Planning a trip
Hearing music in Laos
The Royal Ballet Theatre occupies the old royal palace, which is now a national museum. It stages a Phralak Phralam performance, with masked dancers and a live court orchestra built around the khene, gongs, drums and cymbals. Seating is wooden benches and the show runs about 90 minutes. Afterwards the town is shut, and the walk home is a quiet one.
Performances are on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evenings, from 18:30 to 20:00. November to March, the dry season, is the comfortable time to listen. From May to October the wet season makes the open theatre hot and humid. The Royal Palace Museum is open daily from 08:00 to 17:00 if you want a daytime visit. For tickets, ask your guesthouse on arrival rather than booking online, as its rate is about half what agencies charge.
Fly into Luang Prabang (LPQ); the airport is a ten-minute taxi from town. The palace and theatre front Sisavangvong Road, in the middle of the UNESCO-listed centre, and you can walk there from any guesthouse. The room earns its place in the atlas as the only entry for Laos, with sacred music in a sacred town and no need for a second venue to justify the trip.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What nights are the performances at the Royal Ballet Theatre in Luang Prabang?
Performances are typically on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evenings, from 18:30 to 20:00. The show is a Phralak Phralam masked dance with a live court orchestra, lasting about 90 minutes.
How do you get to the Royal Ballet Theatre in Luang Prabang?
Fly into Luang Prabang (LPQ) and take a ten-minute taxi into town. The theatre is inside the former Royal Palace on Sisavangvong Road, within walking distance of every guesthouse.
What is the best time of year to see Lao court music in Luang Prabang?
The dry season, November to March, is the comfortable listening window. From May to October heat and humidity reach the open theatre. Performances run on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evenings.