For anyone who has ever ventured to Luang Prabang, where there is a large number of handmade items telling a story about the place and the people, to admit that long after leaving, the sight of a special souvenir will remind a candid memory or feeling they experienced during a trip away. Indochina travel Laos
Luang Prabang’s night market – source: landlopers.com
Thought to be one of the best handicraft markets in Southeast Asia, Luang Prabang’s night market which is held every night from 16:30 till 21:30 on the main street (Sisavangvong Road), is also awarded with the title of the most relaxed one. Shoppers can browse without inconvenience and enjoy easy-going experience of bargaining.
Besides the pervasive backpacker elephant pants, hoodies, Beerlao and T-shirts which will keep you warm during these December’s freezing nights, embroidered bags, handwoven scarves and stuffed animals are some items made from saa paper notebooks, recycled fabric and Hmong skirts. Although though be warned that increasingly stuff from Vietnam and China are popping up in stalls, all the goods you can find have a lovely handmade quality to them, you can also ask them for the factory made these items. Tours in Laos
The Morning Market – source: luangprabangbackpackershostel.com
Handmade elephant slippers, which not only are soft and cushy but also instantly make you nostalgic for Laos when wearing them at home, are the absolute must buy here. And buy extra pairs to do yourself a favor. Do not be the one who regret for not having bought more. You may pay 25,000 kip for slippers and the larger the size is, the higher the price goes up. And if you buy more, of course, it is “Discount for you!”.
Keeping on with the foodie theme, the Morning Market, whose lane runs parallel to the Mekong, from the Kitsalat Road, is an ideal place for you to wander to take a look at many strange kinds of vegetables as well as get some packets of delicious local snacks. The crunchy deep-fried mushrooms with kaffir lime and chilies, biscuits made from coconut and rice flour then glazed with caramelized sugar, the peanuts roasted with garlic, lemongrass and kaffir lime, dried bael fruit to make the finest bael fruit tea, all of which cost you from 20,000 to 50,000 kip, are highly recommended. Although the fresh market starts runs at 05:00 and peters out at 09:00, you will still be able to purchase dry goods and snacks all day.
The Paper & Weaving Village – source: peacetour.com.vn
If you want to buy Saa paper, hand paper made from mulberry tree bark, you can go to the Paper & Weaving Village. Here you can observe the way local women skillfully spread the pulp across thin mesh and then decorate the paper with flowers before drying it at Simone’s Saa Paper shop. A pretty paper -the result of the process then will be crafted into boxes, lanterns, journals and cards that you can get with only cost a couple of dollars. You can cross the old motorbike bridge and have a 20-minute bicycle ride following the road along the Mekong to get to the village.
From 100,000 kip, you can get some chickens, chameleons, geckos and bats toys as well as wacky dolls. All of these plush toys are made by Akha Biladjo, a self-sufficient project in distant Phongsali province, where Akha women have preserved their traditional sewing skills to make these modern and funky creations.
For anyone who has ever ventured to Luang Prabang, where there is a large number of handmade items telling a story about the place and the people, to admit that long after leaving, the sight of a special souvenir will remind a candid memory or feeling they experienced during a trip away.
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