{"id":12231,"date":"2026-07-11T21:56:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T14:56:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.asiasafari-laos.com\/luang-prabang-right-bank-xieng-mene-secret-monasteries-and-phrabang-road\/"},"modified":"2026-07-11T22:01:36","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T15:01:36","slug":"chomphet-luang-prabang-mekong-right-bank","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.asiasafari-laos.com\/en\/chomphet-luang-prabang-mekong-right-bank\/","title":{"rendered":"Chomphet: Luang Prabang’s Secret Right Bank of the Mekong"},"content":{"rendered":"

Facing Luang Prabang, across the Mekong, lies a world most visitors only glimpse from a caf\u00e9 terrace: the right bank<\/strong>, the district of Chomphet<\/strong>. No traffic, no shops \u2014 just villages, footpaths, a teak forest, and a handful of ancient monasteries that keep the memory of the “Phrabang Road<\/strong>“. Ten minutes by boat from the UNESCO city, this is Luang Prabang as it used to be: silent and quietly overwhelming. Follow the guide.<\/p>\n

\"Sunset
The Mekong at sundown: the right bank offers the finest views over Luang Prabang and the river.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Crossing the river: ten minutes, another century<\/h2>\n

The crossing is made by pirogue or ferry from the landing behind the former Royal Palace. Within minutes the bustle dies away: you step ashore among villages that still live to the rhythm of the river, the paddies and the orchards. Four monasteries alone are worth the half-day: Vat Tham, Vat Long Khoun, Vat Chom Phet and Vat Xieng Mene.<\/p>\n

Vat Tham, the monastery of the caves<\/h2>\n

Directly opposite Vat Xieng Thong<\/a>, the “monastery of the caves” occupies a large limestone cave in the hillside: a stone staircase, a small three-tiered Burmese-style bell tower, altars sunk in half-light. The cave has always served as a sanctuary for old Buddha images from vanished monasteries: dozens of weathered wooden statues slumber here, stacked in the darkness. Legend even has it that a secret passage runs under the river to the Royal Palace…<\/p>\n

Vat Long Khoun, the retreat of kings<\/h2>\n

The “monastery of the blessed chant” is the most endearing on this bank. Its sim has two ages: the rear dates from the 18th century, while the portico \u2014 with its lovely carved wooden pediment \u2014 was rebuilt in 1937. On the fa\u00e7ade, two great painted Chinese warriors stand guard on either side of the door; inside, murals recount the previous lives of the Buddha.<\/p>\n

This peaceful place held a key role in royal ritual: before his coronation, the sovereign came here for a three-day retreat<\/strong>, before entering the city in majesty through the landing stage of Vat Xieng Thong. Around the sim, note the koutti<\/em>, the monks’ quarters from the last century: wood above, stone below for foundations and stairs.<\/p>\n

\"Monks
On both sides of the river, monastic life still shapes everyday Luang Prabang.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Vat Chom Phet, the belvedere of serenity<\/h2>\n

On top of a small isolated hill overlooking the Mekong, the “monastery of the diamond point” matters less for its sim \u2014 classical in style, rebuilt in the early 20th century \u2014 than for its setting: from up here the view sweeps over the river, the peninsula and the golden roofs of the city. The atmosphere of quiet serenity is exactly what one crosses the river to find.<\/p>\n

Vat Xieng Mene and the Phrabang Road<\/h2>\n

Buried in greenery, the “monastery of the paradise city” is of very ancient foundation \u2014 perhaps the 14th century. The present sim, with its composite roof, dates from the late 19th century; admire the delicate decoration of the octagonal pillars of the portico. If the village of Ban Xieng Mene once prospered, it is because it commanded the caravan trail to Siam and Burma: the famous “Phrabang Road”, along which the Phra Bang, the city’s sacred Buddha<\/a>, came home from Bangkok in the mid-19th century.<\/p>\n

Upstream from the landing, on the hillside, the ruins of Vat Chom Cheng (18th century) add a romantic note to the walk.<\/p>\n

The royal cemetery in the teak forest<\/h2>\n

Two kilometres from Ban Xieng Mene, a little off the Phrabang Road, a clearing among the teaks shelters Pa Xa Louang<\/strong>, the royal cemetery. Here rest the members of the royal family who could not be cremated under religious interdicts: women who died in childbirth, infants, victims of epidemics. Among them stands the mausoleum of Queen Kham Ouane (1885-1905). A moving, timeless place, reached by a beautiful forest path.<\/p>\n

Practical tips<\/h2>\n