Location
Luang Prabang is a city in Laos, a land-locked country in Southeast Asia. There is an airport outside of town, as well as the newly created high-speed train that will get you from Vientiane in the south to Luang Prabang in just 2 hours. Luang Prabang sits on the intersection of where the Nam Khan River flows into the Mekong River.
Kid-Friendliness?
Luang Prabang is a very easy town to get around with children. It is easy to walk or push a stroller around town, and minivans make it easy to use public transportation with children. It is extremely easy to find food picky children would eat, as there are bakeries and fresh fruit shakes all over town.
Famous Landmark
The Mekong River is the highlight of the city, and many of the guesthouses and restaurants are crowded onto the road adjacent to the bank of the Mekong.
Shopping
There is both a morning market and a night market in Luang Prabang and both are fun for shopping in very different ways. The morning market is a local food market set up on the streets close to the Mekong. It is fun to try all sorts of different snacks. I love showing my kids all the different foods (like frogs and dried water buffalo skin) that they would not normally see in the grocery store!
The night market in Luang Prabang is many blocks long in the center of town near Phousi Hill. There is a large food stall area and then tents set up in the street with clothes, souvenirs, and handicrafts.
Green Space
The walk down by the Nam Khan River from where it flows into the Mekong has a ‘boardwalk’ feel about it. Another possible green space is to take a day trip out to the Kuang Si waterfall where you can hike up levels of the waterfall and swim in the crystal-clear water.
Kid Activity
The Kuang Si waterfall is a fun day trip for the whole family. You can picnic next to the falls and there are shallower areas for young children to splash around in. Simple activities like taking a boat down the Mekong, visiting the morning market, and experiencing the night market make for fun activities for the kids as well.