Lara Dunston

Touring the Temples of Luang Prabang, Laos

Marvelling at the mural and mosaic covered temples of Luang Prabang is the next must-do activity after the early morning alms giving. There are 33 glittering temples or wats (also called ‘vats’) in the ancient Lao royal capital so we decide to start by focusing on a few and seeing them with a guide. Our …

Early Morning Alms Giving to the Monks in Luang Prabang, Laos

Early morning Alms for the monks in Luang Prabang, Laos.

The early morning alms giving to the monks in Luang Prabang, Laos, is one of the main attractions that lures many travellers to the laidback Mekong River town although it’s not unique to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city. The few times we’ve been out at the crack of dawn in Bangkok – generally on our way to …

Luang Prabang, a Languid Riverside Escape in Laos

Located on the Mekong River in northwestern Laos, lovely languid Luang Prabang with its glittering temples and colonial mansions is an ideal Southeast Asian escape.

A Guide to Cruising the Mekong River from Thailand to Laos

Cruising the Mekong River from Thailand to Laos is one of life’s great adventures and an essential experience if you’re travelling South East Asia. You can read about our trip here. The question is how to do it – slow boat or fast boat? If you’re on a tight budget then your two options are …

Cruising the Mekong River to Luang Prabang on the Luang Say Boat

Cruising the Mekong River from Thailand to Laos.

Cruising the Mekong River is one of travel’s must-do experiences and a three-day Mekong River Cruise to Luang Prabang on the Luang Say boat was the reason we’d flown from Bangkok to Chiang Rai. While speedboats bounce along the river for the 300 kilometre-long journey from the Thailand-Laos border at Chiang Khong-Huay Xai to Luang …