang / Hours | 8am to 5pm, daily / Admission | Free
Wat Wisunarat and That Makmo
Wat Wisunarat is believed to be the oldest temple in Luang Prabang. This temple was the symbol of the Kingdom's unity. It was founded in 1512 during the reign of King Visounnarath. It houses important Buddha statues from various locations in Luang Prabang. The sim is a brick structure with a two tiered roof. The roofs ends are adorned with Naga finials. Reconstruction of the original sim was completed in 1898.
The large Singhalese style stupa, That Pathum, is located in the temple's grounds. Unusually, the stupa's shape looks like a watermelon. Its formal name is That Pathum, meaning Stupa of the Great Lotus. Originally the stupa was built in 1504 with a grant given by King Visounarath's wife. The stupa's design is unique in all of Laos.
Location | Outside the peninsula, on the Wisunarat road / Hours | 8am to 5pm, daily / Admission | 5,000 Kip
Wat Aham
Wat Aham is also known as the Monastery of the Blossoming Heart. It was built at the beginning of the 19th century to replace the first shrine on the same site in the 14th century. The first shrine was built to honour two guardian spirits of Luang Prabang, Pu No and Na No. It's a small temple with beautifully decorated and colourful murals. Outside of the temple, there are stupas and large Banyan trees.
The locals believed that the Banyan trees housed the Thevatuluang – the guardian spirits of Luang Prabang. The trees were brought from India by the Lao king in the 1950s. These two large trees make Wat Aham different from the other temples. It's a quiet temple with fewer people visiting it.
Location | On the Phomathat road, connected to Vat Wisunarat through a gateway / Hour | 8am to 5pm, daily / Admission | 5,000 Kip
Vat Chom Si
Whilst this temple is not as good as other temples in the town, it is still worth visiting because of its location at the top of Phou Si hill. The small golden pagoda sits proudly on a large rock with 360 degrees views of mountains, rivers and the town. It was built between 1917 to 1817 by King Anourat. There are two ways leading up to this hill. The most popular one is right opposite the Royal Palace Museum with 328 steps and the other one is through Thanon Phousi road with 355 steps. It's a lovely walk up with a peaceful ambiance and picturesque views all the way up to the top.
Location | On the summit of Mount Phou Si / Hour | 5.30am to 6pm, daily / Admission | 20,000 Kip
Wat Mahathat
Wat Mahathat is also known as the Temple of Great Stupa. A large Northern Thai style stupa was constructed in the temple grounds during the mid 16th Century and this is the reason for the name given to the temple. It was built in 1543 during the reign of King Setthathirath. Most of the temple parts were damaged through flooding and rebuilt.
It is one of the most ornate, attractive temples in Luang Prabang. The two statues in front of the temple are of the Earth Goddess. The front gable end of the shrine hall is covered in gold leaf and with an intricate relief pattern. It also features on the main entrance doors to the temple.
The shrine hall was rebuilt between 1907 to 1910. The decor is adorned with gilded carved characters from the epic of Phra lak phra lam. Behind the temple there is a stupa in the Lanna style. It was built in the mid 16th century and the only original part of the earlier 16th century temple.
Location | Located off the Phothisalath Road, Luang Prabang, Laos / Hours | 8am to 5pm, daily / Admission | Free
Off the beaten track temples
To get to Chomphet District you have to cross the Mekong River either with a ferry or a boat. We decided to take a ferry with other locals to cross the river. It takes less than 10 minutes to get to Xieng Man Village ferry dock. We followed the Xieng Man Village trekking trail and at the same time visited the temples in the district. You can opt for a bicycle instead of walking if you want to see more of the village areas and the waterfall.
Wat Xieng Man
This is the first temple that we visited after walking around the village. It is near to the houses of local people. You can easily miss this temple if you just simply walk by without looking around.
Wat Xieng Man was built in the 16th century. The wat is modelled after the famous Wat Xieng Thong. It features a traditional roof with ornate fixtures. The beautiful temple floors are covered in black, grey and white tiles. The original monastery was founded in 1592 on the same site. Over 200 Buddha statues are hidden here including the one dating back to the 13th century.
Location | Xieng Mene Village, Luang Prabang, Laos / Hours | 8am to 5pm, daily / Admission | 10,000 Kip
Wat Chomphet
Wat Chomphet was our second temple that we visited in this district. Before you get to the top of the hill to get to Wat Chompet, you have to climb up 123 steps. This is a very simple temple with a white colour exterior. There are breathtaking views of Luang Prabang town from the temple.
Wat Chomphet was built in 1888 by the Thai. You need to enter the temple to see its beautiful ceiling. The ceiling is covered with gold stencilled bees, butterflies and mythical creatures. Just behind the temple there are two stupas that house the bones of the former kings' wives. The temple itself is small and in a slightly rundown state but it is still beautiful.
Location | Chompet District, Luang Prabang, Laos / Hours | 8am to 5pm, daily / Admission | 10,000 Kip
Wat Long Khoun
This wat is located across the Mekong River, in Chompet village and with a view toward Luang Prabang town. We went to this wat after visiting two temples in a nearby village.
