The Aussie Sports Bar in Luang Prabang
There are a lot of things that make Luang Prabang unique and turning every corner will bring one of those things into view, but there is one thing that you will not find in any guide book. Luang Prabang does not have an Irish Bar. That’s right, no Guinness on tap to be found in this town, no shamrocks decorating anywhere, but, into that void, comes the Aussie Bar and it’s the place to go if you are after foreigner sized portions and international sport on TV.
The Lao locals are not, unsurprisingly, as interested in that greatest of games, rugby union, as you may suspect. Nor are they overly interested in F1, tennis or a myriad of other must see events. Asian soccer games are on TV’s all over town but for “western” games the Aussie Bar is your venue of choice.
Located on the other side of Phousi mountain from the main street (location of the night market) the Aussie Bar is in an area of more local bars and restaurants, which tend to be cheaper than the main street equivalents. That being said, the Aussie Bar prices for food are much more than you will pay in a local restaurant, up to $10 usd for a meal, but, being a big guy myself, I can attest to the size of the portions. I find local portions to be slightly less than satisfying in terms of being filling but rarely push away from the table at the Aussie Bar feeling that I haven’t eaten a full meal.
Food tends to be of the Australian Bar variety, pizzas, schnitzels, proper chips, bangers & mash, fish & chips and, my personal favourite, the chicken parmigiana. The kitchen is visible and open, always a reassuring thing that they are confident enough to allow you to see your food being prepared. Staff are also efficient, attentive and speak good English. Another thing that sets the Aussie Bar apart from most other places in Luang Prabang is that the Beer Lao is presented in an ice bucket, a vital thing to keep it cold during those hot Laos afternoons watching the rugby.
And there is plenty of rugby to watch, along with any other sport that they can find either on cable TV or streamed online. There is always a standing whiteboard outside the bar that lists the sports being shown during the week and the times they are on but it could never hurt to ask. With 7 TV’s positioned around the bar, both inside in the bar area and outside in the restaurant area, even overlapping times are catered to. Just keep in mind that there is a curfew in effect in Luang Prabang, and Laos, and the bar will shut before midnight in order to give the staff time to get home. If you have a game that is on after midnight then there is little point arguing, a legal requirement is a legal requirement.
There is also accommodation available. The more expensive, but better fitted, rooms are available upstairs in the traditional Laos style timber building and the balcony outside your room is the perfect place to watch people going past. The adjoining building has cheaper and simpler rooms.
So, what’s the summary for the Aussie Bar? Cold beer, well presented. Good staff. Relatively expensive food but of a comfort variety if you have been travelling for a while and have eaten plenty of fried rice and noodle soup. The place to go in town if you are after international sport. Excellent people watching spot.