Inday Clara Travels Solo #20: My Nightlife in Luang Prabang: 6 Awesome Activities you should try too!

Hello guys! Since I only have a few days in Luang Prabang. I made sure that I would make the most out of the short time I had there. And one thing was to experience the kind of nightlife they have knowing that this place was kind of laid back compared to its neighboring countries. So here are the things I did for my 2 nights in Luang Prabang which actually turn out pretty amazing for a first timer like me.

1. Hear a Traditional Storytelling by the GARAVEK Company

I didn't want to miss out on learning the myths, legends, and folktales of the beautiful country of Laos through an hour-long storytelling by the GARAVEK company. So I headed out to the theatre an hour early before the show would start at 6:30 pm. I bought my ticket for 50,000 kips and secured my seat. Since I was a regular short Asian girl, I opted for the front row.

Since I still had much time before the show started, I went to the docks to have an awesome experience watching the sunset along the Mekong River. And when I came back 30 minutes before the start of the show, I was greeted by this old man who played to me a traditional Khene music using his Bamboo Instrument.

CAN- the name of his musical instrument.

He is such a jolly old man. He loves his photo to be taken. And the music he played for us definitely wanted me to travel back in time.

Foreign travelers wouldn't have to fret for they tell their stories in the English language accompanied with their traditional music called "Khene" music. Tickets can be bought for 50,000 kips and you can enjoy a bottle of beer or a glass of wine while the stories are being told.

2. Shop at the Night Market

Heading back to my hostel, I passed by at the Night Market along Sisavangvong Road and my eyes lit up! It was my first time going to a Night Market abroad. So I was pretty amazed. There was just a lot of colorful souvenirs to choose from. This market is open every night starting around 6:00pm for tourists to shop.

I found a lot of handmade handicrafts like wallets, pouches, bags, and scarves. There were also silver pieces of jewelry, paintings and clothing. You can really work on your bargaining skills here.

3. Eat the Local Dishes

I think Lao food is something to indulge as well. As much as possible, I try the local cuisines from different places. Good thing, there was a small cheap restaurant beside our hostel which cooks amazing Lao food. I really enjoyed eating their noodle dishes although I forgot the name of this one. This costs 15,000 kips.

There are also a lot of options for local food sold at the night market. I tried the spring rolls and they were so delicious. I think they are the best I have tasted so far.

4. Watch a Silent Movie

My two Canadian friends who I met during my 26-hour bus trip from Sapa, Vietnam to Luang Prabang invited me to watch a silent movie at the Victoria Xienthong Palace. The movie started at 7:00 pm so I made sure to have dinner before heading there. Once I arrived there, I was impressed with the hotel. Quite fancy if you ask me. The "cinema" was set at the garden which was cool. The movie was free given that one purchases their snacks. I bought a bottle of beer paired with popcorn.

The movie was called CHANG. True to what a silent movie really is, there were no dialogues between the actors. There were written narratives for the movie watchers to be guided with background sounds and music to match the scenes. The story focuses on a Laotian family who lives in a jungle and the struggles they encountered. The leopards, tigers and elephants were the antagonists of the story. It also showed how the elephants came to be from being wild animals to domesticated ones. The movie was made in the 1920's and was shown as a documentary type. Overall, this silent movie was informative, thrilling and very funny. It gave me a glimpse and made me understand the Laotian past and culture.

5. Visit an Art Gallery

As I was heading back to my hostel, I passed by the Lupe Art Gallery. Since it was still open, I checked the place out. I wasn't disappointed with what I saw. The art pieces were just amazing! I actually learned to appreciate paintings during my visit here. Everything I saw had a story to tell. I felt such strange emotions as I contemplated on most of them.

Most of the paintings were portraits of ordinary people but the art showed otherwise. There were just stunning to look at. I'm not an artist but my sister is and I know how they put in long hours, days or even months just to finish one. And seeing this huge canvass probably took the artist a couple of months. I think its very important to have even small galleries like this to showcase their masterpieces and promote local talent anywhere.

I would definitely recommend this place to everyone, artists or non-artists alike. These contemporary art pieces are proof of the raw talent that the Lao people have. The Lupe Art Gallery is located at the Kingkitsarath Road.

6. Chill out at Utopia

With our survival of an epic 26 hour bus trip from Sapa, Vietnam to Luang Prabang, Laos; Kelsey, Paul, Kyoshi and I met at Utopia! The perfect place to celebrate such an amazing adventure you probably wouldn't want to try. This place is a go-to for travellers to meet other travellers or just relax with some friends.

I love the ambiance of the place. The open area facing the Nam Khan river was relaxing. And the food was good too. The staff were attentive and very friendly. I arrived around 9:00 pm but the place was already pack with people!

Kyoshi, our Japanese friend who just turned 21, told us that this was his official start of drinking beer. And Paul, our Canadian guy sure taught him a lot of advices about drinking. We ended ordering two beer towers for Kyoshi. The smile on his face tells it all.

We enjoyed the rest of the night getting to know each other. I missed the three of them. They were one of those awesome people I would never forget. My nightlife experience in Luang Prabang was laid back, relaxing yet fun. And the Lao people were just very kind and accommodating. I'm sure I'm coming back to this place.

Thank you for reading and you should try all those I listed above. It made my stay there memorable. Stay tuned, Steem on and Always remember...

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