Worth getting out of bed for...

Viewpoint

If you’re up early to offer alms to the monks, then you might as well stay awake and roll with the karma. Ascend the steps to the summit of Mount Phousi and take in the verdant views over low-rise Luang Prabang – it’s blissfully quiet around sunrise.

Arts and culture

Wat Xieng Thong is the postcard-perfect temple, with its roof arcing effortlessly to the floor. It’s a survivor from the 16th century, before the Black Flag (not Henry Rollins’ seminal punk outfit, but a band of marauding Chinese) used it as a base during their 1887 assault on the town. For more cultural capers, the Royal Palace Museum (+856 (0)71 212 470; US$2), housed in the former royal residence, boasts treasures including the portrait of King Sisavang Vatthana, whose royal shoes appear to follow you across the room in the most alarming manner, changing direction in the process.

Something for nothing

Most temples are free to enter and very striking, but if you’re all templed out, soak up soothing aquatic views instead. The Mekong and Nam Khan rivers embrace the old town peninsula before merging at its tip. Cross the dry-season bamboo bridge over the Nam Khan for lush vistas over the local side of town, where farmers grow vegetables and peanuts on the river’s banks.

Shopping

Luang Prabang has a host of tempting shopping opportunities, but given that this is laid-back Laos, there is not much of a sales pitch – enter a boutique and you may need to wake up the sales assistant. The one exception is the Night Market, strung out along Sisavangvong Road each evening. Touting silk scarves, Hmong-style slippers and throws, it’s a buzzy place to browse and check the pulse of prices. Many sellers are minority women from nearby villages, so purchases made here will benefit the local economy. On Sakkarine Road, Ock Pop Tok (+855 (0)71 254 406; www.ockpoptok.com) is a fair-trade textile gallery showcasing crafts with flair (the shop name means ‘East meets West’).

Daytripper

Venture to the Kuang Si Falls (Tat Kuang Si), a series of tumbling cascades that wend their way through the Lao jungle. The limestone formations give the place an otherworldly atmosphere and have turned the waters a vivid turquoise. There are swimming holes beneath the main falls, including one with an impressive rope swing for Tarzan-channelling Mr Smiths to try.

Perfect picnic

Every visitor makes a pilgrimage to the Pak Ou caves to pay homage to the thousands of Buddha images hidden there over the centuries. Though busy, the caves’ dramatic location in towering limestone cliffs above the Mekong is still worth the detour. Make it more memorable with a private picnic on a deserted Mekong island en route. There are several seasonal spots where this is possible (ask your hotel for details), plus some abandoned wats for a romantic if eerie backdrop.

Walks

Traffic remains mercifully light in old Luang Prabang, and tour buses are banned downtown, making it pedestrian-friendly. Start at one end of Sisavangvong Road near the post office and head to the other end near Wat Xieng Thong, wending your way through small alleys and secluded wats to spy half-timbered colombage houses, saffron robes and smiling residents.

Children

Introduce the kids to some gentle giants at an elephant camp in the surrounding countryside. Elephant Village (www.elephantvillage-laos.com), a centre for rehabilitating former working animals, offers half-day treks to the wondrous waterfall of Tat Sae; big kids (Smith seniors included) will love it, too.

Activities

Luang Prabang is about adventure as well as culture, with fitness-boosting forays into the countryside, hikes to hilltop villages, cycle rides through lush forests, or kayaking along pretty rivers. Several reliable operators offer one-day cycling and kayaking trips or opt for a longer combination including trekking and elephant encounters: try Tiger Trail Outdoor Adventures (+856 (0)71 252 655; www.laos-adventures.com) or Green Discovery (+856 (0)71 212 093; www.greendiscoverylaos.com).

And

Amaze friends back home with an authentic Lao banquet: a gourmet cooking class with Tamarind (+856 (0)20 777 0484; www.tamarindlaos.com) provides an informed guide to the Lao hearth. You’ll learn to cook six dishes in a serene lakeside setting.