Luang Prabang, also known as Xieng Thong and sometimes spelled Luang Phabang or Louangphabang, is the capital of Luang Prabang Province in north-central Laos. Its name, which means “Royal Buddha Image,” comes from the Phra Bang, a statue that represents Lao leadership. In 1995, the city was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it combines Lao buildings, European-style colonial structures, and more than 30 Buddhist temples. The protected area includes 33 of the city’s 58 villages, where people still perform daily rituals like the morning alms-giving ceremony.
History
By the 6th century in the Chao Phraya River Valley, Mon peoples joined together to form the Dvaravati kingdoms. In the north, Haripunjaya (Lamphun) became a powerful rival to the Dvaravati. By the 8th century, the Mon people moved north to establish city states in Fa Daet (later Kalasin, northeastern Thailand); Sri Gotapura (Sikhottabong) near what is now Tha Khek, Laos; Muang Sua (Luang Prabang); and Chantaburi (Vientiane). In the 8th century CE, Sri Gotapura (Sikhottabong) controlled trade across the middle Mekong region. These city states introduced Theravada Buddhism from Sri Lankan missionaries to the area.
Xieng Dong Xieng Thong experienced Khmer rule under Jayavarman VII from 1185 to 1191. In 1238, an uprising in the Khmer outpost of Sukhothai drove out the Khmer rulers. In 1353, Xieng Dong Xieng Thong became the capital of the Lan Xang kingdom. In 1359, the Khmer king from Angkor gave the Phra Bang to his son-in-law, the first Lan Xang monarch Fa Ngum (1353–1373), to support Fa Ngum’s rule and the sovereignty of Laos. This act helped spread Theravada Buddhism across the kingdom. The capital was renamed Luangphabang, after the Buddha image, and remained there. Luang Prabang was occupied by Vietnamese forces during Emperor Lê Thánh Tông’s 1478–1480 campaign against Lan Xang and Lanna.
In 1707, Lan Xang broke apart due to family conflicts, and Luang Prabang became the capital of the Kingdom of Luang Phrabang. When France took control of Laos, the French recognized Luang Prabang as the royal residence of Laos. Over time, the ruler of Luang Prabang became a symbol of Laos’s leadership. When Laos gained independence, the king of Luang Prabang, Sisavang Vong, became the head of state of the Kingdom of Laos.
Luang Prabang was involved in events during and after World War II and was occupied by foreign powers during the war, including Vichy France, Thailand, Imperial Japan, Free France, and Nationalist China. Initially, Vichy French forces controlled the city but lost it to Thai forces after the Franco-Thai War (1940–1941). On 9 March 1945, a nationalist group declared Laos independent again, with Luang Prabang as its capital. On 7 April 1945, two battalions of Japanese troops occupied the city. The Japanese tried to force Sisavang Vong (the king of Luang Prabang) to declare Laotian independence, but on 8 April, the king instead ended Laos’s status as a French protectorate. The king secretly sent Prince Kindavong to represent Laos to the Allied forces and Sisavang Vatthana to represent Laos to the Japanese. After Japan surrendered, Free French forces reentered Luang Prabang on 25 August, and the king confirmed Laos remained a French protectorate. In September, Chinese Nationalist forces arrived to accept the surrender of Japanese troops and began purchasing the Laotian opium crop.
In April and May 1946, the French tried to reclaim Laos by sending paratroopers to retake Vientiane and Luang Prabang, pushing Phetsarath and the Lao Issara ministers out of Laos into Thailand and Vietnam. During the First Indochina War, the Viet Minh and Pathet Lao forces tried to capture Luang Prabang in 1953 and 1954, but French forces prevented them from reaching the city.
Tourism
Natural tourism sites include Kuang Si Falls, Tat Sae Waterfalls, and Pak Ou Caves. Elephant riding is available at some locations. Phou Si, located in the center of the town, offers views of the town and river systems. At the end of the main street in Luang Prabang, there is a night market. Stalls there sell shirts, bracelets, and other souvenirs. Historical sites include the Haw Kham Royal Palace Museum and the Wat Xieng Thong temple. The town, especially the main street, has many smaller wats, such as Wat Hosian Voravihane. Each morning at sunrise, monks walk through the streets in a procession, receiving alms from local residents. People can go mountain biking around the town or to the waterfalls for the day. A pottery village is located along the Mekong River, about a 15-minute boat ride from the city center.
Gastronomy
Local dishes include Or lam, Luang Prabang sausage, mokpa (steamed fish), and Kaipen. Kaipen is made from moss found in the Mekong River and is served fried with Jeow bong.
Transportation
Luang Prabang is connected by Route 13, which links to Vang Vieng and Vientiane in the south and to Boten in the north. This road is smooth. Since 2014, another road has connected Kasi (near Vang Vieng) to Luang Prabang, making the trip take about 3 hours instead of 5 hours via Route 13. Buses travel daily from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, with the journey lasting 11–13 hours.
Starting in December 2021, Luang Prabang is also connected by the Vientiane–Boten railway, which runs alongside Route 13. This train line travels from Boten, near the Chinese border in the north, to Vientiane in the south. The whole trip by train takes less than 3 hours, compared to 3 days by road.