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Vientiane Travel Guide

Last Updated: September 2, 2023

Vientiane, the capital of Laos , is home to around 1 million people. The name of the city is French and derived from “Viangchan” (“walled city of sandalwood”). The city was the economic hub under French rule, which started in 1893 and lasted until 1953.

Nowadays, the capital is a hub for café culture, cheap spas, golden temples, and diverse riverside markets. Much of the city’s historical center has kept its colorful colonial architecture intact too, making it a nice area to stroll around as you explore.

A common stopover spot between Vietnam and Thailand , there’s a busy nightlife scene and some good day trips beyond the city limits, including the popular Buddha Park with its more than 200 giant Buddha statues.

Wander the wide boulevards, take in the crumbling mansions, chill out in Chao Anouvong Park, and enjoy the flavorful local cuisine (there are a ton of delicious French bakeries here as well).

There’s enough here to keep you busy for a couple of days, though you likely won’t need more than 3 days here.

This Vientiane travel guide can help you plan your visit, save money, and help you make the most of your trip.

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• Where to Stay
• How to Get Around
• How to Stay Safe
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on Vientiane

Top 5 Things to See and Do in Vientiane

1. Take a cooking class

Street food in Laos is delicious. Take a cooking class to learn how to make traditional dishes like laap (salad with minced meat and spices), orh (spicy stew), and mok (steamed fish in banana leaf). Most tours begin with a market tour where you select ingredients for your experience! I recommend a class with Madam Phasouk. She’s an amazing cook and her private classes are 150,000 LAK, which includes cooking 3-4 dishes.

2. Explore Buddha Park

Buddha Park is a sculpture park just 25 kilometers (15 miles) outside of Vientiane. There are around 200 Hindu and Buddhist statues here, all of which appear to be centuries old (they’re not; they were made in the 20th century out of concrete). While not “historic” it’s still worth visiting as there are all kinds of unconventional designs, including a 3-meter-tall (9.8-foot) demon head that you enter through and staircases from heaven and hell that you can climb. Admission is 15,000 LAK per person.

3. Admire the Great Stupa

The Great Stupa (Pha That Luang) is a 44-meter-tall (148-foot) gold-covered stupa and is the most important monument in the country. Built by King Setthathirat in 1566, its exterior looks like a fortress with high walls. Inside, the walls are covered in Buddhist, floral, and animal imagery. It was heavily damaged by invading Thai forces in the 1820s and was eventually restored by the French after they annexed the region. Admission is 10,000 LAK.

4. Chat with a monk

Once a month, monks gather at the Sangha College (Wat Onteu) to chat with tourists. You can ask them all about their practice and daily life, and it gives them a chance to practice their English in turn. It’s a useful way to learn a lot about Lao culture. Ask your hostel/hotel staff for details and dates.

5. See the Victory Gate (Patuxai)

Vientiane’s Victory Gate is also known as the city’s Arc de Triomphe. The monument was built between 1957-1968 to honor the memory of Lao soldiers who died in World War II and the war of independence in 1949 (which was fought against the French). It was intentionally built a little higher than the original in Paris, simply to spite the French. The concrete for the monument was donated by the USA, however, it was supposed to be for a new airport and not this monument. For 3,000 LAK, you can climb up and admire the view of Vientiane.

Other Things to See and Do in Vientiane

1. explore by bike.

Vientiane is easy to explore on a bike and you can also get out of the city to cycle around rural villages, temples, and schoolyards along the Mekong River while taking in the picturesque landscape as you go. Be sure to stop at Tad Moon Waterfall (it’s gorgeous). You can rent bikes for as little as 10,000 LAK per day (though better quality bikes might cost a little more).

2. Visit the COPE Visitor Centre

During the Vietnam War, the American military dropped more than two million tons of explosives on Laos. Even today, many rural citizens still lose their limbs or lives by coming across unexploded bombs. COPE (Cooperative Orthotic & Prosthetic Enterprise) was formed to aid with the recovery for these victims by providing prosthetics and other medical services. The COPE Visitor Centre is a jarring experience where visitors can learn more about this ongoing tragedy and the work being done. It’s sobering but educational. Admission is free.

3. Hang out in Chao Anouvong Park

Chao Anouvong Park is right in the heart of Vientiane. There’s lots of green space, and the locals come here to walk, hang out, and play sports. In the evening, there’s a night market doling out food and selling crafts and clothes. Come during the day with a picnic and a book and take in the local pace of life, or bring an appetite and eat your way around the night market.

4. Tour the Lao National Museum

This museum is packed full of Laotian history. There are exhibits on the country’s early history through to the modern era, including exhibits on the country’s struggle for independence. The main exhibit focuses on the Lao Revolution in the 1970s. There are signs in English though many are only in French. Admission is 10,000 LAK. (Currently closed as it is in the process of moving to a new building).

5. See the Presidential Palace

You can’t go inside the Presidential Palace as it’s currently used for the president and other government officials, but you can certainly admire the building from the outside. It’s a stately piece of French Beaux-Arts architecture with iron gates decorated with gold, large balconies, and several Roman-like colonnades along its exterior. (Laos is a one-party Marxism–Leninism communist state so the President isn’t actually the most powerful person in the country — the party leader is).

6. Attend the Lao Boat Racing Festival

If you end up being in Vientiane during October, you’ll be able to check out the Lao Boat Racing Festival (which takes place on the 15th day of the 11th lunar month, usually September/October). A lot of Vientiane’s neighboring villages also participate in the festivities, and it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement. Teams of men and women race throughout the festival in dragon boats, while spectators line the riverbanks singing and playing music, and the streets are overtaken with food stalls. Be sure to book early if visiting during this time as the city fills up!

Vientiane Travel Costs

Hostel prices – Beds in a large hostel dorm (10-20 people) start from 85,000 LAK per night. For a hostel dorm with 6-8 beds, expect to spend around 110,000 LAK. Private rooms cost around 315,000 LAK. Free Wi-Fi is standard and most hostels include free breakfast.

Budget hotel prices – Most two-star budget hotels cost around 300,000 LAK per night. While the amenities are usually basic, some budget hotels have pools or include breakfast. For a more comfortable three-star hotel, expect to pay closer to 500,000 LAK per night.

Airbnb is also available here, with private rooms starting at 150,000 LAK (though they average double that price). For an entire home or apartment, expect to pay at least 300,000 LAK. Again, prices usually average double that so be sure to book early to find the best deals.

Food – Laos eats the most sticky rice per capita in the entire world. Other prominent staples include green papaya salad and laap (also known as larb, it’s a minced-meat salad that is the national dish, usually featuring fermented fish). Grilled meats, such as chicken, pork, and duck are also very popular, as is feu , the local version of pho.

Street food in Vientiane generally costs under 20,000 LAK per dish for grilled meats and bowls of noodle soup. Lane Xang — the city’s main boulevard running from the Presidential Palace towards Pha That Luang — is the best place in the city to find tons of street food.

Meals at restaurants cost around 47,000 LAK for dishes like sticky rice, grilled fish, and salads. There are lots of places along the river where you can eat cheap.

Western food usually costs double the price of local cuisine, so avoid it if you’re on a budget. If you want to splash out for a three-course meal with drinks, expect to pay at least 200,000 LAK.

Beer costs around 17,000 LAK while a latte/cappuccino is around 34,000 LAK. Bottled water is 8,000 LAK.

While groceries here are cheap, street food is even cheaper. And since most hostels don’t have kitchens, eating out is the cheaper option here. If you do want to shop, expect to spend around 250,000-300,000 LAK per week on groceries.

Backpacking Vientiane Suggested Budgets

On a backpacker budget of 290,000 LAK per day, you can stay in a hostel dorm, eat street food for your meals, enjoy the occasional drink, rent a bicycle to get around, and do a few cheap activities chatting with the monks and visiting Buddha Park. If you plan on drinking more, add 20,000-30,000 LAK to your daily budget.

With a mid-range budget of 650,000 LAK per day, you can stay in a private Airbnb or private hostel room, eat out at some restaurants, drink more, take the occasional taxi to get around, and do more tours and activities, such as a cooking class.

On a “luxury” budget of 1,825,000 LAK per day or more, you can stay in a hotel, eat at fancy restaurants, drink as much as you want, rent a bike and take taxis, and do whatever tours and activities you want. The sky is the limit!

You can use the chart below to get some idea of how much you need to budget daily, depending on your travel style. Keep in mind these are daily averages — some days you’ll spend more, some days you’ll spend less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in LAK.

Vientiane Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

Vientiane isn’t going to break your bank. Laos and its capital are fairly cheap and you’ll be hard-pressed to spend a ton of money here if you’re staying in a hostel and eating street food. If you’re looking to lower your costs though, here are some ways to save money in Vientiane:

• Stick to local transportation – Stick to public transportation if you need to get around. If you do need to take a tuk-tuk or taxi, ask your hotel/hostel staff what you should expect to pay. This will ensure you don’t get ripped off.
• Avoid western food – Western food is always more expensive than local dishes, and that difference adds up. Save your budget and eat what the locals eat!
• Bring a reusable water bottle – The tap water here isn’t safe to drink. To save money and reduce your plastic use, bring a reusable water bottle with a filter. LifeStraw make a reusable bottle with a built-in filter so you can be sure your water is always safe and clean.

