Full disclosure - I don't shop often. I just don't see the point of traveling halfway around the world to buy stuff that I don't have much room or space for in the first place. Now, I know that few people share my view - my own travel companion is probably raising an eyebrow in my direction as I write this - but I'd rather spend my time, money, and energy on seeing and doing things I can't do at home.

That being said, I'm a sucker for markets, and Asia is home to some of the best in the world. You can really get the pulse of a place by visiting a market, and while the Night Bazaar in Luang Prabang really was designed with tourists in mind, it has become something of a gathering place for any and all folk in the region. So long as you know that you're buying stuff you can get anywhere else on earth, it's fun to check out the colorful umbrellas, the handcrafted art, the blankets, scarfs, postcards, and one million other trinkets for sale.

The bazaar is also bubbling with a lively energy, and it's location to the food market makes it a nice place to start an evening stroll. If you visit Luang Prabang - and you should, as it is one of the most charming towns in all of Asia - you'll be drawn to this place. In the end I even broke down and bought some stuff... though I won't tell you what that was.