Laos — Night Market, Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos

Not a local's market

September 2015

I went searching for the Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ) night market, and I was disappointed.

I like a good night market, and my favourites are like the ones I have visited in Sibu, Malaysia. That is, a night market that sells things for locals, such as food (meat, fish, and vegetables), snacks of all shapes and sizes, clothes, and household stuff. Any market that does not sell what a local would need, in my book, is not a real night market, and the Night Market in Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ) was not a real night market.

The Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ) night market was all clothes and souvenirs. It was a tourist market.

I eventually found some cooked food at the Post Office end of the market, but, again, it was aimed at the tourists and not the locals.

Walking down to the market from my hotel, I was treated to a beautiful late evening sky.

Juices for sale at the night market.

There seemed to be several stalls selling small, highly decorated bags.

And some stalls selling material and scarves.

And I could have bought a small painting or postcard to remember my trip.

The Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ) night market was difficult to get around as all the stalls had gazebo type awnings, that were short and with the poles of each canopy very close together. That meant it was difficult for someone tall to avoid walking into a gazebo pole or cracking their head on the metal frame. I had to walk with a permanent stoop to avoid hitting my head.

Overall, I was not impressed with the Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ) night market, as I was hoping for a locals market where I could try some street food and look at what the locals bought. The Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ) night market was a tourist trap.

Foursquare: Night Market