Where to Stay in Vientiane

Vientiane has a few decent hostels that are clean, social, and cheap. Here are my suggested places to stay:

• Dream Home Hostel
• Sailomyen Cafe & Hostel
• Petit Espace

How to Get Around Vientiane

Public transportation – Vientiane has a public city bus system, but it mostly services the outer suburbs rather than the city center. It doesn’t have AC but it goes to the Friendship Bridge and Buddha Park (6,000 LAK). A three-day bus pass can be bought at the airport for around 45,000 LAK.

Bike rental – A bicycle rental is an excellent way to get around Vientiane. Rentals start around 10,000 LAK per day. If your guesthouse or hostel doesn’t rent bicycles, there are plenty of shops around town. Expect to pay 15,000-30,000 LAK for a better-quality bike.

Tuk-Tuks and Jumbos – Tuk-tuks (and their larger cousins, jumbos) are an easy and affordable way to get around town, with most short trips costing 10,000-20,000 LAK. Tuk-tuks by the river charge double so avoid taking a tuk-tuk from there.

Many tuk-tuks have published rates. However, they are intentionally inflated. Ask your hotel/hostel staff for accurate rates before you head out.

Taxi – If you come across an unmetered taxi, make sure you negotiate before getting in. Try to aim for 8,000 LAK per kilometer. You can hire a private taxi for a full day (within the town) for around 300,000-500,000 LAK.

When to Go to Vientiane

Vientiane has a tropical climate, with average daily temperatures ranging between 24-37°C (75-98°F). November to April is the best time to visit Vientiane. This is when the area’s weather is consistently warm and dry, and if you’re planning on doing lots of sightseeing, you’ll want this kind of weather (December-February are the driest months on average). January-February is the busiest time to visit so expect more people and higher prices.

March-May tends to be the hottest time of year, with temperatures soaring as high as 40°C (104°F). Humidity is high as well. Make sure you wear a hat and have lots of water when you’re out and about.

The rainy season starts around May-June and lasts until the end of October. Although there’s a lot of rain, it usually comes in short bursts, leaving the rest of the day warm and sunny. Coming here during this time means you won’t have to deal with a lot of other travelers. Prices are a little lower too. Dengue fever is a risk during this time, however.

How to Stay Safe in Vientiane

Vientiane is a safe place to backpack and travel. The city has very little violent crime, though petty theft can be a concern. Keep your valuables secure and out of reach at all times just to be safe. Be especially mindful of bag snatchers.

As with elsewhere in Southeast Asia, it’s not uncommon for people to try to rip you off because they assume you have lots of money. Always double-check prices and the change you’re handed back after paying. When in doubt, ask your hotel/hostel staff how much something should cost so you don’t get ripped off.

You can read about common travel scams to avoid here .

When people get into trouble here, it’s mostly because they’re tangled up with drugs or the sex industry. Laos is strict about punishment when it comes to these offenses so avoid them at all costs.

Solo female travelers should generally feel safe here. However, the standard precautions apply (never leave your drink unattended at the bar, never walk home alone intoxicated, etc.). For specific tips, check out one of the many solo female travel blogs on the web that go into more detail.

While malaria can be an issue here, dengue is much more common. Always wear bug spray with DEET when you go out during the rainy season.

There are a fair amount of dogs here — stray and owned — but always be careful around them as they can be more vicious than you’re used to.

If you experience an emergency, dial 191 to contact the police.

Always trust your gut instinct. Make copies of your personal documents, including your passport and ID.

The most important piece of safety advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. You can use the widget below to find the policy right for you:

Vientiane Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Agoda – Other than Hostelworld, Agoda is the best hotel accommodation site for Asia.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.

Vientiane Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more info? Check out all the articles I’ve written on Laos travel and continue planning your trip:

Is Southeast Asia Safe for Travelers?

The Secret Pool of Kuang Si Waterfall

The Cost of Traveling Laos

Vang Vieng: A Hedonistic Backpacker Town Reborn

Get my best stuff sent straight to you, pin it on pinterest.

• Where To Stay
• Transportation
• Booking Resources
• Related Blogs

Vientiane | An Insider’s Guide to Visiting the Laos Capital

Vientiane, Laos might seem sleepy and languid by Southeast Asia standards, but the Lao PDR capital might surprise you with its diversity of cuisine, quirky sights, friendly locals, and infectious sabai-sabai attitude.

Visiting Vientiane, Laos, elicits such a diversity of opinions from travelers, it’s often hard to know if the laid back capital of Laos is worth a couple days of your Southeast Asia travel itinerary, or even more.

Having lived here for three years (and backpacked the length of Laos, ourselves), one thing has become clear regarding visiting Vientiane — How you interact as a visitor with this enigmatic city (and what your perception of Vientiane ultimately ends up being) very much depends on your individual travel experience and perspective.

Lori and I think we have a unique perspective to lend and are excited to share that perspective (along with insider tips) with travelers looking to get the most out of their visit to Vientiane, Laos.

Read on to discover Vientiane’s best experiences, hidden places to visit (and not so hidden), helpful tips for planning your visit, and why you should visit Laos and Vientiane in the first place. Enjoy!

▸ Looking for travel medical insurance? SafetyWing offers low-cost overseas medical coverage tailored to international travelers.

We’re reader supported and may earn a commission from affiliate links on our site at no cost to you.

Introduction to Visiting Vientiane

Where to stay in vientiane, best things to do in vientiane, laos.

• Where to Eat + Drink in Vientiane?

How to Get to Vientiane

Getting around vientiane, laos, practical information, vientiane dos & don’ts, planning an unforgettable trip to laos, a detailed guide to vientiane, laos.

Lori and I first approached Vientiane via a long bus ride from Luang Prabang , and approached Laos, in general, on the heels of four months of budget backpacking through China, India and Thailand.

For us, the laid back and friendly nature of the Laos people and culture was a breath of fresh air after struggling for months with aggressive peddlers, aggravating taxi and tuk-tuk drivers, and relentless hustlers.

Of the six national capitals Lori and I traveled through during that time, Vientiane was the only one we knew absolutely nothing about, and at just over half a million inhabitants, it was by far the smallest.

We literally had zero expectations and found Vientiane a most agreeable place.

For you, Vientiane may represent a relaxing foodie paradise a world apart from the materialism and go-go-go of better-known Southeast Asia capital cities, or it may represent nothing more than a boring backwater, depending on your point of view.

If you visit expecting to find French-colonial charm and evocative Buddhist temples on par with Luang Prabang , you may well be disappointed.

If you come expecting to find a fast-paced, maddening, cosmopolitan mega-city comparable to Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll also likely find yourself disappointed.

If, however, you come to Vientiane with few preconceptions, an open mind, and an adventurous spirit, you will likely find yourself well-rewarded for doing so.

Here, we’ve put together a guide for visiting Vientiane based on our own experiences living in and traveling through this unique city and the rest of Laos.

Lori and I have hosted a number of visitors over the past few years, which has resulted in the bringing together of a lot of information that we would like to share with you.

We hope this guide to visiting Vientiane helps answer questions of what to do in Vientiane, where to eat and drink, where to stay, and how best to approach this often overlooked corner of Southeast Asia.

Vientiane’s got a TON more lodging options than you might think. If you don’t know the lay of the land, it can seem like an impossible task to choose the right one.

Here are our top choices for places to stay in Vientiane — all highly-rated, centrally-located, and loaded with amenities for international travelers.

Crowne Plaza Vientiane

OUR TOP UPMARKET / BUSINESS CHOICE. If you’re looking for a top-rated international brand hotel with luxury amenities close to the city center, Crowne Plaza Vientiane is the best option available in Vientiane. Their onsite restaurant 3 Merchants is simply outstanding and comparable to the best restaurants you’re likely to come across in Hanoi, Phnom Penh, or even Bangkok.

Lao Poet Hotel

OUR TOP MID-RANGE BOUTIQUE PICK! Lao Poet Hotel ‘s lux touches, rooftop pool, and very centralized location never disappoint. Excellent onsite terrace and bar for some of the best sunset views in town.

Barn1920s Hostel

OUR TOP BUDGET PICK! Barn1920s Hostel is located in a recently updated French-colonial building is one of the best places in town to meet other travelers AND grab a great cup of coffee. Featuring a garden, shared lounge, and bar, this top-rated retro hostel is a leisurely 10-minute walk to the Mekong and the city’s best restaurants.

Sailomyen Hostel

OUR TOP BUDGET TO MID-RANGE PICK! Sailomyen Hostel offers mod touches and upmarket amenities for pennies on the dollar. Features an excellent onsite coffeeshop and an excellent location within a 10-15 minute of the City Center’s top restaurants and attractions.

