Laos Travel Day 5: Luang Prabang Food & Vientiane 2026
On Day 5 of our Laos adventure, we discovered an amazing Khao Piak noodle spot in Luang Prabang! Then, it was off to sunny Vientiane for a perfect end to the trip.
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On Day 5 of our Laos adventure, we discovered an amazing Khao Piak noodle spot in Luang Prabang! Then, it was off to sunny Vientiane for a perfect end to the trip.
Hearing rumors of a fantastic Khao Piak spot in Luang Prabang,
we diligently cycled there bright and early: to Xieng Thong Noodle & Soup.
It wasn't super close to our accommodation,
but it was a perfectly manageable distance by bike.
And for us, who love cycling, even a bit of distance was -
pure joy! Haha!
We ordered Khao Piak Moo, made with pork, and Khao Piak Khai, made with egg.
If you want both pork and egg, just ask for Khao Piak Moo Khai!
The noodles were thick, like medium-sized hand-cut noodles, with a wonderfully soft, almost melting texture.
The broth had a familiar, savory meat flavor, somewhat like Korean seolleongtang (beef bone soup) or kalguksu (noodle soup), making it absolutely delicious.
And those garlic flakes on top? Chef's kiss!
They recommended soaking nurungji (crispy rice crust) in the broth after finishing the noodles,
and it was, predictably, incredibly delicious! Haha!
📍 Xieng Thong Noodle
V4WV+QHF, Luang Prabang, Laos
After a hearty breakfast,
we suddenly realized our flight to Vientiane was fast approaching,
so we were rushing back to our accommodation when!
a charming cafe with an amazing vibe appeared right before our eyes!!
Oh, a place like this? I just *had* to go in! Haha!
(Even though we still needed to pack at our guesthouse and head to the airport.)
And the friendly owner kept inviting us in~ Pfft, haha!
It was unlike anything we'd seen in our area,
a sophisticated cafe with a distinct European flair! LOL!
We ordered one croissant and two Americanos,
but after a long wait, they still hadn't arrived...
Perhaps it was busy, or maybe our order was simply missed... ugh, a real shame! ㅠ_ㅠ
With our flight time looming, I don't know what it was, but I desperately wanted that coffee and pastry.
We had to politely insist to get our order, but we finally did!
And as expected,
the coffee was strong and flavorful, and the bread (no photo, unfortunately!) was equally delicious~
I wished we'd discovered this place earlier; we would've come back multiple times. What a pity!
📍 Zurich Bread Factory & Cafe
Sakkaline Rd, Luang Prabang, Laos
Today,
we're leaving Luang Prabang on a 1:30 PM flight,
and heading to Vientiane!
The weather in Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang has been consistently bad, which made traveling a bit tough.
I really hope Vientiane welcomes us with clear skies!
Just a little tip:
Luang Prabang Airport is genuinely small with not much to see.
It's also pretty close to the city center, so you can afford to leave a bit later than you might expect~
Finally, after a good wait, it was time to board our flight!!
Our flight was with an airline called 'Lao Skyway',
The plane was SO tiny, it was almost adorable! Haha.
It was quite funny to see everyone bending their heads to board.
Lao Skyway even served coconut cookies and water! What a treat!!
Even though it was pricier, it felt so much better than Jeju Air, which offered absolutely no service at all, haha!
The seats were a bit snug,
but since it was just an hour's flight, it didn't feel too uncomfortable. (I might have been swayed by those delicious cookies though!)
And just like that, we finally arrived in Vientiane!
I got a great vibe as soon as we landed. This was the first time I'd really felt the heat during my entire Laos trip! Haha.
After all those chilly days, the bright sunshine was a truly welcome sight.
Before catching our flight back to Korea, we had about 7 hours to explore Vientiane.
Our first stop was the Lighthouse Rest Stop, a convenient hub where we could store our luggage, exchange currency, and even book tours.
We hopped into a taxi, said "LIGHT HOUSE", and our driver knew exactly where to go.
After dropping off our bags at the Lighthouse Rest Stop, on our way out, they showed us a map highlighting local eateries and tourist attractions,
so I quickly snapped a photo.
📍 Lighthouse Rest Stop (Vientiane)
060, Unit 07, Watchan Village, Chantabuly District, Vientiane Capital, Laos
Next, we visited Pha That Luang, considered the most sacred stupa in all of Laos.
