Luang Prabang, Laos: That Time I saw serenity, trampled and hashtagged before breakfast

Dawn in Luang Prabang should be all misty Mekong mornings and saffron-robed calm. Instead, the new fast train vomited out its daily busloads of camera-wielding tourists who swarmed the alms like paparazzi on a royal baby.

Oh no, the inevitable tour bus arrives…..They descend, snap, shove, and scatter. Selfie sticks and giant camera lenses everywhere and sometimes even in the poor monks’ faces. One particularly frantic group came barreling up to me, Google Translate screaming "Market! Market! Where is the morning market?" before even getting my answer, they were off scurrying like over sugared kids to overrun the morning vendors. By sunrise, they were gone back on the bus, leaving behind a trail of crushed plastic cups, flustered souvenir vendors and confused monks.

I took it in stride, mostly because the day before I'd stumbled on the Luang Prabang I'd actually come for. Just off the main intersection, an older monk drifted past, robes catching the morning mist, unbothered by the chaos. It was serene, unhurried, everything Instagram pretend it always is. I followed it up with a morning coffee and orange juice (don't knock it till you try it) and watched the shopkeepers finally exhale as the bus crew headed back out to some luxury hotel.

Luang Prabang, the real spectacle isn't the alms, it's the pit stop with a photo op. Where enlightenment comes with a return bus ticket (for some😊).

Seven Buddhist monks in red and orange robes walking barefoot on a brick sidewalk at dusk, carrying alms bowls.
A group of young monks in orange robes walk down a street in an urban area, with cars and buildings in the background.
A monk dressed in orange robes giving alms to women sitting on the sidewalk with baskets of offerings in a village street.
A solitary monk in orange robes walking across a street with yellow pedestrian crossing lines at night, with a pale blue building and various plants in pots in the background.
People shopping at an outdoor market on a narrow street with makeshift stalls selling vegetables and other goods.
A tall glass of iced coffee with a straw on a wooden table inside a cozy cafe, with outdoor seating visible through the window.
Street food stall with people in the background, holding a skewer with a grilled snack wrapped in a banana leaf.
Traditional Thai temple with ornate gold and green decorations, layered roof with decorative spires, and people entering front entrance.
View of a traditional Thai temple courtyard seen through an open, ornately decorated door with intricate red and gold patterns. The courtyard features a small building with a sloped roof, a water basin, and several people. There are trees and greener
Ornately carved wooden double doors open to a patio area with a wooden fence and a thatched roof structure in the background.
A long white ceramic plate with a gourmet appetizer featuring thin slices of meat or fish, garnished with microgreens, thinly sliced red onions, crispy elements, and sauce drizzled on the plate.
A shell filled with a creamy seafood mixture topped with a toasted baguette slice, garnished with microgreens, served on a light blue plate.
People and an elephant on a raised natural platform in a forested area near a river.
A woman petting the back of a large elephant near a body of water, outdoors on a sunny day.
Part of a woman with glasses smiling and pointing at a small elephant in a forested area.
Two people smiling and touching an elephant's trunk in a jungle, with a young boy in a red cap and others in the background.
Tropical scene with tall palm trees, lush green plants, a small boat on water, and a table with dishes and chairs in the foreground.
A wooden serving paddle with crispy fried items, sliced meat, and a bowl of dipping sauce, topped with chopped green onions, on a table outside with greenery in the background.
A table set with dishes including a bowl of sliced meat garnished with leafy greens, wrapped seafood in banana leaves, a woven bamboo container, and a traditional ceramic teapot, with an outdoor dining area and people in the background.
Outdoor dining area at night with wooden walkways, lush greenery, and tall palm trees, illuminated by warm string lights and modern lamps.
A woman smiling and kneeling down, petting two piglets lying on the ground with a pig standing nearby, fencing and trees in the background.
A close-up of a water buffalo eating grass inside a wooden barn, with a rope halter around its head.
Close-up of a donkey's nose and mouth with a barn and fences in the background.
Chalkboard menu with list of flavors and a cartoon pig drawing. Flavors include vanilla coconut, pumpkin pie, black sesame, caramel, apple pie, chocolate, lemongrass, ginger, tamarind, and coffee. Price is 3.00 and 4.00 per item, and the message says
A plate with a slice of cheesecake and a small bowl of cobbler, along with a fork, on a table in front of a glass mug of coffee with whipped cream.
A baby gorilla standing on its hind legs and leaning against a wooden post, near a body of water in a zoo or wildlife enclosure.
A woman smiling in a natural pool with a small waterfall in the background surrounded by trees and greenery.
A smiling woman wearing glasses taking a selfie at a waterfall and pool in a lush, green forest.
A large tree with extensive roots, sunlight shining through the leaves in a dense forest.
Multiple cascading waterfalls flowing over rocks surrounded by lush green trees and plants in a forest setting.
Person relaxing on a poolside lounge chair holding a Beerlao beer bottle with pool and trees in the background.
Sunset over a river with hills in the background and several boats floating on the water.
A boat sailing on a lake during sunset with orange sky and distant hills.
A woman in black standing on a bridge or deck near water during sunset, with a sky filled with orange and yellow clouds, and mountains in the distance.