If you’re staying downtown, you have the lion’s share of Vientiane’s best eateries footsteps away. 

You also have a half dozen interesting and historic Buddhist temples to wander through, along with opportunities to commune with the locals and the Mother of Waters, the Mekong River.

Unfortunately for visitors, however, Vientiane’s main attractions are spread over many miles across the city. 

While it is possible to walk, there are better ways to see all of the sights, particularly when things really start to heat up from March to October (for our top tips on getting around, see our section on Getting Around Vientiane below).

Here’s a list of top sights in Vientiane that we think are worth your time, along with some of our favorite lesser-known attractions.

Top Attractions

• Patuxay Victory Monument
• That Luang (Great Stupa)
• Top Temples – Wat Si Saket, Wat Si Muang, and Haw Pha Kaeo.
• COPE Visitor Centre
• Museums – Lao National Museum (under construction) & Lao People’s Army History Museum
• That Dam  (Black Stupa)
• Talat Sao  (Morning Market)
• Presidential Palace ,  Chao Anouvong statue , &  Night Market

Other Worthwhile Attractions

• Villa Lao Cooking School
• Phat Tich  Vietnamese pagoda
• Kualao Restaurant  (live music & dance)

Far From City Centre

• Buddha Park
• Lao Textile Museum
• Lao Disabled Women’s Development Centre
• Lao Brewery Company (LBC)  brewery tours

Popular Festivals in Vientiane

Vientiane hosts a number of cultural and religious festivals throughout the year that are worth experiencing if you find yourself in town.

3-day long That Luang Festival (usually in November) might just be the biggest religious festival of the year, with thousands of devout Buddhists taking part over the extended holiday season. Check out our full guide on experiencing this unique view into Lao culture and life.

The Vientiane Boat Races (held September/October) are the finals for the nationwide Laos Boat Racing Festival held each year to mark the end of Buddhist Lent.

Pi Mai is the biggest festival of any kind in Laos held to mark the Lao New Year (Buddhist New Year) every April.

More Related Articles & Guides:

• Hidden Laos | 7 Offbeat Things to Do in Vientiane
• 20 Worthwhile Day Trips from Vientiane | For Travelers & Locals
• Buddha Park | Ultimate Guide to Visiting Vientiane’s Spirit City

Where to Eat + Drink in Vientiane?

There are way too many great restaurants and bars to list here, so Lori and I are only giving you our favorites (so far).

Most of these places are budget to mid-range. We know there are a lot of fancier, more expensive options in Vientiane now, but we haven’t yet made it to those places so we can’t recommend them there.

On the other side of the spectrum, there are a lot of local/ street food eateries we really enjoy, particularly in our neighborhood (Ban Phontan) that are challenging to describe here as they don’t have Romanized names and are far from the typical tourist destinations. However, we’re hoping to devote a future article mapping those favorites as well.

You can search for any of these places on Google maps and find the location for getting yourself there.

For Short-term Visitors

• Makphet  – Some of the best Lao food in town and also a cooking school (update 2021: Sadly, the original Makphet has closed, but Mini Makphet has proved a promising reboot) [Downtown, near That Dam Black Stupa].
• Kong View – Lao food, outdoor atmosphere & Mekong sunset views (we go for dinner) [near Wattay airport].
• Kualao  – Lao food and traditional music & dance performances (dinner) [Downtown, near That Dam Black Stupa].
• Le Vendom – Our favorite French Bistro in town with great atmosphere (dinner) [Downtown, near Wat Inpeng].
• Khop Chai Deu – Lao food & outdoor ambience (we go for dinner) [Downtown, near Namphu Fountain].
• PVO   – Awesome low-key Vietnamese food joint (we go for lunch) [Downtown, between Wat Simuang and Wat Sisaket].
• Kung’s Cafe   – Lao food (we go for breakfast/brunch) [near Wat Simuang].
• Kheg   –  Lao food & outdoor garden atmosphere (we go for lunch – we’ve heard they’re in the process of moving) [near Patuxay Victory Monument].
• Doi Ka Noi   – Fresh Lao food & outdoor garden atmosphere (we go for lunch/ dinner on weekends) [near That Luang Golden Stupa].
• Koon Duck  – Lao & Thai street food (dinner) [various locations, usually in front of a Mini Big-C].

For International Cuisine

• Pimenton – Tapas & Spanish food (dinner) [downtown]
• Taj Mahal Halal  – Delicious Muslim Indian food (dinner) [downtown]
• Sputnik Burger – Great American-style burgers! (dinner) [downtown, Ban Haysoke]
• Flavours & Spices   – Delicious Indian food (dosas!) [Sisattanak]
• Soul Kitchen   – Superb Italian/Pizza (dinner) [near Wat Simuang].
• Privet – Excellent Russian restaurant [Sisattanak near Russian Embassy]
• Senglao Cafe  – Hi-So Lao and International cuisine in a hollywood-themed garden setting [Saysettha near Japanese Embassy].

Our Favorite Watering Holes

• Mekong Zone   – Nearly a quarter mile of local bars and eateries fronting the Mekong River [downtown].
• Earth Bar – Great mix of people, live international music, and craft beer [downtown, Ban Haysoke].
• Le Patito – Cafe, Brewery and huge swimming pool! [Sisattanak]
• Khop Chai Deu   – Multiple levels of outdoor drinking opportunities [downtown, Namphu Fountain].
• Ban Lao Beer Garden   – Funkiest and most laid back beer garden in town [downtown].
• Chokdee Belgian Beer Bar   – Enjoy one of dozens of Belgian beers on tap and delicious offerings from the Motherland.
• Bor Pen Yang   – Legendary local bar, a bit of a hike up to the fourth level, but worth it for the Mekong sunset views! [downtown]
• The Beer House   – Belgian beers galore, in a cozy, garden atmosphere [downtown, near Chao Anouvang Stadium].
• Spirit House – The premiere watering hole on the Mekong with one of the largest drink menus in town [downtown].
• Suntara   – Newly opened in the Vientiane New World complex. Mekong views from a large deck [Vientiane New World].
• Tully’s Irish Pub – What you’d expect from an Irish Pub, but unique offerings for Vientiane [downtown].
• Mekong Beach  – BYOB and hang out on the Mekong’s sandy beach in the dry season.

Our Favorite Coffee Shops & Cafes

• Le Trio Coffee  –   Superb coffee, roasted in-house. This is where I get my coffee beans for home brewing (they’ve got some of the best cold brew in town as well) [downtown].
• Cafe Vanille   – Where expats go to see and be seen. Their savory crepes are amazing. [3 locations: Downtown in the old Le Banneton, Saysettha and Sisattanak]
• Tit Kafe – Walk-up and dine-in coffee shop. Best Nitro cold brew in town [downtown].
• Common Grounds   – Comfortable cafe with Western offerings and large kids play area [downtown].
• Bakery by Boris – French bakery with a variety of pastries and sandwiches [Wat Simuang]
• JOMA – North American style coffeeshop with Western. Try their smoked salmon bagel sandwich & Signature Lao Iced Coffee. Kids play area at Phontan location [3 locations: Namphu Fountain, Phontan Village and That Luang].
• Once Upon a Time  – good food, coffee & comfy tropical-industrial ambience [2 locations: Downtown and Ban Phontan].
• Little House Cafe   – Japanese coffee shop. Superb coffee, amazing pastries and desserts, and nice outdoor garden area. Try their double-strength iced coffee and rich chocolate truffle balls. [near Wat Simuang].

Wondering how to get to Vientiane? Getting to the laid back capital of Laos might seem easy, but there’s a few things you should know before planning your trip.

Visa On Arrival

As of July 2019, getting a visa on arrival at Wattay International Airport is quick and painless for most nationalities.

For U.S. citizens, you just need to bring your passport, a passport size photograph, the paperwork you receive on your incoming flight, and the visa fee in U.S. currency (USD).

Currently, the fee is US$35 for U.S. citizens.

Flying into Vientiane (Wattay Airport)

Vientiane is NOT a major travel hub and can be costly to fly into. Many carriers, however, offer deep discounts 90 days or more prior to the departure date.

Prior to March 2020, only a handful of carriers had regularly scheduled international non-stop service to Wattay International Airport.

Cities with nonstop international service to Vientiane in 2019:

• Bangkok (Thailand)
• Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
• Kunming, Guangzhou, and Shanghai (China)
• Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
• Seoul (South Korea)
• Siem Reap (Cambodia)

The primary airline companies that operate out of Wattay International are:

• Lao Airlines
• Thai Airways
• Bangkok Airways
• Cambodia Angkor Air
• China Eastern Airlines
• Sky Wings Asia Airlines
• T’way Airlines
• Vietnam Airlines

Flying Into Udon Thani, Thailand

Think twice before booking a flight to Bangkok or Udon Thani (Thailand) with the intention of taking land transport the rest of the way to Vientiane.

