The Luang Prabang Film Festival has returned to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang for 2022. This is the first in-person event in more than three years — the festival was forced to move online in 2020 and cancelled in 2021. This year, the comeback event has been made possible with tremendous effort by the organizers, partners, and filmmakers

Although known for many years as the host of an annual international film festival, Luang Prabang has no regularly-operating cinema. This is one reason why the festival is so unique: you can choose to watch the nightly screenings at venues around town, free and open to the public. The usual spot is a historic, open-air square situated amid ancient Buddhist temples. In 2022, the main night venue will be at the Primary School in Ban Vat Sene, and a second night venue will be added to welcome thousands of festival goers returning to the town. 

The city is small enough to have everything you want to visit within walking distance, bike rides, or tuk-tuk rides. To entice your taste buds with local food, there’s a bustling night market, riverfront restaurants, or a mix of East and West at our hotel partners. 

Getting Here

Bangkok  and Vientiane are two cities with multiple connections to travel to Luang Prabang. Luang Prabang has an international airport with seasonal direct flights to many destinations. By December, direct international flights will resume from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Hanoi. 

You can also fly domestically from the Lao capital, Vientiane, which welcomes year-round direct flights from several Asian cities including Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Hanoi, and Phnom Penh.  Although travel from China is still limited, direct flights to Vientiane depart from Kunming, Chongqing, and Guangzhou regularly.  

China – Laos Railway

Luang Prabang can also be reached by rail from Vientiane (passenger service from Kunming, China is not yet operating). As part of the newly built China-Laos Railway, there are three types of trains: two ordinary trains and one fast train. These take just 2 to 3 hours from Vientiane. From the Luang Prabang train station, it’s another 15km drive to get to the city.

Several minivans service the route between the railway station and the town. Look for their signs in the Luang Prabang old town along the Nam Khan river and the Mekong river. You could also hire a car.

Weather

December is among the best months to visit Luang Prabang. It is dry and sunny with a temperature averaging 19 to 22 degrees Celsius. All you need for the nighttime outdoor screenings is a jacket.

Travel Partners

For more information on transport and accommodation, please contact our valued travel partners. They can arrange unique experiences to add more flavors to your festival visit, such as a sunset cruise on the Mekong river, multi-sport jungle adventures, and local cultural immersion.

Diethelm Travel: established in Thailand in 1957, Diethelm Travel has an extensive network of 13 fully licensed and insured offices throughout Asia. They are a trustworthy partner for cross-Asia tours.
DiscoverLaos: with their deep local knowledge and involvement in local communities, they provide a variety of tours ranging from adventure and pilgrimage to cultural experience and luxury.
Green Discovery: Want to blend the rich cultural experience from the festival with some blood-pumping adventure and eco-tourism? This is the agency for you. With an absolute commitment to safety, they offer treks, ziplining, caves and water discoveries, and more.