LUANG PRABANG, Laos — Southeast Asia’s morning markets are much more interesting than the night markets. Luang Prabang’s morning market is no exception.
Southeast Asia’s morning markets are much more interesting than the night markets.
The night markets are mainly for tourists. Sure, you can find cheap t-shirts, knock-off backpacks, colorful paintings, and pretty lights. But you haven’t really come all this way for those, have you?
It’s at the morning markets that locals do their shopping. And it’s there that you get a real flavor of the local culture. Unless you’re in a major city, supermarkets are few and far between throughout much of the region.
Which is a good thing. Markets are much, much more interesting.
LUANG PRABANG, Laos — Vendors sell fresh produce and conical marigold offerings outside the arched gate of Wat Phonxay Sanasongkham. The banana-leaf floral arrangements are crafted for daily Theravada Buddhist devotion, allowing locals to purchase temple offerings alongside their groceries. This physical integration of morning commerce and sacred space reflects the centuries-old urban layout that earned the former royal capital its UNESCO World Heritage designation. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamy
The morning market in Luang Prabang, lining a couple of quiet streets near the Royal Palace, starts early and is over by mid-morning. It sets up along a couple of side streets next to one of the city’s many Wats. A butcher and some of the more touristy stalls have actual tables for their wares. But most of the vendors, selling anything from rice, to fresh vegetables, to steamed fish, frogs, and anything else that might be the day’s catch, just set up on the ground. It’s an elegant solution — cheap, simple, and effective.
Vendors stream in before dawn by foot. Others come from across the Mekong by riverboat, hauling their wares up the steep, muddy riverbank. By mid- to late-morning, they’re gone again until tomorrow.
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If you’re after fresh fruit and vegetables, Mekong river fish, seaweed sheets, rice and grains, or fish wrapped in banana leaf ready to throw on the steamer, this is the place. If you’re eating in any of the local restaurants, there’s a good chance that many of the ingredients are sourced here. And if you happen to have a craving for barbecued bamboo rat, you’re in luck!
Photos of Luang Prabang’s morning market
Here are some of the photos I’ve taken at Luang Prabang’s morning market.
LUANG PRABANG, Laos — Mak phet kii nuu chilies fill a woven tray at the city’s daily morning market. The Lao name translates roughly as “rat-dropping chili,” a reference to the pods’ tiny size rather than their fierce heat. The color variation from green to red marks the ripening stages of the fruit, which locals char and pound into jeow dipping sauces for sticky rice or chop into laap, the minced-meat salad widely considered the national dish of Laos. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyLUANG PRABANG, Laos — A vendor wipes down her display mat at the morning market beside a fresh catch of snakehead, carp, and catfish. These species reflect the immense biodiversity of the Mekong River basin, which supports the world’s largest inland fishery. Situated at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, Luang Prabang has relied on these seasonal freshwater harvests for centuries to anchor its local economy. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyLUANG PRABANG, Laos — Steamed fish are packed into woven bamboo baskets at the city’s morning market. Cooking the catch directly in these porous containers is a traditional Lao preservation technique, utilizing steam to extend shelf life in the tropical climate. This method supports the regional diet in Luang Prabang, a historic trading hub situated at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyLUANG PRABANG, Laos — A vendor tends to large sacks of rice at the city’s traditional morning market. The woven bags display varying degrees of milling, from polished white to nutrient-dense brown. Laos consumes more sticky rice (*Oryza sativa var. glutinosa*) per capita than any other nation, relying on the fertile floodplains of the Mekong River Valley to sustain this intense agricultural demand. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyLUANG PRABANG, Laos — Parcels of fish wrapped in banana leaves and tied with bamboo strips await steaming at the morning market. Known as Mok Pa, this traditional Lao preparation utilizes the leaf’s natural waxy coating to create a waterproof, biodegradable cooking vessel. During steaming, the tight wrapping functions as a miniature pressure cooker, trapping moisture to infuse the fish inside with pounded herbs and spices. