Pedalling Leisurely through Luang Prabang
Pedalling Leisurely
through Luang Prabang
A bespoke example that explorations of a Luang Prabang kind are seen in a different light when
hopping onto a bike and be guided along the most venerable sights and landmarks
of Laos’ contribution to UNESCO Heritage. Time to bike and be amazed!
WHY THIS TOUR?
Easy to oversee, perfect for a couple of day sniffing Laotian culture, cuisine and captivating sources of serenity; Luang Prabang is all this and more. A blend of spirituality, intertwined with traces of its French colonial era but above all, a top contender for a laid-back time with ample impressions to ease into holiday mode.
Any visitor will be drawn into the hues of temple town where monks and novices share the pavement in unison with street food vendors and quaint little cafes and restaurants. If only opting for the highlights, one misses out quite a lot, hence the birth of our very own half-day bike ride where more meets the eye.
TRAIL ITINERARY
08:00 - 13:00
|
12:00 - 17:00
The best time to leave is in the morning. At around 8 am, a quick drive to the starting point marks the beginning of a sustainable continuation of this Luang Prabang exploration. Together with your English-speaking guide, saddling properly up for comfort before the morning ride signals the start of a leisurely ride through Luang Prabang. The tour heads first to the Wat Visoun. Dating back to the early sixteenth century, Wat Visoun is Luang Prabang’s oldest temples which therefore demonstrate some of the earliest Luang Prabang temple architecture.
Our next stop on our bike ride is a temple of stature. Adorned in decoration and gold leaf, Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham is undoubtedly one of Luang Prabang most lavishly decorated temples, which is situated next to the Royal Palace and was used by Lao royalty. Since Wat Mai was one of the few temples in Luang Prabang to survive Chinese invaders in 1887, it became home for Laos’ most highly respected Phra Bang Buddha image until it was moved to the Royal Palace Museum.
Reaching our next stop, the Royal Palace Museum is done on foot while we leave our bikes securely locked up before moving on. Facing sacred Mount Phousi and on the banks of the Mekong River, the museum houses the most important treasures of Laos’ recent past. It is home to Laos’ most sacred Buddha image, the Phra Bang, which is kept fittingly in an ornamented shrine.
End your morning at Wat Xieng Thong. Sitting on Luang Prabang’s peninsula is one of the city’s most palatial decorated temples. The decoration is spread across its buildings leaving visitors with ample time to admire its interior and exterior. The cycling morning comes to an end with following in the spoked wheels of your guide back to the starting point and continues back to your accommodation in Luang Prabang.