If you have plenty of time and want to go this route for the experience, by all means, do it!

However, if you’re short on time and want to go this route simply to save money, it may very well end up costing you more money than flying into Vientiane, not to mention costing you valuable vacation time.

Getting to Vientiane by Rail

Pre-March 2020, there were regularly scheduled overnight trains from Bangkok to Nong Khai, Thailand  (just over the Friendship Bridge from Laos).

From Nong Khai, you can catch a shuttle train the short distance over the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge to  Thanaleng Station in Laos.

Unfortunately, Thanaleng Station is 14 miles from downtown Vientiane. But, there are shared minivans at the station to take you the rest of the way.

We’ve found the sleeper cars on Thai trains to be very comfortable and a good value for the money.

Getting to Vientiane by Bus

Vientiane has three major bus stations:

• Kua Din (Central) Bus Station
• Northern Bus Station
• Southern Bus Station

For destinations in Vientiane Prefecture (such as Buddha Park) most buses currently leave from behind the old Kua Din bus station (near Talat Sao / Morning Market).

Northbound intercity buses (Veng Viang, Luang Prabang, etc.) leave from the Northern Bus Station just north of the Wattay International Airport.

Southbound intercity buses (Thakhek, Savannakhet, etc.) leave from the Southern Bus Station , about 7 mi. northeast of town, naturally.

Getting around Vientiane isn’t easy. The Laos capital isn’t a major travel hub and bus options are limited. Here’s how to get around Vientiane like a pro.

Upon arriving in Vientiane, many first-time visitors to Laos are surprised with the low level of infrastructure, lack of transport options available, and simply how difficult it can be getting around Vientiane.

Coming from Bangkok, Hanoi, or most other popular Southeast Asia destinations, getting around Vientiane can frustrate even the seasoned traveler.

Through a lot of trial and error in the three years we’ve lived here, we’ve learned a lot of great tips for best ways to get around Vientiane. We’ve compiled our top tips for how to get around Vientiane Capital in this section.

Around Vientiane on Foot

If you’re only in Vientiane for a few days and staying downtown, you won’t need to worry much about transportation .

The majority of the city’s best eats are concentrated downtown in a four-block corridor along the Mekong.

Some of the city’s more major attractions, such as Wat Si Saket , That Dam , and the Mighty Mekong can all be easily accessed on foot, and Patuxay Victory Arch can be reached on foot with just a bit more effort.

Public Buses

Vientiane does not yet have an urban rail system and the public bus system won’t be very helpful to short-term visitors to Vientiane.

With the exception of taking the #14 bus from Kua Din (Central) Station to the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge or Buddha Park , the public bus and songthaew routes that do exist are not easy to figure out for those with minimal Lao language skills.

Tuk-Tuks, Songthaews & Taxis

For sightseeing away from central Vientiane, tuk-tuks and songthaews are common throughout the downtown area but are far more costly than Phnom Penh or even Bangkok. Individual trips can quickly add up if you are trying to see a lot in one day.

A smarter idea may be to hire a taxi or tuk-tuk through your guesthouse for a set number of hours if you plan to be moving around a lot.

Oddly, we’ve consistently had to pay much more for tuk-tuks and songthaews than we do for taxis, so keep in mind that  a taxi may be the cheapest option for visitors to get around Vientiane .

Bike & Motorbike Rental

Renting a bicycle or motorbike is also a great option for getting around Vientiane, particularly if you plan to stick to the area around downtown. Bicycles and motorbikes can be rented for a low fee from a number of guesthouses in the city center.

Biking can also be a great way to see farther off sights, such as Patuxay , That Luang , and even Buddha Park , but many visitors may feel uncomfortable riding in Vientiane traffic, particularly around rush hour, due to the number of motorbikes and seeming lack of organization.

With that in mind, Sundays are generally a great day for exploring the city on two wheels, as most of the roads are quiet and relatively deserted.

Renting a Car

Depending on your plans during and after your visit to Vientiane, renting a car may be a better choice.

A few major rental car companies have offices at Wattay International Airport . We’ve found that Budget generally has the best rates there.

Tour Options

If you’d rather have your transport planned out and see as much as possible in a short amount of time, there are a few good options in town to  join a group or private city tour .

Green Discovery is one of our favorites, but your guesthouse staff may have more options to choose from as well.

We’ve also heard great things about Tuk Tuk Safari , but have not yet utilized their services, ourselves.

Viator and GetYourGuide also have numerous tours from Vientiane that you can book online in advance with trusted tour operators.

Airport Transfer

Transport to/from the Wattay International Airport is straightforward.

Getting From Wattay Airport

At the airport, visit the Taxi desk near the front doors to arrange an official taxi to any place in town.

Expect to pay between 50,000-100,000 LAK (US$6.00-$12.00) depending on your destination in the city. The ride to/from the airport usually takes around 15-25 minutes.

If you’d like to arrange a private shuttle from the airport to your hotel ahead of time, you can book online in advance.

Getting To Wattay Airport

In terms of getting to the airport or any of the bus stations, your guesthouse can easily arrange a pick-up, or you can flag down a tuk-tuk or songthaew at any number of points downtown.

The most widely spoken language in Laos is Lao , which bears some semblance to Thai. While a former French colony, you may not hear French widely spoken in Vientiane today. English is becoming increasingly more common, particularly among those under the age of 40.

Vientiane time is  GMT/UTC+7 .

Simple time zone conversion online resource:  thetimezoneconverter.com

Electricity

The most common outlets accommodate  230-volt, 2-prong Euro or North American-style electrical plug  (see photo below).

Any U.S. 2-prong plug device that’s rated for 230v (e.g. most home electronics chargers which are generally 110v-240v) will work perfectly here. 3-prong (grounded) plugs will need an adapter.

Most standard 2-prong Euro-style plugs should work fine (though we’ve found some have a tendency to have a problem staying seated firmly in the socket).

Public Restrooms

Public restrooms cost between 1000-2000 Kip, so keep a few small bills on you in case the spirit catches you.

Tropical Diseases & Prevention

Yes! Vientiane is in the tropics and does have the occasional outbreak of mosquito-borne infectious diseases. It also harbors its fair share of food-borne illness.

Visit a reputable travel clinic, preferably staffed with providers with knowledge and experience of Southeast Asia, well before your departure date.

To find a travel clinic near you, visit the International Society of Travel  Medicine’s  Online Clinic Directory .

Some helpful considerations for planning your visit to Vientiane. A couple may surprise you.

• DON’T  wait until the last minute to book inbound flights, particularly from Europe or the Americas.
• DON’T be afraid to visit in the rainy/low season — guesthouses will often offer a discount and booking ahead generally won’t be necessary.
• DO book ahead in high season (December-February) if you don’t have flexibility of time, cost or location.
• DO take a tuk-tuk or songthaew around the city center.
• DO  check business hours ahead of time — many shops, restaurants and museums are closed on Mondays.
• DON’T bargain too hard — Laotian vendors are generally fair and honest and don’t mark up their wares for tourists like neighboring countries.
• DO use the calculator on your phone to agree on a price — If you learn a few numbers in Lao ahead of time, even better.
• DO stay as close to the city center as possible or budget for transport.
• DO try and speak some Lao while in Vientiane.
• DO treat the monks with the utmost respect — ladies, avoid situations that might place you in accidental contact.
• DON’T worry about flushing toilet paper or placing in receptacle — if there is an obvious receptacle, use it, but Vientiane’s plumbing is surprisingly forgiving.
• DON’T flush anything but toilet paper — You will live to regret it.
• DON’T drink the tap water — Brushing teeth and showering in the tap water is perfectly fine. You can generally bet on water and ice cubes served at restaurants being filtered and good to drink.
• DO eat street food — But be cautious of food (particularly meat) that is not hot and/or has been sitting out for a while. Food hot off the grill/wok is generally fine.
• DO consider a probiotic regimen before visiting Vientiane if you have concerns about eating local/street food or have experienced issues in the past.
• DO visit a local fresh market.
• DO catch at least one Mekong sunset during your stay here — they are pretty amazing.
• DON’T forget to smile and be polite — Laotians, in general, put enormous value on friendliness and politeness.

Check out our other helpful travel guides from around the country!

• 16 Amazing Things to Do in Luang Prabang
• Slow Boat to Luang Prabang | A Detailed Guide
• Thakhek Loop by Motorbike | Ultimate Guide
• Konglor Cave | Complete Guide for Travelers
• 36 Reasons Why You Should Visit Laos

And That’s Our Insider’s Guide to Visiting Vientiane, Laos

Have you visited Vientiane? What did you love? What didn’t you love? Tell us in the comments.

