

Photos: Luang Prabang by Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Manaus by Jardelsliumba, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped.
Luang Prabang or Manaus?
Our verdict in twelve categories, each scored against the same fixed benchmark cities, and the climate month by month, so you can choose for your trip.
Choose Luang Prabang for
- wellness
- day trips
- getting around
What lies behind each score is written up on Luang Prabang’s own page.
Choose Manaus for
- live music and the arts
- nightlife
- beaches
What lies behind each score is written up on Manaus’s own page.
Scoreboard
Twelve categories on one fixed scale from 0 to 100. The shaded stretch is the gap between the two.
What lies behind each score is written up on the two cities’ own pages: Luang Prabang and Manaus.
Your match
Pick a travel style or drag the sliders, and both match scores follow your weighting.
Too close to call, level with your weighting
Wins on wellness and day trips with your weighting.
Wins on live music and the arts and nightlife with your weighting.
What matters to you?
When should you go?
Pick your month. The climate figures are measured averages, not a forecast.
Luang Prabang in July
Manaus in July
Daytime high, °C
Rainfall in the month, mm
Temperature and rainfall are climate normals, averaged over the years shown. Luang Prabang: 1991-2020 normals, Luang-Prabang (0.8 km from centre). Manaus: 1991-2020 normals, Manaus (1.7 km from centre).
Before you go
| Measure | Luang Prabang | Manaus |
|---|---|---|
| Official language | Lao | Portuguese |
| Currency | Lao Kip (LAK) | Brazilian Real (BRL) |
| Sockets | ABCEF230 V, 50 Hz | CN60 Hz |
| Driving side | Right | Right |
| Time zone | UTC+7 | UTC-4 |
| Emergency number | Police 191, ambulance 195, fire 190 | Police 190, ambulance 192, fire 193 |
| Elevation | 305 m | 92 m |
| Main airport | Luang Phabang International Airport (LPQ)4 km from centre7 non-stop destinations | Eduardo Gomes International Airport (MAO)9 km from centre21 non-stop destinations |
| Public holidays this year | - | 14 days |
By the numbers
| Measure | Luang Prabang | Manaus |
|---|---|---|
| City population | 53,792 | 2,303,732 |
| People per km² | - | 202 |
| Museums within 10 km | 0 | 13 |
| UNESCO World Heritage sites within 50 km | 1 | 1 |
Where else could you go?
Every comparison below shares a destination with this one, so you can follow Luang Prabang or Manaus somewhere new.