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Luang Prabang is the ancient capital of Laos and the cultural homeland of the nation. It is a gem of city, nestled on the banks of the Mekong River, and home to some of Laos' most famous temples and treasures. It is also a visitor's dream, a small easily negotiated town that offers something for everyone. We have visited Laos twice, once midway through our 10 year stay in Singapore and most recently in January of 2018. On our second visit we took the panorama, photos and videos needed to assemble the three virtual tours shown below. They reflect three different aspects of life in Luang Prabang. They are available as desktop tours (which requires internet access) or as apps for mobile devices (which can be used offline). The apps also work in VR mode with headsets such as Google Cardboard for a real "you are there" experience.

Mekong River Cruise:
River CruiseThe Mekong River is the lifeblood of this interior city, and much of the commercial traffic in and out of Luang Prabang uses the river as its main thoroughfare. It is also a tourist venue, and we took an overnight trip on the river, from Luang Prabang to Pak Beng. We visited the Pak Ou Caves and Ban Baw village enroute to our overnight stay at Luangsay Lounge. This tour covers the sights of this voyage up the Mekong River.


Mekong River Cruise, Luang Prabang, Laos
Mekong Cruise Departure PierSnap Content
Virtual Reality Tour for VR Headsets:

There is also a version of this tour designed specifically for VR headsets such as Google Cardboard, and it works with both iPhone and Android devices. It may be access by scanning on the QR code to the left. If you are viewing this on a mobile phone, you may access the VR tour by following this link.


For iOS devices: scan QR code with your device's camera app, tap on the prompt to open Safari. Select "Allow Device Motion" and the next prompt, "Allow Access to Motion Orientation." Turn the device to landscape mode and a split screen will appear. When the screen turns white, swipe up for fullscreen mode, and place in headset. Here is a video of how to do this--it is simpler than it sounds! [The video opens in a new window--close when done to return to this page]

For Android devices: Open the camera app and use the built-in scanner to scan the QR code above. Confirm that you want to open the website, and wait for it to load--it should load in stereo view. Select the fullscreen ("X" option) from the menu at the bottom. Turn the device to landscape mode and you are ready to go. Here is a video of how to do this--it is simpler than it sounds! [The video opens in a new window--close when done to return to this page]
Tour of Luang Prabang's Old City:
Old City TourThe old city of Luang Prabang is located on a peninsula at the northern end of the city, and is about 4 city blocks wide and no more than 10 blocks deep. Yet crowded within this area is enough to keep visitors occupied for days. The tour below takes one through a typical day of sightseeing in the old city. It begins with the alms-giving ceremony and morning market, then continues to Wat Xieng Thong before heading south down Sakkaline street to visit the Ock Tok Pop Crafts Center and Ban Jek, Luang Prabang's China town. Continuing south, the tour visits the most sacred site in the city, Wat Ho Pra Bang and the nearby Royal Palace Museum. Finally the tour ascends Mount Phousi before ending at the night market.

Luang Prabang, Laos Old City Tour
Morning MarketSnap Content


Virtual Reality Tour for VR Headsets:

There is also a version of this tour designed specifically for VR headsets such as Google Cardboard, and it works with both iPhone and Android devices. It may be access by scanning on the QR code to the left. If you are viewing this on a mobile phone, you may access the VR tour by following this link.


For iOS devices: scan QR code with your device's camera app, tap on the prompt to open Safari. Select "Allow Device Motion" and the next prompt, "Allow Access to Motion Orientation." Turn the device to landscape mode and a split screen will appear. When the screen turns white, swipe up for fullscreen mode, and place in headset. Here is a video of how to do this--it is simpler than it sounds! [The video opens in a new window--close when done to return to this page]

For Android devices: Open the camera app and use the built-in scanner to scan the QR code above. Confirm that you want to open the website, and wait for it to load--it should load in stereo view. Select the fullscreen ("X" option) from the menu at the bottom. Turn the device to landscape mode and you are ready to go. Here is a video of how to do this--it is simpler than it sounds! [The video opens in a new window--close when done to return to this page]
Wats of Luang Prabang:
Luang Prabang is home to scores of temples as a major Buddhist center. This tour covers the most significant wats in the old city area, and these wats span the timeline of the city's history. The tour begins at the north end of the old city's peninsula, at Wat Xieng Thong, and heads south through the old city, visiting Wat Sen, Wat Siphoutthabath,and Wat Mai before ascending Mount Phousi to view Wat Chomsi. Descending the mountain, the tour visits Wat Pa Houk before swinging to the east to visit Wat Aham and Wat Visoun.



Wats of Luang Prabang, Laos
Xieng Thong CourtyardSnap Content

Virtual Reality Tour for VR Headsets:

There is also a version of this tour designed specifically for VR headsets such as Google Cardboard, and it works with both iPhone and Android devices. It may be access by scanning on the QR code to the left. If you are viewing this on a mobile phone, you may access the VR tour by following this link.


For iOS devices: scan QR code with your device's camera app, tap on the prompt to open Safari. Select "Allow Device Motion" and the next prompt, "Allow Access to Motion Orientation." Turn the device to landscape mode and a split screen will appear. When the screen turns white, swipe up for fullscreen mode, and place in headset. Here is a video of how to do this--it is simpler than it sounds! [The video opens in a new window--close when done to return to this page]

For Android devices: Open the camera app and use the built-in scanner to scan the QR code above. Confirm that you want to open the website, and wait for it to load--it should load in stereo view. Select the fullscreen ("X" option) from the menu at the bottom. Turn the device to landscape mode and you are ready to go. Here is a video of how to do this--it is simpler than it sounds! [The video opens in a new window--close when done to return to this page]





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