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12 Things To Do In Vientiane

Things To Do In Vientiane

Here are the best things to do, see, eat, and buy when you’re in Vientiane. Laos is a landlocked country but famous for its mountains and the Mekong River flowing through it creating a beautiful natural landscape that attracts tourists. Vientiane capital is among the popular destinations when Laos is on the travelers’ list of choice. Not like a bustling central hub, Vientiane offers fresh air, relaxed and serene vibe which make it such a lovable capital, but still, there is much more to do here than you think.

Check out the best list of things to do for your travel plan to Vientiane with Laos Travel team and enjoy your fun experience!

Attend the unique Alms – giving ceremony (Tak Bat)

Visit the morning market, reach the top of patuxai victory monument, visit the most famous and sacred temples, learn more about history, culture and lao people through museums, visit xieng khuan, explore the national ethnic cultural park, go on a cycling tour, join in a cooking class, take a stroll along the beautiful mekong waterfront at dusk, try local food & drinks, wander at vientiane night market, go for a massage and herbal sauna.

Taking Alms Giving Ceremony in the early morning will be one of the most interesting activites that you can have in Vientiane.

As the country of Buddhism, there are many pagodas and temples in Laos. You can easily see their culture connecting to Buddhism, and one of these is alms giving ceremony (Tak Bat) which only takes place at dawn when the monks get out of their temples to collect offerings from local people. Joining this activity will be one of the most interesting experiences that you have in Vientiane. To attend the ceremony, you need to wake up early (5am-6.00am), dress appropriately, prepare offerings and wait for monks on the streets.

The ritual will be done in silence, respect and Laotians will make a short pray before putting food into the monk’s bowl. Later, these offerings will be shared for themselves, poor people, other monks and animals at the temples. The monks only have one meal per day.

Visit the Morning Market, where you can buy souvenirs, handicrafts, and fresh produce.  Vientiane Morning Market (Talat Sao), the best place to experience the vibrant culture and shopping scene of Laos’ capital city. Whether you are looking for traditional handicrafts, exquisite silk fabrics, exotic snake whiskey, or sparkling jewelry, you will find them all at this bustling market that opens every day from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. You can explore the market on your own or with a local guide who can help you bargain and find the best deals. No entrance fee is required, so feel free to browse and enjoy the sights and sounds of this lively market. Don’t miss this opportunity to discover the authentic and diverse products of Laos at Vientiane Morning Market.

Known as Victory Gate, Patuxai is one of the most important monuments in Vientiane, dedicating to those who fought in the struggle for independence from France.

Nestled in the center of Vientiane, Patuxai Victory Monument – part of the wider Patuxai Park – is one of the best known landmarks of the capital, dedicating to all citizens of Laos who gave their lives for the country in different wars. It was designed to resemble the Arc de Triomphe in Paris in combination with tastes of traditional Laotian to create an East meets West kind of attraction. Instead of using elevator, climbing a set of stair to the top to enjoy the panoramic view of the city and main boulevard will be worth for your effort.

You can combine visiting Patuxai Victory Monument and seeing most famous temples in Vientiane in the same morning. Refer to the following suggested morning schedule:

Morning in Vientiane:

• Visit Wat Si Saket , a Buddhist temple complex that is one of the oldest and most important in Vientiane.
• Take a walk around the Patuxai , a war monument dedicated to those who fought for independence from France.
• Visit the Pha That Luang , a golden stupa that is considered the most important national monument in Laos.

Pha That Luang Stupa

Phra That Luang Stupa – a national symbol of Laos.

Considered as a world cultural heritage, Pha That Luang stands as a national symbol which is printed on both paper money and the country’s emblem. It was fully built in 1566 with the style of Laos with gold covered which is brighter and more splendid under the sunshine. The stupa is believed to contain a breastbone of the Buddha. In middle November of each year, a national level festival will be held which attracts numerous people across the country to attend.

Wat Ho Phra Keo

Haw Phra Kaew (Ho Phra Keo) is Laos’ leading museum of religious art with its name taken from Emerald Buddha, a statue carved from a single piece of jade that is now preserved in Bangkok.

The sacred and noble Wat Phra Keo is important only after Pha That Luang. Original built in 1565 to house the Emerald Buddha, but now it serves a museum for the religious arts of Laos. There are many precious sculptures in stone, bronze, gold which make you feel to walk in the peaceful fairyland with many jewels.

Wat Si Saket

Wat Si Saket is the oldest temple of the town that is still in its original form.

Just cross the street from Wat Phra Keo locates Wat Si Saket which is a truly remarkable one. Built in 1818, this temple is still preserved since its date of construction with the unique Siamese style, rather than Laos. There are numerous Buddha statues up to nearly 7,000 in the temple which are cast in various materials such as bronze, ceramic, precious wood and gilded, plated with iridescent silver.

This is also the place where the locals give their offerings to the monks in their daily morning alms giving ceremony.

Wat Si Muang

Wat Si Muang is considered the home of the guardian spirit of Vientiane.

Wat Si Muang is considered the home of the guardian spirit of Vientiane. Built in 1563, the legend has it that the wat was named after the death of Si Muang who sacrificed herself on the foundations of the wat to appease angry gods, and the center of town is now marked from the pillar built on top of that sacrifice.

Lao National Museum

Lao National Museum is home to more than 850 artifacts from the nation’s heritage, culture, and history.

In October 2020, the Lao National Museum officially opened at its new location of Sivilay Village, Xaythany District, near the Kaysone Phomvihane Museum. This building replaces the original one which was built in 1925 as the French governor’s residence on Samsenthai Road in central Vientiane.

The exhibits at the museum cover more than 850 artifacts from the nation’s heritage, culture, and history, including some ancient pieces such as fossils, stone tools, stone images of Buddha, human skeletons, pottery and bronzeware, and other items typical of Lao ethnic lifestyles. The new museum building is open from Monday to Friday.

Kaysone Phomvihane Museum

Opened on 13 Dec 1995, Kaysone Phomvihane Museum is a memorial named after the first leader of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party.

Opened in 1995 to celebrate the late president’s 75th birthday, the Kaysone Phomvihane Museum serves as a tribute to the first leader of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party. There are a number of galleries containing information, artifacts, his statues in bronze that tell the story of Kaysone’s life. You can even find a model of his home as a child, his desk from the French school and a model of the cave he hid inside in Hua Phan Province.

Lao Textile Museum

The Lao Textile Museum claims to be the first privately-owned museum in Laos and its purpose is to promote the traditional assets of textile culture in the country.

The Lao Textile Museum is set in a beautiful traditional family property, containing a private collection of antique textiles, clackety old looms and spinners, lots of displays about tribal variations, the meaning of designs as well as the dyeing and weaving process.

If you want to get hands on, you can take a textile painting class. The museum also has a small studio where silk pieces are woven for purchase at the museum’s shop. This is a suitable place for those looking for an insight into authentic Laos.

COPE Visitor Center

The COPE Visitor Centre Vientiane is a small museum and charity for victims of the bombings in Laos.

Visit the COPE Visitor Centre, a museum that tells the story of the victims of unexploded ordnance in Laos. The COPE Visitor Center is a mini museum, rehab clinic and NGO that highlights the work done by COPE Laos, a center focuses on supporting bomb victims during the war from 1964 to 1973. The center provides locals free access to prostheses, wheelchairs and physical therapy to improve the quality of life for bomb-affected citizens.

Here, you can browse the exhibitions, watch documentaries, participate in hands-on activities …The entrance is free but donation is appreciated to support COPE’s exceptional work.

Known as Buddha Park, Xieng Khuan is about 25km from the capital Vientiane and is home to more than 200 religious statues.

Constructed in 1958 and also known as Buddha Park, Xieng Khuan is about 25 kilometers outside Vientiane, covering more than 200 religious statues in both Hindu and Buddhist sculpture which are scattered all over the lush grounds. A 40m long giant reclining Buddha statue is the most prominent statue here. Another highlights are images of gods, demons, people, animals and the 3 layers of hell, earth and heaven.

The National Ethnic Cultural Park is located 20 kilometers south from Vientiane near the Friendship Bridge.

Not far from Buddha Park (about 8km) is the National Ethnic Cultural Park which is known for having models of traditional houses that represent all the different ethnic groups in Laos as well as some statues of dinosaurs and small zoo here. Cultural shows are also occasionally held here. You can combine this attraction with Buddha Park to make a day out in Vientiane.

Biking is one of the best ways to discover the hidden places of Vientiane and save budget.

Biking is one of the best ways to explore the region and discover the hidden places, encounter new cultures and experience the nature on two wheels. This kind of tour becomes more popular today. You can choose half or full day with local guide for touring around the city to villages, temples and markets. You can also cycle along the banks of the scenic Mekong River as another way to check out the city as well as get a workout in at the same time.

Explore the secrets of Laos cuisine by taking a cooking class in Vientiane.

Learning how to cook typical cuisine of destination that you travel to is always a great experience. To join a traditional cooking class, you will be taken to the local market where you can pick the fresh ingredients and herbs for your meal. Then the professional chef will show you how to cook a bunch of dishes. After finishing the dish on your own, it is time for you to sit down and taste what you have just done. If you whip up fancy Lao meals, let’s try to practice and invite your friends to taste when you are back home.

