Night Market
Overview
- Luang Prabang night market is a must-experience. It’s an amazing sight and offers the most extensive collection of handicrafts in the country. With around 250 handicraft vendors who sell their hand-made products nightly, the market showcases an extensive variety of handicrafts made by local ethnic groups. On display are many types of textiles, exquisite ceramics, antiques, paintings, coffee and tea, quilts, shoes, silver, bags, ornaments and cutlery made from recycled bombs. There are a lot of interesting items on display at the night market that are hard to find elsewhere.
Open Hours
- The market is open daily from 5pm to about 10pm.
Access
It is located along Sisavangvong Road from the Tourism office and heads towards the Royal Palace Museum. Every evening a few hundred meter stretch of road is closed to vehicle traffic and turned into a walking and shopping street while the market takes place.
History
One major attraction and point when shopping here you are helping the local comunity. Purchasing items here will not only help the traders to earn a living, it also empowers the local families who produce goods to further develop their skills and help them get out of poverty.
The market continues past the National Museum, so it makes for a great stroll in the cool of the evening, even if you don’t plan to shop. Along the way, sample some local food and drink or treat yourself to one of the great restaurants along main street when you finish browsing. Entangled in the market life on both sides and down small side lanes are the traditional local fare, from sticky rice and grilled chicken, papaya salad, steamed fish in banana leaf, grilled fish in sea salt.Fruit blends with locally grown produce, teas and iced coffee and the cross cultural baguettes form the French era with a touch of Luang prabang.
The night market is one of the attractions that can be visited every night, and you will find something new or something you missed the first time. Strolling through the market stopping at the wide selection of stalls, you’ll forget the time.
