Here in Luang Prabang

In all honestly, we probably didn’t make the most of Luang Prabang. One of our group was really sick and morale suffered. An action packed stay was out of the question. However, if it had to happen anywhere in Laos, Luang Prabang was probably the best place for it; it’s certainly a very attractive spot. The mixture of Buddhist temples and colonial architecture sandwiched in between two rivers make the streets an ideal place to stroll with a fresh fruit shake. There are plenty of markets, shops and cafes to keep you occupied as well.

We managed to cheer ourselves up by eating our way through Luang Prabang’s Gallic influenced cuisine. The French left their mark on Laos, most prominently in the form of baguettes. They’re soft and crusty, and found on every street corner (then all up the street!). Have them filled with banana and peanut butter for breakfast and egg, pate and salad for lunch. They’re also the cheapest food you can buy and having been starved of great bread in Thailand we were sorted!

Once we’d got bored (and bloated) of eating baguettes three times a day, we consulted the Lonely Planet and trotted off in search of the ‘best croissant in Laos’. I opted for an almond croissant which seemed to be filled with some kind of custard - it was divine. Needless to say we were back within 24 hours. 

The ‘best croissant in Laos’ happened to be on the same road as ‘the best noodles in somewhere’ so when our bodies could take no more dough, we found the tiny restaurant and ordered 3 noodle soups. I can’t claim to be an expert on noodle soup but it was definitely the best one I’ve ever had. Packed with ginger, chilli and lime and topped with crispy garlic, it was like the most delicious health food you’ve ever tasted - finished off with a poached egg!

And then there was the stone baked pizza, the carrot cake, the mango crumb, the white chocolate mocha, the cheeky afternoon beer by the Mekong…… we ate well!

Even in the smog, Luang Prabang is a picturesque town and we'd like to return to sample more of the cuisine and activities on offer...