Taking Naga Boats that carry passengers downriver into the sunset, that is worth your try.

By the end of the day, the waterfront alongside the Mekong River becomes a hub of activity for Laotians when people come to stroll, watch fishing nets being cast, listen to the music of the aerobic class and watch the sunset over the Mekong River. There are various opportunities to view the sunset from different vantage points such as taking Naga Boats that carry passengers downriver into the sunset or sitting at the restaurants alongside the river.

Beerlao was launched in 1973 and has become the best selling and leading brand in Laos.

If you’re a foodie then Vientiane is a gateway to popular and delicious Laotian food. While you are in this national capital, there are some specialties that you should try, such as Lao sausage with two main types of pork sausage which go well with beer: Sui oua (fatty pork mixed with spices) and Sai krok (different from Sui oua that is is fermented for a few days, which gives it a sweet and tangy taste); sticky rice; crickets, grasshoppers and other insects; Mekong catfish; Khai Look (fetal duck or chicken egg); Khao piak (rice noodle soup); Larb (meat salad)…

A bottle of iced cold Beerlao should not be missed here. Other drink types such as fresh fruit, lots of flavors, and soy milk are available too. You can easily dine these specialties at local restaurants or street food stalls around.

Combining with watching sunset over Mekong River, you can pass by Vientiane Night Market nearby.

A vibrant and colorful night market in Vientiane.

By 5pm every evening, hundreds of red awnings are set up to get this riverside night market into operation until 10pm. Here, you can find a range of items such as clothes, textiles, accessories, handicrafts, paintings and myriad souvenirs. There is also a playground with swings, monkey bars, slides for children in the middle of the market.

Unlike other night markets, there is no food sold here, but you can find plenty of street food vendors and restaurants around the market.

End of your day with a massage and herbal sauna will definitely be great.

Relaxing after a day outside in Vientiane with a massage and herbal sauna, it will definitely be great. Known for the local massage technique which uses herbal sauna and steam rooms, local plants and herbs are boiled in a traditional Laotian bathhouse in a sealed room to create a steamy environment. Then a relaxing massage is followed. Your day will end perfectly by this way with better sleep and ready for another new day awaiting ahead.

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12 Best Things to do in Vientiane, Laos

The capital of a tiny landlocked country, Vientiane in Laos whispers stories of a rich and serene past. Travelers and adventurers alike flock to this city, drawn by its blend of ancient charm and emerging modernity.

While some consider Vientiane a gateway to spiritual wonders like Wat Si Muang and Vat That Khao, there are much more things to do in Vientiane than exploring its honored landmarks. It weaves together remnants of the ancient Lao kingdom with French-colonial architecture and vibrant local markets, forming a tapestry that celebrates both history and contemporary life.

Exploring the streets of downtown Vientiane, scents of tradition and diverse cuisines mingle, guiding visitors through an aromatic journey. As the sun sets and the gold glimmering off of Phat That Luang settles for the night, the city transforms into a hub of activity, drawing in global wanderers to its enchanting night markets and relaxing riverfront.

Amidst the enticing offerings, tales of the day’s escapades are exchanged, creating an atmosphere that encapsulates the essence of Vientiane’s allure—a city that harmonizes ancient tales with modern-day adventures.

12. Vat that Khao

Embodying classic Lao-style architecture, Vat That Khao boasts three remarkable focal points that will leave you in awe. First, the main temple entrance is surrounded by standing Buddha statues, while the roof’s front gable displays intricate golden stencil work. Inside, vibrant murals portraying scenes from the life of Buddha adorn the temple’s interior, adding vivid colors and narrative to the sacred space.

The second highlight is the expansive gardens surrounding the temple, housing some of the largest golden statues in Laos. Notably, the grand golden reclining Buddha stands out among these serene surroundings, offering a peaceful moment of serenity.

The third focal point is the revered bodhi tree situated within the temple grounds. Believed to be a descendant of the original bodhi tree where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, India.

11. Wat Si Muang

Steeped in cultural vibrancy and spiritual significance, Wat Si Muang is a revered site, believed to shelter the guardian spirit of Vientiane. Various legends recount the temple’s history, but they all converge on a common narrative involving a young pregnant woman sacrificing herself during the temple’s construction around 1566 to appease a vengeful spirit.

The original temple was ravaged by a fire in 1828, with the current structure erected in 1915 during the French colonial period. A Buddha statue, believed to have survived from the original structure, has been attributed to wish-granting abilities.

Visitors practice a ritual where they lift the Buddha off its pillow three times while silently asking a question or request. Should their wish be fulfilled, tradition dictates returning later with an offering as a sign of gratitude.

10. Night Market

Sitting along the Mekong River promenade, the Vientiane Night Market casts a mesmerizing glow with its twinkling lights and lively ambiance. Open every night from 6 pm until 10 pm, it’s easy to get lost within the atmosphere of the bustling market.

Here, the stalls brim with an array of goods, including clothing, jewelry, paintings, and an assortment of treasures. Each vendor has their own distinct collection, so you are promised a unique find.

The night market is a haven for food enthusiasts. Indulge in a diverse selection of mouthwatering Lao treats like papaya salad, sticky rice, and savory grilled meats. Don’t miss the opportunity to relish the traditional Khao Piak (rice noodle soup). With pocket-friendly prices, the market ensures a memorable experience without breaking the bank.

9. Go on a cycling trip

Exploring Vientiane is an incredibly rewarding experience on foot. But sometimes you want to get a little wind in your hair and a little speed under your feet. Jump on two wheels and get exploring.

Not only will you be able to see the best of downtown Vientiane quicker on two wheels, travelers will have easy access to wider countryside. The busy streets of downtown quickly fall away and you’ll soon find yourself in peace as the Mekong rolls into the foothills and buildings are replaced by fields and trees.

But if you’re up for a proper trip, why not take your bicycle journey to another level? The bike touring route between Vientiane and Luang Prabang has become popular over the last few years. The week-long 430km journey encompasses much of Laos’ dramatic scenery.

8. Haw Phra Kaew

Haw Phra Kaew is considered one of the most beautiful and impressive temples in Vientiane. Built in 1565 as the chapel for the royal family, Haw Phra Kaew was home for a while to the Emerald Buddha that was stolen from Thailand.

The name of this gracious building translates to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, though the Thais stole the statue back in the 18th century. It is now a museum, no longer used for religious services. T

he temple is famous for its wood and stone carvings, and collection of Buddhas. With a dragon guarding the temple, visitors can sit in peace in the garden to rest or meditate.

7. Lao National Museum

The Lao National Museum is a good place to learn about the Lao people from prehistoric times on as well as spend a few hours out of the sun. It’s located in an old French colonial building that is falling apart and some of the exhibits are faded, but this doesn’t detract from the contents.

The bottom floor concentrates on the country’s early history, with dinosaur bones and pottery shards. The upper floor deals with a more modern Laos, including French colonization and fight for independence, and United States’ presence during the Vietnam War.

6. COPE Visitor Centre

Laos is the most heavily bombed country in history, with about 30 percent of the ordinance failing to explode properly. Even though Laos is at peace now, these devices are still going off, killing and maiming people.

COPE, short for Cooperative Orthotics and Prosthetics Enterprise, works to rehabilitate people whose lives have been destroyed by these devices, which include bombs and grenades.

Visitors to the center can learn more about the problem of unexploded devices in Laos as well as the treatment provided to victims. An excellent gift shop offers fun, offbeat souvenirs that support a good cause.

5. Wat Si Saket

Wat Si Saket is a Vientiane temple that is famous for a wall that contains hundreds of seated Buddhists sitting before thousands of tiny images in soft triangular shaped openings in the wall. The 6,800 images are made from wood, stone and bronze.

This amazing collection of Buddhist art dates from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Savvy travelers will visit the temple early in the morning for the colorful Buddhist services. The oldest Buddhist monastery in Laos, Wat Si Sake sports a graceful architectural style that is enhanced with verandas and a five-tiered roof.

4. Buddha Park

Buddha Park, with its amazing collection of Buddhist and Hindu statues, is adjacent to the Mekong River about 24 km (15 miles) from Vientiane. It contains more than 200 statues, including a 40-meter (131-foot) high statue of a sleeping Buddha.

Travelers who want the best pictures of this famous sculpture park will need to deal with the demon. Shutterbugs need to climb a stone ladder three stories to the top of a pumpkin structure; the entrance is shaped like a demon’s mouth.

The park’s best known statues include a Hindu god riding a three-headed elephant and another god with 12 faces and lots of hands.

Patuxai is reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris but with Laotian characteristics, including four arches and five ornate towers at the top. The arch or gateway, as it translates, was built to commemorate Laos gaining its independence from France.

