The Tad Kuangxi waterfall in Luang Prabang province. --Photo Teng

Luang Prabang gets star billing on travel website

The Travel and Tour World (TTW) website has named Luang Prabang as one of the top 10 places to visit in 2025.
The website on December 23 shared the top 10 global destinations that are set to shine in 2025, including Luang Prabang.
Luang Prabang was described as being a UNESCO World Heritage Site offering serene Buddhist temples, vibrant night markets, and rich cultural experiences. It attracts travellers seeking tranquility and heritage, the website said.
Other recommended destinations were Green Bay in Wisconsin, United States; Tokyo in Japan; Palermo in Italy; Cartagena in Colombia; Lima in Peru; Reykjavik in Iceland; Queenstown in New Zealand; Kigali in Rwanda, and Kuching in Malaysia.
In another accolade, Luang Prabang was ranked first among the best places to visit in Asia in 2025 out of 22 locations selected by Lonely Planet.
The Lonely Plant website named Luang Prabang as its top choice, followed by Bangkok, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and Hoi An in Vietnam.
Luang Prabang also won an award in a category titled 2024 Green Destinations Top 100 Stories, in recognition of its efforts to ensure responsible tourism and maintain its distinctive appeal.
The town was the first and only destination in Laos to be selected as one of the 2024 Top 100 Destination Sustainability Stories under the theme “Preservation of architectural housing styles in a world heritage area”.
In 2023, Luang Prabang province was also recommended by the American magazine “Time” as one of the 50 greatest places to visit.
The town’s old quarter was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1995 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), which determined that its architecture was culturally significant and worthy of preservation by the United Nations.
Popular attractions in and around the town include the Phu Si stupa, Sae waterfall, Kuangxi waterfall, and the large night market which is renowned for the many handicrafts on sale.

By Siladda Suliyong
 (Latest Update December 27, 2024)