The dazzling golden stupa was truly magnificent.
With such glorious sunshine after a long time, everything honestly just looked beautiful, haha!
Not sure what this was, but I took a picture anyway, haha!
Oh! And I was wearing the wrap skirt I bought in Luang Prabang the day before.
It was super comfy and actually prettier than I expected, which put me in a great mood ~
And this is
the square home to Patuxai, a monument built to commemorate the Laotians who died in various wars.
When I first saw Patuxai, I immediately thought it looked a lot like the Arc de Triomphe in France,
and it turns out it was indeed built inspired by the Arc de Triomphe! How cool is that!
And here's the breathtaking panoramic view of Vientiane from the top of Patuxai!
It's definitely clear it's the capital, with such well-laid-out roads.
Everything just feels so satisfying today, haha!
📍 Pha That Luang Temple (Golden Stupa)
XJGP+PJ2, Vientiane, Laos
📍 Patuxai Arch of Triumph
XJC9+6FR, P.D.R, Vientiane, Laos
And we also visited what's famous as a local Vientiane foodie spot,
the Dogani Guksu (Beef Tendon Noodle Soup) restaurant ~
As soon as I took a bite, I understood why it's so famous. The meaty broth flavor is absolutely incredible, seriously! Haha.
It tastes quite similar to Korea's Dogani-tang (Ox Knee Soup)? Or perhaps Galbi-tang (Short Rib Soup)? The flavor is spot on!
They also had something like suyuk (boiled sliced meat), so I tried ordering that,
and it was absolutely delicious! The drinks just kept flowing ~
It's even tastier if you generously add and mix in the accompanying mung bean sprouts, cilantro, and more!
📍 Dogani Guksu (Beef Tendon Noodle Soup)
XJ84+V39, Here, Vientiane, Laos
Before heading to the airport, we grabbed some skewers at the night market ~ and enjoyed some mangoes too ~~
There were also street performances happening,
so we just casually strolled around
This is a pub near the night market,
and I had a beer with some Korean friends I'd started traveling with since yesterday ~
I'm totally over Lao beer now, lol. Blanc is the best!
I drank way too much beer, so I went to the airport not feeling my best ㅠㅠ
After checking my luggage, I was just spacing out when they kept calling my name over the loudspeaker.
I wondered what on earth was going on, so I went back to the counter,
and it turned out I'd checked my power bank in with my luggage ㅠㅠ! They'd been announcing my name at the counter for ages!!! OMG ~
If I hadn't eventually heard them, my suitcase almost would've been left behind in Laos ~ haha
Anyway, after re-checking my luggage, it was time to board Jeju Air!
Then came another hour of discomfort ~ Why on earth was my seatback fixed this time?! ~
Seriously, Jeju Air... the seats are ridiculously cramped, and if the seatback is fixed, shouldn't they inform you during check-in?! ;;
I had really high hopes for my Laos trip,
but for someone like me who's scared of water and doesn't really enjoy activities,
it wasn't really the best travel destination. Plus, the airline definitely played a part in that!
And so, this Laos travel post comes to an end! Poof!
If you want Khao Piak with both pork and egg at 'Xiengthong Noodle & Soup', you can order it by saying 'Khao Piak Moo Khai'. A dish with only pork costs 12,000 Lao Kip, and a dish with only egg costs 14,000 Lao Kip.
For the 1:30 PM flight from Luang Prabang to Vientiane, I used 'Lao Skyway' airline. This airline provided coconut cookies and water as service, and the aircraft was rather small and cute.
Before returning to Korea from Vientiane, during the approximately 7-hour layover, I visited 'LIGHT HOUSE' for luggage storage, currency exchange, and tour bookings. I was also able to get a map showing popular restaurants and tourist attractions there.
'Patuxai' was constructed as a monument to commemorate Laotians who died in war, inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in France. From atop Patuxai, you can overlook the panoramic view of Vientiane.
Vientiane's 'Dogani Guksu' has a meat broth flavor similar to Korea's Dogani-tang (ox knee soup) or Galbi-tang (beef short rib soup). You can enjoy it even more deliciously by adding plenty of the accompanying bean sprouts and cilantro and mixing them in.
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