The UNESCO protected City of Luang Prabang is one of SE Asia's finest, a charming and atmospheric combination of faded colonial villas, incense soaked temples and sleepy river-side living. It is a City that works brilliantly for families, with a languid relaxed air, great food and its small enough to explore on foot.

Luag Prabang lies at the confluence of the Mekong and Khan Rivers and is surrounded by dramatic mountain scenery. In the city itself, the historic centre is home to no fewer than 33 buddhist temples. Luang Prabang boasts a number of superb restaurants, its cuisine a melting pot of French influences and simple local flavours. For early risers, as the sun begins to rise, long lines of orange-robed monks leave their pagodas and walk barefoot down the streets collecting offerings from Luang Prabang residents. It is a beautiful, serene ceremony that highlights the spiritualism of the Laos people. Outside the City, there are a couple of superb waterfalls with swimming opportunities, the Pak Ou Caves and the Mekong to explore.

In comparison to the traffic and crowds prevalent in places like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Siem Reap and Hanoi, Luang Prabang is a much more sleepy affair and is all the better for it, especially with kids in tow. The old town is small enough to explore on foot, it seems on most days there are less cars than temples, and the night market is a very relaxed affair which you can dip into each night for a crepe or fruit shake and a mooch through the stalls. There is plenty to do too. Heading out to the watefalls outside town for a swim is a big hit with families. We would recommend a minimum of three nights in Luang Prabang for families, which would give enough time for a day to explore a couple of temples by bicycle interspersed with cooling dips in your hotel pool, a day to take a boat trip on the Mekong River and a day out at the Caves. With a longer stay, we would recommend heading out into the surrounding countryside for hiking and perhaps a stay at the peaceful Kamu Lodge.

With its strong colonial heritage, there is a wealth of small boutique hotels in historic buildings. Satri House is one of the pick of the bunch with a beautiful atmosphere and lovely pool, albeit it is a little way out of the old town (still walk-able). Villa Chitdara is another lovely option, and bang in the heart of the old town. For those on a budget, although lacking a pool, Chang Inn has a great location. Unfortunately very few of the hotels have a family suites, so in all likelihood, a family will need to take two rooms.

The city experiences its wet season from April to October, with the wettest time of the year the three-month period from June to August. From November to March, the city is fairly dry. Temperatures are quite favourable throughout the year; January and December are the coolest months, while May tends to be its hottest overall.