As the sun sets over Luang Prabang, the real food scene starts to simmer. Street stalls fire up their grills, pestles pound out papaya salad, and the city’s boldest flavours come to life.
On this evening moveable feast , a local food guide will take you far beyond the tourist menus. We’ll graze our way through riverside eateries, local favourites, and back-alley markets.
Expect over 15 tastings - from sticky rice roasted over hot coals to herb-packed Lao sausage, sesame-spiked beef platter, grilled Mekong fish, and a steamy bowl of khao piak sen noodles, and much more. It’s everything you need to get a real taste of Laos, and off the tourist trail.
Our evening feasting tour of 15+ tastings invites guests on a culinary experience around the historical city of Luang Prabang. It's a carefully curated food adventure, led by our team of professional Laos food guides. Before we get started, our tour reflects the local cuisine, & the limitations of street food vendors means we unfortunately cannot cater for every dietary restriction. Here's an honest appraisal for the tour, so no-one is disappointed: ✘ Unsuitable for vegetarian diets sorry, as there would be 4-5 less tastings. ✓ Suitable for mild gluten & lactose intolerances, but we advise against ✖️ celiac disease, as there are traces of gluten in 3-4 tastings with unavoidable soy sauce. ✔ Pork & beef is used at a couple of places where there's no alternatives, though the guest won't go hungry if either meat is their only restriction. ✖️ Unsuitable for severe allergies & halal, due to risk of traces & cross-contamination. If you are feeling adventurous for a foodie journey, read on!
Meet our food-obsessed host, as we crunch into riverweed crackers and hmong mushroom dip, before an saffron orange-robed monk invites us for an open floor chat to discover about their unique lifestyle in Luang Prabang. After a short blessing, we'll hop foot to the Mekong, as sun sets over the riverside eateries, with plates of pun pa grilled fish served with a bundle of fresh herbs and vegetables.
As night falls over Luang Prabang, the true flavours of the city come alive. The air fills with the scent of sizzling charcoal-grilled meats and piquant papaya salads. Go it alone though and you'll merely scratch the surface of Laotian cuisine. On our nightly moveable feast, a local food guide will take you far beyond the tourist menus. We’ll graze our way by foot through family owned joints, local favourites, and back-alley markets. Expect 15+ tastings - from steamed catfish in banana leaf, to herb-packed Lao sausage, beef platter and a cold beer Laos, and charcoal-fired khao piak sen noodles in pork broth, among many more surprises. It’s everything you need to get a real taste of Laos. This is the side of Luang Prabang that restaurants won’t show you. Come hungry.
You will make your own way to the meeting points
*Ticket:* The guide should have your name on the manifest, please check you have booked the right date and time. We don't need to scan the tickets. *Telephone number:* Please kindly do not call the telephone number if your enquiry is regarding date changes, cancellations, dietary requests.etc. Please contact directly to A Chef's Tour customer support team or Viator. Email: [email protected] or send a message on Viator with your name, for a prompt response. The telephone number stated is ONLY for emergencies and meeting point arrivals with the guide team on-the-ground. They won't be able to help with any booking-related questions. *Meeting point:* The meeting point is marked on the tour page. Please aim to arrive 10 minutes before the tour start time, so we can begin punctually with the other guests. Please ensure you leave to reach the meeting point. *Taxis:* We recommend downloading the ‘Loca’ app on your smartphone. This is a convenient taxi-hailing app, similar to Uber. You can safely input your desired location and the price is fixed. The payment can be made from your credit/debit card, or cash in the local currency. *Route:* Advertised itineraries are subject to minor changes, in the rare case of an unexpected closure of a street food vendor. *What to bring:* - We recommend comfortable shoes as the tour involves walking. There is only a short tuk-tuk ride at the end of the tour. - This tour operates come rain or shine. Most eating stops are sheltered, though please carry rain gear/umbrella if rain looks likely, for walking between stops and when visiting some streetside stalls. - There's lot of tastings to try, come hungry!