This Vientiane attraction is dedicated to the Laotian soldiers who died in World War II and in the battles for independence from France. Patuxai is sometimes known as the “vertical runway” because it was built with American money and materials intended for a new airport. Visitors can climb up to the 7th story for a nice view of Vientiane.

2. Vientiane riverfront

When the workday is over in Vientiane, locals head to the riverfront, which teems with a smorgasbord of activities. Located on the Mekong River that separates Vientiane from Thailand, visitors will find a colorful night market, lined with stalls selling daily necessities and food to snack on while walking the promenade.

You’ll find equal amounts of serenity and bustling culture here, depending on where you choose to go. That’s a big part of what makes the city’s riverfront so delightful. A morning walk along the promenade may just become a part of your daily routine, and it’s a fun way to pick up some necessities for the day ahead. All the while, weary fishermen arrive after an even earlier morning.

The mood rises and falls through the day and reaches a crescendo in the evening. Kids play football, traveler’s relax at a bar with a Beelao and the setting sun provides the perfect backdrop to begin the evening fun.

1. Pha That Luang

The “Great Sacred Stupa”, stands as Laos’ most venerated monument and national emblem. Pha That Luang’s significance is ubiquitous. You may recognize it from the country’s seal or the Kips in your wallet.

This impressive structure, reaching a height of 147.6 feet, consists of three levels. At its center, the main stupa, covered in gold leaf, stands above 30 smaller stupas, showcasing the kingdom’s richness and splendor. According to legend, it originated as a Hindu temple holding Lord Buddha’s breastbone in the 3rd century.

Pha That Luang was built in the 16th century on the ruins of an earlier Khmer temple. The temple was smashed by a Siamese invasion in 1828, then later reconstructed by the French in 1931.

Visit in November to experience the renowned Boun That Luang Festival centered at Pha That Luang. Witness crowds gathering to honor the stupa, alongside lively festivities such as parades, live music, and religious ceremonies.

Best Time to Visit Vientiane

As November to February is the dry season in Laos, this is when by far the most visitors hit up Vientiane. The city is still very hot during this period though with temperatures averaging between 29 and 32°C (84 to 89°F). The evenings and nights are pleasantly cool however and there is thankfully less humidity.

As this is the high season, the capital is more expensive and crowded during these months. There are some fantastic events going on though like the Luang Festival and Vientiane Trade Fair; both in November. The weather also makes it the best time to sightsee and take scenic cruises along the Mekong River.

After this, March, April and May are excruciatingly hot with the latter also marking the start of the rainy season. April does see Pi Mai or the Lao New Year take place though and lots of fun festivities take over the capital.

June through October is then very wet and humid which makes exploring the city much less pleasant. As the sudden strong showers quickly give way to clear blue skies, some still visit in both July and August, benefiting from the lower prices and crowds. October also has the exciting Boun Souang Heun boat racing festival to watch.

Where to Stay in Vientiane

Located on the eastern bank of the Mekong River, a mere 15-minute drive from the airport, Ban Haysoke invites travelers with its breathtaking natural scenery and practical access to the city center.

The Lao Poet Hotel awaits, featuring air-conditioned rooms, complimentary Wi-Fi, and an inviting outdoor infinity pool. Embrace the allure of luxury paired with ease as you explore iconic landmarks like Wat Sisaket and the Lao National Museum, both conveniently within walking distance, ensuring a stay brimming with comfort and cultural immersion.

Just a stone’s throw from Ban Oupmung lies an ideal retreat, offering a serene escape within a culturally rich and tranquil neighborhood, yet conveniently close to the city’s prominent landmarks.

At Chandara Boutique Hotel , guests can revel in the comfort of air-conditioned rooms, take a refreshing dip in the outdoor pool, and enjoy the warm reception from staff eager to assist in arranging activities and transportation.

How to get there

Direct flights conveniently link major Southeast Asia cities such as Singapore, Phnom Penh, and Ho Chi Minh City to Vientiane’s Wattay International Airport, serving as the primary gateway to begin your Laotian adventure.

Travelers not arriving by direct flights can opt for alternative transportation from nearby hubs like Hanoi or Bangkok, utilizing buses or trains as available. Upon landing at Wattay International Airport, a diverse range of ground transportation services ensures seamless access to Vientiane or your next destination in Laos.

Map of Tourist Attractions in Vientiane

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29 Best Things to Do in Vientiane, Laos | What to Do in Vientiane

Vientiane, Laos. On the banks of the Mekong River just a hop and a skip away from Thailand, Vientiane is the largest city and capital of Laos. And yet, it’s so remarkably under-appreciated! We sought to find the best things to do in Vientiane, Laos to prove that there is some untapped potential to experience some local flavor, unwind and relax, or soak up a bit of information and knowledge. If you’re looking for what to do in Vientiane, let us do our part in trying to expand your mind on the possibilities for your Vientiane itinerary.

While this guide is a compilation of the top things to do in Vientiane in the day, we are not going to go into Vientiane nightlife in this post. For that info, check our our post on What to Do in Vientiane at Night .

If you have a limited amount of time in Vientiane, we recommend hitting all the top spots with an expert guide that can educate you on the history and local culture of Vientiane, Laos. This Vientiane City Tour , for one, stops at Phat That Luang Stupa, Patuxai Victory Monument, Haw Phra Kaew and the Presidential Palace, Vientiane Buddha Park, and more of the must-see Vientiane attractions.

Whether you choose a guided tour, or to DIY your own Vientiane itinerary, here’s our list of the top things to do in Vientiane, Laos to make the most of your trip!

1. Great Sacred Stupa (Pha That Luang Stupa)

2. vat that khao (reclining buddha), 3. buddha park (xieng khuan), 4. wat si saket, 5. haw phra kaew (wat ho phra keo), 6. enjoy the local lao street food of vientiane, 7. get a massage, 8. or treat yourself to another spa treatment, 9. patuxai (victory monument), 10. cope visitor center, 11. sunset and shopping at mekong riverfront, 12. lao cooking class/food tour, 13. talat sao morning market, 14. wat si muang, 15. that dam (the black stupa), 16. rice farming with local ngo, 17. tad moun waterfall, 18. meditate with monks at wat sok pa luang, 19. phou khao khouay national park, 20. bicycle tour in vientiane, 21. private car charter tour of vientiane, 22. nam ngum reservoir, 23. 5 april shooting range, 24. stroll down rue settathirath, 25. lao textile museum, 26. wat dane soung jungle temple, 27. traditional arts at lao disabled women’s development center, 28. kaysone phomvihane museum.

• 29. Lao National Museum 

Where to Stay in Vientiane

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Most travelers use Vientiane solely as an entry into Laos, but that’s no reason to take your time in Vientiane for granted! At first glance, there might not seem like much to Vientiane, but there really is so much history to this seemingly unassuming city.

Of all the places to visit in Vientiane, your trip wouldn’t be complete without visiting the golden stupa Pha That Luang, regarded as the most important national monument and symbol of Laos. The stupa is printed on government logos and currency notes, to give you a sense of its significance in Laos! It should certainly be at the top of your Vientiane itinerary.

The spacious temple grounds are crowned by the 147-foot golden spired stupa at its centerpiece. Destroyed for its significance several times by invaders over the centuries, Pha That Luang has now been gloriously restored and is certainly one of the must-see Vientiane attractions.

A stunning gold-covered Buddhist stupa, the current site at Pha That Luang was built in the 1500s. However, this site has housed a temple in some shape since the 1st century, after Indian King Ashoka ushered forth buddhist missionaries from the Mauryan Empire to build a shrine to consecrate a piece of Buddha’s breastbone. Even more, you’ll also find the remains of a 12th century Khmer temple! In our opinion, it’s a Vientiane must see.

If you’re visiting Vientiane, Laos in November, you won’t want to miss the important Buddhist festival Boun That Luang which takes place at Pha That Luang and attracts thousands of Buddhist devotees over a span of three days.

THINGS TO KNOW

• Location: Pha That Luang Stupa
• Entrance Fee: 5000 kip for foreigners
• Hours: 9AM – 5PM

Vat That Khao, home to the biggest reclining Buddha in Laos, also boasts a sacred relic of the Buddha: his breastbone.

This golden reclining Buddha is located right next to Pha That Luang, one of the top Vientiane tourist attractions, making for convenient visits to both.

• Location: Vat That Khao (Reclining Buddha) , Across from Pha That Luang

Vientiane’s Buddha Park, also known as Xieng Khuan ( Spirit City ) is about 25km from the city proper, near the Mekong River border with Thailand.

With over 200 Buddhist and Hindu-inspired unique sculptures, the Buddha Park is definitely one of the top Vientiane tourist spots. If you’re looking for things to see in Vientiane with a bit of unique flavor, this is the place!

While the sculptures are not very old (the park only dates to 1958), they have been designed to seem much older than they are. Wandering around the Buddha Park, it’s easy to imagine that you’re exploring the ruins of some hidden ancient temple. Some highlights include the huge climbable demon mouth and the 130-foot-long reclining Buddha.