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyLUANG PRABANG, Laos — Vendors display fresh oranges and open sacks of milled rice along a narrow street at the city’s morning market. The white boundary wall with lotus-bud finials marks the perimeter of a local Buddhist temple, integrating daily commerce into the UNESCO-protected historic center. The bulk sacks of rice supply the regional demand for *khao niao* (sticky rice), the foundational agricultural staple of the Lao diet. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyLUANG PRABANG, Laos — A red and gold spirit house stands in sharp focus against the bustling backdrop of the city’s morning market. Known locally as a *ho phi*, these miniature shrines reflect the deep syncretism of Lao culture by blending indigenous animist beliefs with Theravada Buddhism. The tiered, temple-like roof provides a dwelling for local land spirits, who receive daily offerings to ensure harmony and prosperity for the adjacent commerce. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyLUANG PRABANG, Laos — A vendor counts currency behind a morning market display of dried squid, shrimp, and fish. Because Laos is Southeast Asia’s only landlocked country, marine protein must be heavily salted and sun-dried to survive the overland journey from neighboring coasts. This preservation method bypasses the need for refrigeration in the tropical climate, supplying the concentrated umami essential to traditional Lao dishes like green papaya salad. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyLUANG PRABANG, Laos — Colorful handwoven bags hang from a vendor stall under a red canopy at the city’s morning market. The intricate, horizontally striped textiles reflect the diverse weaving traditions of northern Laos, where specific motifs historically identified a weaver’s ethnic group or village. This market acts as a vital economic hub for rural artisans, sustaining centuries-old techniques within the UNESCO-designated former royal capital. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyLUANG PRABANG, Laos — Dried squid, shrimp, and split fish are sorted into plastic-lined piles at the city’s morning market. Sun-drying and salting reduce the seafood’s water activity to inhibit microbial growth, a necessary preservation technique in the country’s humid monsoon climate. The desiccation process also concentrates glutamates, providing the essential umami base for traditional Lao dipping sauces, known as *jaew*. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyLUANG PRABANG, Laos — Buyers inspect freshly harvested scallions and garlic displayed on ground mats at the city’s traditional morning market. Operating before the tropical heat sets in, these *talat sao* gatherings supply the aromatic foundations of Lao cuisine. The visible alliums are essential components for crafting *jeow* dipping sauces and *larb*, the national dish, utilizing crops cultivated in the fertile alluvial soil of the nearby Mekong River. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyLUANG PRABANG, Laos — A vendor organizes packaged dried goods and produce at a morning street market. The flat, square sheets displayed in the foreground are *kaipen*, a traditional Lao staple made from freshwater algae. Harvesters gather the algae from the nearby Mekong River during the dry season, pressing it with sesame seeds and sun-drying the sheets to preserve the seasonal yield. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyLUANG PRABANG, Laos — Vendors display basins of purple and white sticky rice at the city’s daily morning market. Laos has the highest per capita consumption of sticky rice (*khao niao*) in the world, a staple cultivated throughout the Mekong River basin. The dark purple grains get their color from anthocyanin pigments and are traditionally reserved for sweet desserts rather than daily meals. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyLUANG PRABANG, Laos — Vendors display fresh produce on woven mats at a traditional morning street market. The prominent pink dragon fruit (*Selenicereus undatus*) is a climbing cactus native to the Americas, introduced to Indochina by the French in the late 19th century. These daily *talat sao* markets operate in the early hours to avoid the tropical heat, remaining the primary distribution network for local agriculture in this former royal capital. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamy
What to know before you go
Go early.
It’s not primarily catering to tourists. There are a handful of stalls with souvenirs like woven bags, but it’s mostly a food market.
There’s no refrigeration for meat and fish. If you’re planning to buy anything perishable, know what you’re buying.
No, the vendors do not take credit cards — just cash.
Laos
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I'm a freelance travel photographer based in Washington DC. Seven continents, up mountains, underwater, and a bunch of places in between. My images have appeared in numerous publications, and you can check out some of my gear reviews and tips here. More »
