An expert expat’s tips for Luang Prabang, Laos

The expat

Expat Robert Brennan is now GM for Lao Poet Hotel and Satri House in Laos.

Hailing from Gympie in south-east Queensland, Robert Brennan spent two decades in hospitality in Sydney when he went on a holiday to South-East Asia in 2010. A chance meeting saw him sell his Sydney cafe and start opening a series of hotels and cafes in Penang and Sarawak in Malaysia before he took up the role of general manager for Lao Poet Hotel in Vientiane and Satri House in Luang Prabang, where he has lived since 2018. See satrihouse.com

See

One of the best things in Luang Prabang is its Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre. It’s quite small, but it’s a really well-curated permanent exhibition that shows Laos’ diverse cultures and ethnicities, which a lot of people aren’t aware of. They’re always holding new exhibitions, workshops or maybe hosting a musician playing a traditional instrument, and they sell locally made products and handwoven textiles, which are so beautiful. See taeclaos.org

Do

The best view over Luang Prabang.Credit: iStock

Climb the top of Mount Phousi, right in the centre of town. It’s about 600 steps up to a little temple at the top with the most incredible view over Luang Prabang, down the Mekong and the mountains all around. Sunset from here is spectacular.

Eat

Khao Soi noodle shop, opposite Wat Sen on Main Street, opens in the morning and closes when it’s sold out. Khao soi here is different to the khao soi in northern Thailand. It is pork broth with rice noodles, tomato, fermented soybean paste and a thick, bolognaise-like sauce. And you get a serve of watercress, fresh mint, bean sprouts, fresh lime and chilli to add to the soup to take it to another level.

Drink

Mekong views at Belle Rive.Credit: Alamy

I go to the Belle Rive, right on the Mekong, to sit and watch the sunset and have a Beerlao, the local bottled beer, which is really delicious. They’ve released a new range of flavours including a dark, an IPA and a white lager, but the original is the best. Bar snacks here include kai pen; dried river reeds that are deep-fried and served with a jeow (chilli sauce). See the-belle-rive-terrace.business.site

Avoid

A temple inside Royal Palace complex in Luang Prabang.Credit: iStock

One of the most beautiful things in LP is the giving of alms to monks in the morning. So the first thing you’re thinking of when you wake up is someone else, not yourself. It’s a reflection of Laos’ culture, community and sense of self. I noticed the opposite when I came back to Australia during the pandemic. The locals are trying to cash in on it and sell food to tourists to give to the monks but it’s often not of good quality. Instead, let your hotel arrange healthy, nutritious food or fruit, not just biscuits and soft drink, and they’ll help teach you how to behave. Yes, you want to get the best photo, but you need to respect what’s going on. Stepping in front of monks to get a photo or using flash photography is so disrespectful.

Thrive

Spicy ripe papaya salad or som tum Luang Prabang, Laos-style.

The local treatment to sober up quickly is to eat a serve of papaya salad. If you’re at a party with Laotians and they’re going home after a few beers, they always eat from the papaya salad station (every party has one) before jumping on their motorbikes. I don’t know if it works or not, but it’s what everyone does.