Cycling in Luang Prabang - Laos
I really enjoyed cycling around Luang Prabang on this trip. The biggest issue I found was hiring reasonable bikes. With hindsight, I wish I had brought my own. Nevertheless, I got hold of a Trinx and a Trek Marlin which worked and allowed me to do both paved and gravel routes in the two weeks I spent here.
The area is not great for road biking, simply due to the lack of roads! But the gravel and dirt roads were in good condition and a lot of fun, with very little traffic. They allow you to see a different side of Laos from the beautiful, but touristy center of Luang Prabang.
Below you can find the routes of some of the favourite rides that I did, as well as some information about what to expect riding in this area.
Most of these routes were part of a longer cycling trip that I did through South East Asia in the winter of 2022-23. Other destinations on the trip include Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Hua Hin and Hoi An.
Luang Prabang Circle
The best short loop around Luang Prabang
This 51km loop is one of my favourite cycling routes around Luang Prabang, and I rode it several times. It begins by crossing the wooden bridge over the Nam Khan river and following side roads around the back of the airport.
After 7.5km you join the main 13 highway. This is a popular road with cycle tourists, particularly the section from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, although many also continue north on their way to China, Thailand or Vietnam.
The road has a few cars and trucks but is not too busy and traffic is mostly slow moving. After around 11km the route turns right and follows a rolling route alongside the Nam Xuang River.
Crossing the Nam Khan River
This is the start of the most scenic section, as the paved asphalt turns into a very scenic dirt road and passes through a couple of very charming traditional villages.
A fun rolling section takes you down to another paved roads alongside the Nam Khan River, which is then followed back into Luang Prabang.
This is a good route to ride on hybrid bikes - I rented a Trek Marlin in the town which wasn't in the best condition, but still handled the unpaved sections without any problems. Check out the full route details in the link below:
Ride with Gps Route
Kuang Si Waterfalls
Paved road to Kuang Si
This ride to the Kuang Si Waterfalls is more about the destination than the journey. It follows one road most of the way (1), heading south-west out of Luang Prabang. The road is paved and in pretty good condition and is not too busy in terms of traffic - mostly just tourists being ferried to and from the waterfalls.
The classic image of Kuang Si Waterfalls (be aware that it may not look like this in the dry season!)
I found the riding to be pleasant, but not really spectacular. It looks on the map like you would get some nice views of the Mekong, but they were very fleeting, with the great river mostly hidden. Still, cycling was a nicer and more comfortable way to get to the waterfalls than some of the other vehicles I saw on the road!
The waterfalls themselves are impressive. You leave the bike at the parking lot, buy a ticket and do a short hike up. In the dry season they probably won't look like they do in the photos, but it's still worth a visit!
Check out the link below for route details. It is also possible to visit Kuang Si using a mountain bike from the Ban Long ride listed below.
Ride with Gps Route
Chomphet Ride
There are several nice temples on the north bank of the Mekong
This is another of my favourite rides in Luang Prabang. It's quite a tough 60km loop, with much of the ride on a very rolling dirt trail.
The route begins by taking the ferry raft across the Mekong. The raft leaves very regularly, you just turn up and wait in the queue (usually no more than 15 minutes), then ride on board. The crossing takes less than ten minutes.
Once on the other side, I included an optional track which visits some of the impressive wats alongside the Mekong, before returning to the ferry point to begin the main circle.
Bridge crossing on the Chomphet Ride
The dirt road is so much fun to ride. The surface is inconsistent; sometimes it is dirt, sometimes stony, and sometimes a bit sandy - but I was able to ride it all on a Trek Marlin hybrid.
The route is very quiet, passing through a few small villages which are immersed within the jungle. There are a couple of nice river crossings on the route and you can see plenty of wildlife. On one ride here I even saw a King Cobra. I initially thought it must have been a python as it was so big, lying doubled across the dirt road. But then it raised up about one metre off the ground, flared its hood slightly and revealed itself to be the king of snakes! Fortunately, it almost immediately flopped down to the floor and raced off into the jungle, crashing through dried leaves as it went.
After 28km you will reach a junction with a paved road. You can turn right here to include an additional unpaved climb with some steep gradients, or turn left and follow the road back to the ferry point and Luang Prabang.
Click the link below for a map and details of the ride.
Ride with Gps Route
Ban Long & Exploring Luang Prabang
Most of the road to Ban Long was gravel, but better condition than this section
Most of this 58km route is an out and back ride to the village of Ban Long, situated on a hill above Luang Prabang. The ride follows a gravel road which is in good condition and passes through several traditional villages.
The climb is not very steep and ends with a long rolling plateau to Ban Long. From Ban Long there is a trail that loops down to the Kuang Si waterfall - this is popular with hikers, but is also possible to cycle.
Foot bridge across the Nam Khan
The ride returns the same way from Ban Long. Once back on the edge of Luang Prabang I included a short extra climb to the Tad Thong waterfalls, as well as a nice route through town to a scenic cafe (Lang Ban Garden) overlooking the Mekong.
Click the link below to see the route:
Ride with Gps Route
Phousi & Mekong Temples Hike
Phousi Hill
This final route is a hike and is not possible to cycle. It is basically composed of two parts, so you could do it all together in one day or split it over two days.
The first part takes the ferry across the Mekong and walks along the bank of the river, visiting four different wat complexes. These are quite remote, on the edge of the jungle and are very serene.
The route loops back to the ferry port along a nice dirt trail.
There are quite a few steps on this hike!
After taking the ferry back across the Mekong, the route crosses a very cool rope bridge over the Nam Khan, before climbing Phousi Hill.
The hill is a sacred site and there are various temples, wats and stupas on the way to explore. From the top there are great views of Luang Prabang, in particular the confluence of the great Mekong and Nam Khan rivers.
The hike finishes by descending Phousi Hill back into the heart of Luang Prabang.
Ride with Gps Route
Overview
I found Luang Prabang to be a great place for cycling, as long as you don't mind riding your fair share of gravel and dirt roads. In the winter it was dry with pleasant temperatures, and I was able to ride a good variety of routes.The real attraction though is the city of Luang Prabang itself. Set in the midst of the jungle, on the banks of the Mekong, it is perhaps the most chamring city I have visited in South East Asia. There are plenty of temples to visit as well as impressive buildings from the French colonial era. The food is also delicious, to me it seemed to be an exquisite hybrid of Laotian, French and Vietnamese cuisines!
There is a French and Vietnamese influence on Luang Prabang's cuisine
I didn't initially plan to stay here for so long, but really enjoyed the atmosphere in the city, as well as the surrounding routes. I ended up taking the boat to Chiang Rai to continue cycling in a different country which was a very nice experience (there were only four other people on the entire boat which made it very relaxing!).
As well as being great for day rides, Luang Prabang can also be part of a longer tour. A popular cycle touring route follows the 13 road from Vientiane, through Luang Prabang and then on towards Nong Khiaw. From here you can head towards Thailand, Vietnam or China.
The boat takes two days to reach the Thai border
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