Wat Long Khoun also known as Monastery of the Happy and was used as a royal meditation retreat for the Luang Prabang King awaiting his coronation. The size of the wat is quite small if compared to the other temples. At the back of the temple you can find two old wooden white coloured houses that were meditation rooms for the royalty and built in the 18th century.
It is located in a quiet place surrounded by trees. Besides the temple, there are a few monks' houses that are located nearby. Back to the temple, inside is beautiful with colourful wall paintings. The wall paintings tell different stories. It has a high pitched roof which is very interesting.
Location | Chompet District, Luang Prabang, Laos / Hours | 8am to 5pm, daily / Admission | 10,000 kip
Wat Tham Sakkarin
Why not visit Wat Tham Sakkarin because the temple is located a few minutes walk from Wat Long Khoun? Just ask someone from Wat Long Khoun to guide you to this cave temple because it is locked and you need a guide to open it. In our case they asked us if we wanted to go to this temple. It's quite a sleepy temple and perhaps not really well managed but it is still worth a visit.
This limestone cave was founded in 1889. The mouth of the cave is outlined by a large stone block entrance. On the top of the entrance you can see two carved figures. Go deep inside the cave. A flashlight is required. Deeper inside the cave you'll find a rock formation that locals believe looks like an angel.
Address | Chompet District, Luang Prabang, Laos / Hours | 8am to 5pm, daily / Admission | 5,000 Kip
Wat Had Siaw
If you walk further after visiting Wat Long Khun, and Wat Sakkalin, the trekking trail ends at Wat Had Siaw. It is a small temple and monastery. It is very rarely visited by tourists. There are a few old buildings and a storage room in the temple area. The temple is decorated with what looks like ancient frescoes with a big Buddha statue on the landing area before you enter the temple. In the monastery a few monks reside. If you have already walked this far, why not see a non-touristy place?
Address | Chompet District, Luang Prabang, Laos / Hours | 8am to 5pm, daily / Admission | Free
More reading // 3 Days Itinerary in Luang Prabang and a Perfect Guide to visit Chomphet
Alms Giving
If you like to watch Morning Alms or Sai Bat you have to wake up very early in the morning. The Morning Alms procession starts from 5.30am to 6.30am in March to October and 6am to 7am in November to February.
The tradition of Morning Alms dates back to the 14th century. The procession is held every morning in the main street through the town. The ritual is conducted in silence and has become a must-see attraction for travellers when they visit Luang Prabang. If you do not make an offer to the monks make sure you keep your distance from those who do and respect the procession. If you want to make an offering buy your offerings e.g rice, fresh fruit, and traditional snacks in advance. Don't do it at the last minute which can disrupt the ceremony once it has commenced.
Visiting the temples: self-guided or with tour guided?
It depends on how much information you want to know. Both options have their own advantages and it also depends on your travel style too.
We opted for self-guided temple hopping. To do this you have to know where each temple is located and how to get to each of them. As for us, we had a physical map and we familiarised ourselves with the road where the temples are. We had to do some research on each temple that we wanted to go to, especially Wat Xieng Thong, which was our favourite temple in the town.
There are private tour companies that you can choose in the town. Maybe you want to go for a half day tour of the temples. If you are looking for more information about the temples this is the best option. The tour is informative and they will bring you to the temples already selected in the tour. In addition, you can learn more about the culture of Lao people too.
Getting around Luang Prabang
Getting around Luang Prabang is very easy. If you like to walk this is maybe the best option. If your travel companions are small children or elderly you may like to take a tuk tuk or taxi. Some of the tourists opt for a bicycle to explore the town and places beyond it. For a few places, you have to take a boat to get to them.
If you visit the temples in the town the easy options are on foot or by bicycle. Some of the temples are located not far from each other.
What to wear when visiting the temple
As the temples are still in use, the visitors are required to wear decent dress. Don't wear something that overexposed your body. You have to respect that these are religious places.
Do's and Don'ts when you visiting the temple
When visiting a temple there are do's and don'ts you have to know and follow:
1/ Do respect the monks and novices while you are in the temple compound. Women are not allowed to touch the monks, e.g. shaking their hands.
2/ Make sure to cover yourself from shoulders to knees and take off your hat and shoes when you enter the temple.
3/ Do not show your affection publicly because temples are religious places that need to be shown respect.
4/ Make sure to take care of the temple e.g. don't write anything on the temple walls or climb on the stupas to take photographs
5/ Don't buy any antiques from or in the temples, even if the locals want to sell them to you.
When to visit Luang Prabang
The best time to visit Luang Prabang is from November to March when the weather is comfortably dry with pleasant average temperatures. It can also get somewhat crowded, especially in January and during festivals.
Luang Prabang has a tropical climate with warm weather year-round, with temperatures ranging between 15°C and 38°C. The rainy season in Luang Prabang is from June to September, while the dry season is between October and May.
The best times to visit the temples are early in the morning or late afternoon when it is not that humid. You may like to bring an umbrella or hat with you while exploring the temples especially if you opt for walking. Maybe bring some mosquito spray, sunscreen and bottled water too.
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