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RTW Trip Day #47: Reflections on the Namkhan Hotel and Luang Prabang
- andrewsco3
- Nov 16
- 3 min read
14 November 2025
Steps: 2,431
Today was a relax and recharge day, and we decided that we would stay at the resort, rather than travel into town, so we spent time relaxing by the pool, going to the gym, homeschooling and packing our bags, as we leave early tomorrow morning. As I don’t have too much to write about today, I wanted to share my thoughts on our wonderful stay at the Namkhan hotel, as well as our time in Laos in general.
The Namkhan Hotel
Our time at the Namkhan has been absolutely wonderful. From the moment we arrived five nights ago, we were looked after so well by the entire staff, especially Carl the General Manager.
Carl introduced himself on the first day while the girls and I were playing in the pool with a “you must be Andrew, Jessica and Evelyn,” and that really sums up the personal touch of the hotel. All the staff knew each guest’s name. Carl checked in with us every day, asked what we had planned, offered advice, and made sure we had everything we needed, including arranging transport to Kuang Si Falls.
The hotel upgrading us to a villa was incredible and it genuinely made our stay feel extra special. The kids loved having the extra space, and I think the team realised from reading our blog that we’d been travelling for a long time and would really appreciate the extra breathing room. The villa was also right next to the pool, which couldn’t have been more convenient for the kids.
While we were eating dinner tonight, Carl brought over a complimentary drink as a thank you for staying at the hotel and to wish us well on our travels. The cocktail was the hotel specialty, a green curry cocktail - it sounds strange, but if you ever stay here you really should try it because it was delicious. I’m already planning to try and recreate it when we get back home!
When we got back to our room after dinner, there were two little Namkhan notebooks on the bed with a note for the girls, which was yet another example of the hotel’s personal touch. We genuinely felt special during our stay.
The hotel even sent us on our way in the morning with a club sandwich each for breakfast, as we were leaving before the restaurant opened.
We had a truly memorable stay, and if we’re ever back in Luang Prabang we’d love to return to the Namkhan.
Our Thoughts on Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang has been one of our favourite places on this trip so far. The old town is beautiful, and the rule that no high-rise buildings can be built because of its UNESCO heritage status really helps it keep that traditional feel. I can’t help but wish I had visited back in 2006 when Susie and I travelled through Asia, before tourism really took off.
It’s probably the place where we’ve seen the most western tourists on our travels, but it never felt overly busy or tacky in the way some Asian towns can become. What surprised me was that many of the western visitors we saw were older travellers.
Since Luang Prabang is relatively expensive compared to other Asian cities, I suppose it attracts wealthier tourists. We didn’t see too many younger backpackers, which was what I had been expecting, though I’m sure there are budget-friendly areas they stay in.
The only downside we came across was the sheer number of Chinese tourists at the main attractions. The Royal Palace and Museum and Kuang Si Falls were especially crowded, with tour bus after tour bus arriving one after another.
It’s hard to criticize people for visiting tourist attractions, as we’re tourists too, but it does get frustrating when huge groups arrive in waves because things feel much more crowded than when individual travellers visit.
What really makes Luang Prabang such a lovely place to visit is the people. The Lao people are incredibly friendly, and we never felt pressured to buy anything, especially at the night market.
It’s a completely different experience from markets in places like Hong Kong or Vietnam where people literally chased us down the street trying to get us back to their stall. The laid-back vibe here was such a refreshing change from much of the rest of Asia.
We’re looking forward to relaxing on the slow boat tomorrow and, after one night in Pak Beng, reaching the Thailand border. Bring on the Thai curries!
Previous Day #46: Kuang Si Falls and Laos Buffalo Dairy Farm