Discover Royal Palace Museum - the ancient royal palace of Laos

Coming to Luang Prabang, there are many places for tourists to visit and explore. Located in Phou Si Mountain where you can see the panoramic view of Luang Prabang, Royal Palace Museum is an attractive destination in tour packages to Laos.

Royal Palace Museum

The best time to visit Luang Prabang, Laos

The climate in Laos is quite similar to Vietnam, which is divided into regions quite distinctly. The average temperature ranges from 24 to 33 degrees Celsius. Northern Laos including the former capital of Luang Prabang has a four-season climate similar to that of northern Vietnam.

You can travel to Luang Prabang, Laos at any time of the year, but before coming, you have to know the exact season of the country to prepare sunscreen or rainwear. The reason is that Laos has two seasons: summer and winter. The climate in the regions of Laos is the tropical climate of the monsoon region with two distinct seasons: the rainy season and dry season. The rainy season lasts from May to November. The dry season runs from December to April next year, which can also be considered as the best time to travel to Laos. At this time, the average temperature is about 15 degrees C - 30 degrees C.

General information about Royal Palace

Royal Palace, also known as Haw Kham - the official name, is situated in Luang Prabang, Laos. The Royal Palace was built for King Sisavang Vong and his family in 1904, during the French colonial era.. After King Sisavang Vong's death, Savang Vatthana - the Crown Prince, and his family were the last people to hold the grounds. In 1975, the monarchy was overthrown by the communists. After that, the royal family was taken to re-education camps. The Royal Palace was closed until 1995 to officially reopen to the public. It was again renamed Luang Prabang National Museum. This museum is still operational today.

Visiting Royal Palace in Laos

The architecture of Royal Palace

The architecture of Royal Palace has a combination of traditional motifs of Laos and French Beaux styles. It is laid out in a double-cruciform shape with the entrance on one side of the lower crossbar. Above the entrance, there is a three-headed elephant covered by the sacred white parasol. This is also the symbol of the Laos monarchy. The steps leading to the entrance are made of Italian marbles. There are royal religious objects displayed in the large Entrance Hall.

The statue of King Sisavang Vong

At the Royal Palace Museum, the path leading to the museum was planted Thot Not trees on two sides, which creates a majestic look for the palace. Entering the Royal Palace Museum, you can easily see everything here is preserved and intact. The ceiling and the exhibits inside the Royal Palace Museum are gold-plated. There is no wonder because this place is the royal palace of Laos in the past.

The most valuable property that the Royal Palace Museum of Laos is keeping is the statue Prabang Buddha. This is the national statue as well as the state of Laos. This statue is made from pure gold, 48kg weight and 83cm tall. On every New Year occasion in Laos, Buddhist dignitaries and senior officials in Luang Prabang invite the Buddha statue to Xieng Thoong Pagoda to celebrate the New Year ceremony and bathe the Buddha with perfume. Outside the museum is the grounds of Royal Garden with a harmonic layout of the lake and green trees, creating the poetic beauty for this place. The statue of King Sisavong here is made of bronze.

The main palace building in Royal Palace

Some special rules and tips when coming to Royal Palace Museum

If you want to learn about Laos history and culture, Royal Palace Museum is well worth for you to experience.

The entry fee is 30,000 Kip (about US$4). Ticket is bought at the counter at the left of the gate.

Opening hours:  8.30 am - 11:30 am, 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm, closed on Tuesdays.

When visiting Royal Palace Museum, you should obey the following rules:

- Do not take photos inside the museum

- Do not bring any bags. Therefore, you must leave your bags in lockers near the entrance without fee

- Remove your shoes before entering the museum

- Do not wear short skirts or shorts. If you wear them,  you will be required to put on a Lao skirt before entering the museum. Laos skirt is available for hire on the spot.

Some useful tips:

- You should put your bags and belongings in the safe deposit box in the building near the ticket office.

- Go on foot to the museum, take your shoes off and put them in provided storage boxes before entering.

- Dress neatly. The best way is that you should avoid wearing short skirts or shorts to save costs when visiting here.

Outside the Royal Palace Museum, you can climb Phou Si Mount to admire the whole Luang Prabang from above. This is an interesting activity that anyone wants to experience in Laos tours packages. To know more information about Laos, via our website. Share this article if it is useful for you. Have a nice trip!