"Laos' Cultural Capital" Luang Prabang by Willettsworld

Located along the Mekong River, about 425km north of Vientiane in the middle of the northern part of Laos, Luang Prabang was once the capital and is still considered to be its religious and cultural heart. The city was formerly the capital of a kingdom of the same name. Until the communist takeover in 1975, it was the royal capital and seat of government of the Kingdom of Laos. The city is also notable as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its historical temples, royal palace (which is now open as a museum) and many French provincial style houses. Along with all of this, there's a glut of art galleries, some superb restaurants and bars and a very good night market. Its palm-lined riverbanks, ochre daubed houses and tidy streets make it a very popular tourist destination - probably more so that the country's capital, Vientiane.

I came to Luang Prabang on the slow boat from Huay Xai on the Thai border which takes 2 days with an overnight stop at the small village of Pak Beng. The trip passes by some picturesque stilt villages and gives you a chance to mingle with the locals as they also travel on the boat. I liked Luang Prabang a lot but found it a little pretentious what with the art galleries and posh French restaurants.