I will be in Luang Prabang for a week.....what are your suggestions? What specific tour companies would you use for day trips etc? Thanks for your help!!!!!

I wouldn't use tour companies. Absolutely no need.

Suggestions: In addition to visiting the wats in the main part of town, also visit those off the tourist track. Pause and talk with the monks.

Visit the old Palace, which is now a museum. Quite an odd collection...

Walk up Mt. Phousi

Hire a tuk tuk or car and driver to take you to the water falls - there are two different sets of falls.

Hire a boat to take you to the Pak Ou caves, a Buddhist pilgrimage site for hundreds of years. The river journey is a treat in and of itself.

Visit the weaving co-op outside of town.

Have a long, lingering lunch on the balcony of the Villa Santi.

Wander the markets.

I couldn't remember for companies but I strongly suggest to take an about 3 day tour with local boats+ trekking to visit villages. Very authentic.

i would stroll around and just enjoy myself... i read mixed opinions about the cave up the river..

Reading Stalking the Elephant Kings by Christopher Kremmer will significantly enhance you experience of Luang Prabang. It is long out of print, but you'll be able to find it online somewhere.

The Pak Ou caves are one of those places where it pays to understand what you are looking at. It is a 500 year old Buddhist pilgrimage site, with offerings of Buddha images. It has been looted by tourists and locals to sell to tourists, so some images are broken, and the most beautiful of the images are gone. But it is still imbued with the spiritual power of a centuries old religious pilgrimage site. If this appeals to you, go, if not, don't. I'd avoid he usual stop at a Lao-Lao village on the way.

Relax, ricky. Luang Prabang will reveal itself to you. Trust me. You don't have to organise a damn thing. Just get a hotel and go out walking. You'll find your Luang Prabang. If you feel like a trip out to the three quite boring tourist places, then go. They are a little bit interesting - more as a way to just have a day outside town. It depends on you.

If you're well-traveled in S.E. Asia, you'll recognise very fast that the best bit about Luang Prabang is Luang Prabang.

Pak Ou, the weaving village and Kuang si have long been busy tourist traps and do not show the town in its best light. You could easily spend 2 or 3 days just wandering around the town visiting the many wats. Dawn and dusk are the best times to get some very atmospheric photos and it is obviously much quieter then.

I agree with nikosk's suggestion re a trip out of town for a few days to see the "real" Lao - the further away from LP you go the better the experience will be. It is easy enough to find a guide just by asking around but if you are unsure about this tehn there are several travel companies along teh main street who will organise this for you on arrival (at a price!).

Most operators will offer homestays in the minority peoples villages and some will have more tourist type accomodation out in the country side with a few more creature comforts.There are numerous.

Climbing Mount Phousi on a clear day will provide some great views (on a clear day) again best in teh early morning or evening.

Otherwise just chill out at some of the great restaurants around town and watch the world go by..

Pak Ou is mildly underwhelming, but the boat trip is wonderful. Be sure to get out on the water while you're there.

Have a drink or four at Icon Klub and say hi to Lisa, the best bar mistress on the planet.

If your budget allows and you're into elephants, Shangri Lao is an excellent elephant trekking company.

Kuang Si is nice for a swim and a bit of a hike about in the morning before everybody arrives.

Otherwise, just get a bike, cruise around and chill out.

THANK YOU EVERYONE....I have spent months in Asia and am very comfortable on my own. I appreciate your suggestions and will just BE! My plan is to stay at the Villa Chitdana on Khousnsua....are you familiar with the hotel? Do you have any other suggestions before I book? AGAIN...thank you!

Kathie.. thank you for the book suggestion....I was able to track it down!

Great! I think you'll enjoy the book and you'll have a deeper experience of Luang Prabang.

Yes get a bike and just go and as Dogster says the best bit about LP is LP itself

MAJOR PROBLEM I DO NOT HAVE A HOTEL...THE ONE I THOUGHT I HAD IS FULL....I WANT TO BE IN OLD TOWN
HELP

>>Pak Ou is mildly underwhelming, but the boat trip is wonderful.

Totally agree with this. It's about the journey. Hire your own boat - not expensive.

And yes, rent a bike.

I stayed at Sanyo's guest house. Great place in old town - nothing fancy, though. I'll look up the email address if you want it (at that time, I don't think they had a website).