"La Procession"
The Luang Prabang Half Marathon route is on Youtube here. There’s also a great map of Luang Prabang here, and although it hasn’t got our route marked, you can see how much there is to look at as you run past.
Every morning, just after sunrise, the monks of Luang Prabang walk around the town on traditional routes. Hopefully you’ll see them on the way to the start, and our race will echo their “procession”. It will take place on a 7k circuit around the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang, running past many of the town’s most famous and beautiful land-marks.
Every morning, just after sunrise, the monks of Luang Prabang walk around the town on traditional routes. Hopefully you’ll see them on the way to the start, and our race will echo their “procession”. It will take place on a 7k circuit around the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang, running past many of the town’s most famous and beautiful land-marks.
START: The race will start on the main street, Sisavangvong Road, in front of the National Museum, formerly the Royal Palace, next to the iconic golden temple of Haw Pha Bang and opposite the steps up to Mt Phoussi. On the south side of the road is a small terrace which will be a perfect place for your family, friends and fans to watch the start and finish.
GO: After the start, proceed west along Sisavangvong Road, through the location of the Night Market, and past Wat Mai monastery, to the junction with Kitisalat Road. We go straight over here, down to the main fountain in fron of the Governor’s offices and the Maison Souvannaphoum. We then turn left, past Villa Maly, and then right down to Wat That Luang. After a couple of left turns we then head back towards Mt Phoussi and around Amantaka hotel.
HILLS? There’s now a short downhill slope to Wat Wisunalat, one of the temples you should come back and visit later, before a left-hand turn to a similarly short uphill slope that looks up, but thankfully doesn’t go up, Mt Phoussi.
BARS? At the top of that slope, you reach an area of town where you’ll find the highest concentration of bars open later in the day, and you then turn right where a gentle slope takes you to…
THE NAM KHAN: The first river we run along is the Mekhong tributary, Nam Khan. Follow the riverside road past restaurants and hotels. Enjoy the views all the way to the end of the peninsula…
THE TWO RIVERS: …where the Nam Khan joins the Mekhong. The route turns left and left again, but while watching your step, look out to the right for a view of the confluence.
XIENGTHONG: Just after the end of the peninsula, you’ll run past four statues of large tiger-type animals/ We’re not really sure what they are, but they guard the steps from the river to the Xiengthong temple, one of Luang Prabang’s most famous.
THE MEKHONG: The huge but peacefully flowing Mekhong is another highlight of the run. It’s on the right for the next two kilometres until…
THE U-TURN: …after which, it’s on the left. We’ve incorporated a short out-and-back component in the race to do a couple of things. One, to get the circuit up to an accurate 7k distance, but just as importantly, to maximise the amount of time we spend running by this beautiful river.
THE ELEPHANT TURN: After running back along the Mekhong, approximately 1k, we reach a right turn that takes us back up to the main road, past the restaurant L’Elephant and quiet temple Wat Nong Sikhounmouang.
SAKKALINE ROAD: We then turn right onto Sakkaline Road, and the home straight, past the Luang Prabang primary school, back to the National Museum. 7k runners stop here, 14k runners do one more lap, and 21k runners get to do it another two times. Enjoy!
GO: After the start, proceed west along Sisavangvong Road, through the location of the Night Market, and past Wat Mai monastery, to the junction with Kitisalat Road. We go straight over here, down to the main fountain in fron of the Governor’s offices and the Maison Souvannaphoum. We then turn left, past Villa Maly, and then right down to Wat That Luang. After a couple of left turns we then head back towards Mt Phoussi and around Amantaka hotel.
HILLS? There’s now a short downhill slope to Wat Wisunalat, one of the temples you should come back and visit later, before a left-hand turn to a similarly short uphill slope that looks up, but thankfully doesn’t go up, Mt Phoussi.
BARS? At the top of that slope, you reach an area of town where you’ll find the highest concentration of bars open later in the day, and you then turn right where a gentle slope takes you to…
THE NAM KHAN: The first river we run along is the Mekhong tributary, Nam Khan. Follow the riverside road past restaurants and hotels. Enjoy the views all the way to the end of the peninsula…
THE TWO RIVERS: …where the Nam Khan joins the Mekhong. The route turns left and left again, but while watching your step, look out to the right for a view of the confluence.
XIENGTHONG: Just after the end of the peninsula, you’ll run past four statues of large tiger-type animals/ We’re not really sure what they are, but they guard the steps from the river to the Xiengthong temple, one of Luang Prabang’s most famous.
THE MEKHONG: The huge but peacefully flowing Mekhong is another highlight of the run. It’s on the right for the next two kilometres until…
THE U-TURN: …after which, it’s on the left. We’ve incorporated a short out-and-back component in the race to do a couple of things. One, to get the circuit up to an accurate 7k distance, but just as importantly, to maximise the amount of time we spend running by this beautiful river.
THE ELEPHANT TURN: After running back along the Mekhong, approximately 1k, we reach a right turn that takes us back up to the main road, past the restaurant L’Elephant and quiet temple Wat Nong Sikhounmouang.
SAKKALINE ROAD: We then turn right onto Sakkaline Road, and the home straight, past the Luang Prabang primary school, back to the National Museum. 7k runners stop here, 14k runners do one more lap, and 21k runners get to do it another two times. Enjoy!
