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Photo: Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This golden temple, highly visible from Phou Si, is a shrine for Buddhists who practice Vipassana meditation.
Wat Pa Phon Phao, also Wat Phon Phao, Wat Phonphao, or Wat Phol Phao, meaning "Peacefulness Temple", is a Buddhist temple situated on a hill in the southeast of Luang Prabang, Laos, across the Nam Khan River from Luang Prabang Airport. The temple, a golden stupa, is used as a forest meditation retreat, and was once headed by the abbot Ajahn Saisamut, a noted Lao Buddhist teacher. His funeral in 1992 was one of the largest funeral services Laos had ever seen. The temple has a fine collection of murals, some of them gruesome in nature.
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A small information centre with samples of the various UXO (unexploded ordnance) that has been found, information about the scope of the problem and a room with a documentary to watch. Makes the issue just a bit more salient when you see it.
This small, but perfectly formed museum is dedicated to the ethnic cultures of Laos. Find out more about the groups that make Laos unique and enrich your visit to Luang Prabang. Closed on Mondays, and occasionally other times for exhibitions. On site shop and cafe, with an outlet shop close to the Ock Pop Tok shop.
ພະທາດພູສີ
Phou Si Hill dominates the city, and you can get a great view of the whole area from the summit. There are trails from both sides of the hill, including one just across the road from the Royal Palace/National Museum, and it's about 320 steps to the top. Sunrise and sunset are the most sensible and rewarding times to go. There is a near-panoramic view from the top. The ticket office closes at 18:30, so climbing to the top is virtually free afterwards, which gives you about 30 minutes before it gets dark. If you take the south path down, you'll go past several temples including one claiming to enshrine the Buddha's (rather large!) footprint.
It has 14 elephants. They are kept away from abusive work and cared by veterinarians, and seem well looked after and relaxed. Offers basic elephant rides, or 1 or 2 day mahout course where you learn the commands to control the elephant. You also get to wash the elephants in the Namkhan River which is a lot of fun.
ຫໍຄຳ Haw Kham
Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evening there is a show featuring one part of the Lao epic Phra Lak Phra Ram. The show is about an hour long and in Lao with story and dance sequences. There are Lao, English and French synopsis available at the ticket desk. The ticket desk opens at least 1/2 an hour before the show and is accessed by entering Royal Palace Museum entrance gate. The museum is closed at this time so entry is free. Curiously the ticket desk is not attended while the museum is open, although they do have the schedule and current ticket prices. Also, the website has a form for tickets, but they do not seem to respond to it.