10 Things to do Good for a Rainy Day in Laos That You Shouldn't Miss

Help eager young Lao students practice their English through informal conversation. Learn more about their lives and culture, and tell about yours. (Free 2-hour drop-in practice, 9:00-11:00 am and 5:00-7:00 pm.)

Tamarind Restaurant in Luang Prabang offers day and evening cooking classes in open air pavilions overlooking lily ponds just outside of town. Participants in day classes are taken there after a visit to the fascinating main market, where they are introduced to the unusual and intriguing ingredients that are the basis of Lao cuisine. From there it is off to Tamarind Gardens to cook Lao dishes in the authentic Lao style. Evening classes are shorter. Individual work stations allow you to follow the instructions of an entertaining and informative Lao teacher, whilst a bevy of staff clean up after you. The sessions end with a sumptuous meal, where you eat the fruits of your labours! Transport to and from Tamarind Restaurant and recipe book all included. Vegetarians welcome.

Orange Robe Tours is a profit-for-purpose social enterprise, based in Luang Prabang, Laos. We employ former Novices and Monks who have recently left the temple to give culturally appropriate tours to tourists, providing much-needed support during their transition from temple life to layperson life, while preserving the traditional culture and customs of Laos.

The Bamboo Experience is a local family run workshop where you will discover Lao culture through bamboo products, activities & Lao foods using bamboo shoot as main ingredients. You will also be connected with our local community to learn about their way of life! To book the class you should contact us one day in advance or at least at 6pm the day before coming to our workshop. We offer two classes per day either daytime 8:30am - 13:30pm (lunch included) and/or evening 16:00pm - 21:00pm (dinner included). We can provide pickup from/to your hotel (to be confirmed when you make the booking).

The UXO Visitor Centre provides visitors with an opportunity to learn more about the most bombed country in the world per capita, and about the work that MAG has been doing in Lao PDR since 1994 to save lives and support development for local communities by clearing the deadly remnants of the bombings.

Opened in 2007, TAEC is a museum with permanent and temporary exhibitions about the diverse ethnic groups of Laos. Permanent Exhibitions highlight the Akha, Kmhmu, Tai Dam, and Hmong ethnic minorities. Interactive and immersive, TAEC's newest special exhibition, "Voices of the Wind: Traditional Instruments in Laos" features wind instruments and their role in communication, ritual, and courtship. Through recreations of a Hmong instrument-maker's workshop, a Tai Dam healing ceremony, and interactive video kiosks, visitors can enter a world rarely seen by the general public. The adjacent TAEC Museum Shop features fair trade handicrafts from 12 provinces of Laos supporting over 600 ethnic artisans from all over Laos. Approximately 50% of the price of the products goes back to our village producers. TAEC also boasts a kids activity centre, ethnobotanical garden, and patio cafe with cold refreshments making the museum a perfect destination for children and adults.

Houey Hong Vocational Training Centre trains Lao women in weaving, natural dyes, sewing, tailoring and business administration. Beautiful handwoven silk items are made on the premises, along with other products in a range of Lao textiles. Visitors can see the weaving and natural dyes, as part of the every day working environment at the centre. There is a retail shop, where handmade items of excellent quality can be purchased at reasonable prices. For those interested in textiles, or looking for a fun hands-on experience, there is a range of workshops ranging from a half day, full day, to several days. You can learn about natural dyes, and different weaving techniques.