Luang Prabang Early Morning Alms Giving and Wet Market
Description
Anyone making it to Luang Prabang should permit an early morning wake-up call to bear witness and be blessed by giving alms to monks. A ritual so engulfed with spirituality, grace and devotion to Buddhism, nothing short of making it a Laos’ highlight. • Take part in one of the most spiritual rituals in Luang Prabang – the Tak Bat • See hundreds of monks walk through the streets in their saffron-coloured robes • Learn about the deep respect the residents have for Buddhism and the monks during this early morning search for enlightenment.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Guided by a local, English-speaking guide, you will be able to partake in this spiritual moment as he/she will explain the story behind this and observing the utmost respect towards its residents and the monks themselves. A mystical ritual and an integral part of the Buddhist philosophy, visitors may earn merit, or 'bun', towards their next life, enhancing their chances of improving their existence next time around. A long line of monks creates a swirl of orange, accentuated by the soft morning light; the scene is framed by russet monastery roofs, tall palm trees, and whitewashed colonial housing. Within an hour, the monks complete their rounds and melt back into the monasteries-and the streets become quite ordinary again. Although this ritual can be seen in numerous parts of South-East Asia, it’s particularly striking in Luang Prabang because of the density of temples and the concentration of monks. After visit the morning wet market of Luang Prabang before returning to your hotel.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Hotel pickup is available from most centrally located Luang Prabang hotels. Transfer outside these areas, supplements apply.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- This tour is operated on full private basis with English-speaking guide. Other languages are on request / subject to availability and supplementary charges may apply
- Return transfers for this excursion apply only / are inclusive for customers staying in and inside Luang Prabang. Transfers outside these areas, including any accommodation outside this area such as Kuang Si, along the Ou and Nam Khan River, Nong Kiau and Luang Prabang International Airport are excluded. Supplements apply for customers who want to join this excursion outside one of these regions
- To respect local customs and respecting the Tak Bat alms giving ceremony on this tour, it is customary for guests to take off their shoes before presenting the alms to the monks.
- Please dress respectfully by wearing clothing that covers the knees and shoulders. It is of the greatest importance to follow the guide’s instructions during this event in paying respect to the local customs.
- This includes approaching the monks, taking photographs and obeying the unwritten rules and regulations of this deeply-spiritual encounter.
- We always will make efforts to confirm the exact pick-up time upon reservation. For any operational issues in which are not able to confirm the exact pick-up time in advance, we reserve the right to inform you the day before the departure of the tour.
- Please note pickup and drop-off services may not be confirmed for customers staying at private residences, apartment complexes, or other non-registered tourism accommodations. Customers may be asked to meet at a nearby hotel for pick-up and drop off.
- Certain scenes during this excursion may not be photographed for specific reasons. We kindly ask for your understanding by following local regulations.
- Natural elements of any kind have a destructive effect on electronic equipment. It is the customer’s own responsibility to ensure that any camera, mobile telephone or other device is properly wrapped and protected against these elements. We cannot be held responsible in any way for negligence and/or not following suggestions for any damage related to this.
- Please ensure that you bring sunglasses, a hat /cap and sunblock with a high SPF factor when traveling with us on this tour – even when it is cloudy, the sunrays still have an immense power.
- It is the responsibility of the customer to provide us with the correct hotel information, should pick-up and drop-off services be included in the package. Any changes in accommodation outside 24 hours will be handled accordingly: changes within 24 hours may be on request.
- In the event of no-show or change of accommodation without prior consent and confirmation from us within 24 hours may result in the applicable cancellation charges as outlined in the terms and conditions.
Reviews(5)
You arrive by 5:30 am on the main street. They have small chairs lined up down one side of the street, set on mats. There is a rice offering basket and plastic glove at each chair. At 6:00 am over 100 monks in three waves will come along to receive your alms offering which will provide them with one of the two meals they eat each day. After this is concluded the morning market is in full swing with a full range of food items available to purchase. We enjoyed fresh squeezed orange juice pressed while we stood there. It was delicious.
Good morning, Thank you for sharing your experience. The early morning alms giving and the wet market are two of Luang Prabang’s most authentic moments, and you described them in a way many travellers will recognise. We look forward to welcoming you again in Laos or in one of our other destinations across Asia. Asian Trails Team
Early morning visit was well worth the trip and highlight of the day. To experience and share the cultural ritual and the understanding of the Buddhist Alms Giving was a fabulous experience.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful experience! The Alms Giving ceremony is truly special and we're so glad it touched you. These authentic moments are what make Luang Prabang so unique. Asian Trails Team
Attending the collection of the alms is one thing you MUST DO when visiting SE Asia! This experience in Laos did not disappoint. My guide and driver were great! The guide / host actually guided me to a street where there were not many tourists, and mostly locals. What a touching / impactful / beautiful experience. Get up early to do this tour, it is very worth it!
Hello Tamara! Thank you for this touching testimonial! Our guide did great taking you to that more authentic street with the locals. That's exactly what we aim to offer: authenticity over tourist spots. This alms ceremony at dawn is truly magical! Thanks for choosing Asian Trails!
The Early Morning Alms Giving is good to see to experience one piece of the local culture; however, we were very put off by all the tourists who were just gawking, taking photos and being disrespectful - without any understanding of what the ceremony signifies. People should research it before going so you understand what it is. We discovered later that more monks were accepting alms on the side-streets than on the main road. My only guess is that they wanted to avoid the ridiculous spectacle on the main road. Good for them! People - BE RESPECTFUL !!!!
So nice to see a community come together and pay respect to the monks. Although it’s mostly tourists! There are ladies in the street selling the sticky rice for you to give monks. They also provide small stools to sit on, as well as the scarf to wear to show respect. It goes by quickly- I was back at my hotel by 6:15 am
