Chapter 20: Luang Prabang markets
There are several markets in Luang Prabang – all of them held daily. While some of these are more tailored towards tourists, others are clearly meant for the local populace when looking at the produce sold.Both categories of markets make however an interesting trip as a traveller. You are much more likely to buy something nice at the souvenir markets, although some of the local markets are much more picturesque, especially if you love travel photography.
Morning market
Located in a long and narrow alley in the backstreets of the peninsula, this is the main market where the locals stop by to shop for groceries. Although the market lasts well into the afternoon, it is at its best in the (early) morning hours.
Whether it is fruits, vegetables or meat – all is sold at this rather informal market. Most of the market stalls are nothing more than a local woman putting down a blanket on the ground and putting her produce onto it!
What to expect at the morning market?
If you are staying at a guesthouse or hotel in Luang Prabang, it is unlikely that you will need to buy any groceries here. If you are however staying in a self-catering apartment, the morning market is a wonderful place to buy all your foodstuff.
That said, even for those who do not need to buy anything the morning market is a fabulous destination for people watching and photography as it gives a perfect look into daily Lao life.
If you are getting hungry or thirsty while visiting the market, there are a few simple stalls selling food and drinks. For food, do not expect much more than some simple noodle meals and grilled meat skewers freshly prepared in front of you. For refreshments, I can recommend the market stall selling great Lao-style iced coffee.
Luang Prabang night market
The night market is one of the most happening markets in the city and is crowded with locals and tourists alike. Contrary to its name the market is actually not really happening in the middle of the night, but rather in the evening hours.
It opens around 5-6pm and closes at 11pm and is best visited around 8 to 9pm when it is at its busiest and all stalls have been set up. I would definitely not recommend going before the sun has actually set and it is not yet fully dark.
The night market is mainly geared towards selling souvenirs to tourists, although it is certainly not the tacky kind of souvenirs. There are stalls selling everything from handicrafts, paintings and woodwork to tea and t-shirts.
It’s definitely fun walking around the night market and even I – not really being someone who usually buys souvenirs – ended up buying quite a few nice gifts and home decorations.
Everything though everything is already decently priced, you can easily get some 30-40 percent off if you haggle, which is certainly recommended if you want to buy more than one item from a seller.
Although there is a separate area of the night market where you can find some hawker food stalls, there are a few stands where some small pastries, cake and ice cream is sold
Food street
If you are looking for some delicious local street food at the night market, you need to step into a side street of Sisavangvong Road. Simply called ‘Food Street’ by the locals, this is the place where in the evening hours you will find dozens of hawker stalls selling delicious street food.
You can find anything from south-east Asian noodles and rice dishes to grilled meats and fish. Especially the grilled fish, prepared with lots of lemongrass and served with a spicy sauce, is delicious.
Note that the seats and tables inside this small alley always belong to a certain food stall. If you sit down somewhere, a person will quickly come over with a menu from which you can order.
Alternatively, just point at anything you fancy from the grill or the dozens of plates and bowls of food which are showcased and just take a seat at the tables belonging to the food stall in question. If you sit down at the tables of a food stall with food from an entirely different hawker stall, you will be asked to move away.
The food served at these stalls is great and it is highly recommend to eat at least once here during your stay in Luang Prabang. All food is cheaply priced, with such dishes as a grilled fish or Pad Thai costing just 3 USD. Add another dollar for a cold Beer Lao!
For the full guide to Luang Prabang's markets, some more background information, and quite some more pictures thrown in, you can read the entire article on my website (Disclaimer: This link is to a website to which I contribute/have a financial interest).
Next up: A half-day trip to the gorgeous Kuang Si Falls