In our opinion, this is a must do in Vientiane. We took a bus to the Buddha Park and spotted some beautiful little temples around the park that we walked to and rather enjoyed as well. We always recommend wandering around and finding some off-the-beaten path sites to enjoy!

• Location: Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan)
• Entrance Fee: 15,000 kip per person, 3000 for motorbike parking
• Hours: 8AM – 5PM

BOOK NOW You can arrange a Vientiane Tour that includes the Buddha Park .

Wat Si Saket (or Wat Si Sa Ket) is reputed to be the oldest temple still standing in Vientiane, making it one of the top things do to in Vientiane, Laos. Built in the Siamese style of Buddhist architecture instead of typical Lao style, Wat Si Saket is home to over 2000 ceramic and silver Buddha images.

• Location: Wat Si Saket , Lan Xang Road, across from the Presidential Palace
• Entrance Fee: 5000 kip
• Hours: 8AM – 12PM, 1PM – 4PM

Photo Credit:  Dan Searle

Located near Wat Si Saket, Haw Phra Kaew (also written as Hophakaew Museum) is a former temple first built in 1565 to house the sacred Emerald Buddha that is now held in the Grand Palace of Bangkok, making it one of the notable points of interest in Vientiane, Laos.

Haw Phra Kaew was converted to a museum in the 1970s and now displays some of the most outstanding examples of Lao Buddhist art, including Buddhas dating to the 6th century.

• Location: Haw Phra Kaew , Rue Settathirath, across from Wat Si Saket
• Entrance Fee: free to enter complex, 10,000 kip to enter museum

Navigating the local street food is our all-time favorite thing to do no matter WHERE we are. Vientiane is no different. Literally most of our time spent in Vientiane was wandering around looking for incredible street food to dig our teeth into!

Flavorful broths with fresh herbs, tart pomelos served from street carts with chili powder, coconut rice treats—we couldn’t get enough. Prop me on a plastic chair in a metal shack next to a pile of local southeast asian condiments and you have a very gleeful Lauren.

While there are plenty of street vendors around the city, one place to check out some delish local Vientiane street food is by the Khua Din Bus Station (bus stations in Vientiane in general are likely to have street food options). There, we enjoyed some scrumptious peppery broths topped with fried garlic that made our inner foodies tremble with pure joy!

READ MORE| Vientiane Nightlife

Vientiane is home to literally hundreds of massage parlors, ranging from hole-in-the-wall budget places to more upmarket offerings. Getting a massage is one of the top 10 things to do in Vientiane if you want to relax and unwind (if not #1!), especially if you’re going to be doing some more adventurous activities in Vang Vieng or Luang Prabang.

Traditional Lao massage is similar to Thai massage and focuses on pressure points and reducing tension in the muscles. Be warned: a good Lao massage may (probably will) hurt! If you’re in the mood for a Western-style oil massage or a foot massage, these are widely available as well.

THINGS TO KNOW A traditional Lao massage starts at about 80,000 kip (about $9) for one hour on the low end, and can cost upwards of 200,000 kip for high-end spas.

If you’re looking for what to do in Vientiane, Laos to relax, but a massage isn’t your thing, you’ll find many different spa treatments available, including facials, manicures, waxing, microblading…the list is really endless. Whatever tickles your fancy, you can find it Vientiane.

We didn’t indulge in any of these spa treatments for ourselves, but Ben did get the cheapest haircut of his life at one of the local hair salons in Vientiane! He paid $3 USD!

Patuxai, or the Victory Monument, was built to commemorate those who died fighting for Laotian independence from France. Reminiscent of the Arch de Triomphe, the monumental archway makes a nice centerpiece to an avenue lined with palms that has been recently joined by a musical fountain, conveniently located for a day of Vientiane sightseeing.

One interesting fact about the Patuxai is that it was built with funds donated by the United States that were intended for an airport! For a small fee, you can climb up the internal stairways for a nice view of Vientiane.

• Location: Patuxai (Victory Monument) , Thanon Lane Xang, Vientiane
• Entrance Fee: 3000 kip
• Hours: Monday – Friday: 8 AM – 4:30 PM Saturday – Sunday: 8AM – 5PM

Photo Credit:  Steven dosRemedios

Between 1964 and 1973, the United States dropped a staggering two million tons of bombs on Laos during the Vietnam War. This is nearly equal to the amount of bombs dropped on the whole of Europe and Asia by the US in World War II, making Laos the most heavily bombed country in the world relative to its size.

Though the Vietnam War ended in 1973, unexploded ordnance (UXO) still continues to cause injury or even death to people in rural Laos. For a sobering taste of history, this is one of the top places to visit in Vientiane.

COPE, the Cooperative Orthotic & Prosthetic Enterprise, is a foundation that works to help survivors of bombs and other UXO by providing custom prosthetics and rehabilitation, as well as education, for rural inhabitants of Laos.

The COPE Visitor Center provides an eye-opening window into how UXO affects the daily lives of people throughout Laos.

• Location: COPE Visitor Center , Khouvieng Road, across from Green Hotel
• Entrance Fee: Free
• Hours: 9AM – 6PM daily

One of the best places to catch a sunset in Vientiane is the Mekong Riverfront.

There’s a riverfront park and bikepath for easy strolling as you soak in the last of the sun’s rays, and lots of street food to try, making it one of the spectacular places to see in Vientiane.

The riverfront is a nice place for people watching and to get a nice bit of local vibe. You’ll also find the Vientiane Night Market nearby the waterfront.

• Location: Chao Anouvong Park , XJ65+P2 Vientiane, Laos

Photo Credit:  Felix Nagel

You’ll find the way to a country’s soul through its stomach, and Vientiane offers both food tours and cooking classes to help you get to know its soul better.

The best food tours and cooking classes are combined, so that you’ll get a chance to visit local markets and sample street food, while also having a chance yourself to make Lao staples including papaya salad and grilled chicken.

If you’re looking for Vientiane, Laos tourist attractions that will delight you  and teach you something to bring back with you, a cooking class or food tour is a perfect option.

Talat Sao is both a modern, air-conditioned shopping mall and outdoor market mostly selling souvenirs, as well as Lao-style clothing and textile goods.

If you’re on the prowl for some bargain souvenir shopping in Vientiane, this is likely the place for it, as souvenir vendors throughout the city source their products from here (and sell them at a markup). I’m a bargain hunter myself, so this is totally what I consider one of the best things to do in Vientiane.

Despite the name, most vendors are open until the late afternoon, until about 5 PM.

• Location: Talat Sao Morning Market , Lane Xang Avenue, Vientiane 0100
• Hours: 8AM – 5:30 PM

A visit to this beautifully decorated temple, built in 1563 on the ruins of a Khmer Empire Hindu shrine,  is also one of the interesting things to do in Vientiane, Laos.

It’s named for a local pregnant woman said to have lived 400 years ago who sacrificed herself to please the neighborhood spirits.

Wat Si Muang is popular with pilgrims who believe that a small stone Buddha has the power to grant wishes or answer troubling questions if it is raised three times while speaking the request.

• Location: Wat Si Muang , 15 Rue Borichane, Vientiane
• Hours: 6AM – 7PM

That Dam, or the Black Stupa, forms a crumbling centerpiece to a roundabout intersection.

Reminiscent of the dozens of stupas in places like Chiang Mai or Bagan, That Dam was once covered in pure gold, but the gold was taken to Thailand in the late 1820s Siamese-Laotian war.

Many people believe that That Dam is Vientiane’s guardian spirit, as it has withstood centuries of pillage and warfare. THINGS TO KNOW

• Location: That Dam (The Black Stupa) , Chantha Khoumane Road

Head to the outskirts of Vientiane to try your hand at rice farming and get a peek into the lives of local farmers.

If you’re looking for what to do in Vientiane, Laos that’ll get your hands dirty, this is the stuff! This is more hands-on than other Vientiane, Laos attractions, and plenty educational to boot.

You’ll learn about traditional Lao farming methods, including planting, harvesting, and fertilizer.

30 minutes outside of Vientiane lies the favorite spot of locals to beat the heat. The Tad Moun Waterfall (or more properly, rapids) is a popular place for water play, including tubes to float down the river. Huts and mats are available for rent for waterside relaxation as well.

You can even kick back with a BeerLao and munch on papaya salad while you watch people float down—certainly one of the best things to do in Vientiane, Laos that I can think of!

• Location: Tad Moun Waterfall , located in Sikhottabong District
• Entrance Fee: 5000 kip for entrance/parking

Every Saturday afternoon, this unassuming temple outside Vientiane’s city center offers visitors the chance to meditate with monks. The afternoon event starts with an English conversation session to help the monks improve their English skills.

During the meditation session, monks guide visitors through different types of meditation. At the end, there’s a chance for Q&A, which can provide a unique viewpoint into the lives of Vientiane’s monks.

• Location: Wat Sok Pa Luang , WJVG+R8 Vientiane

Just 25 miles from Vientiane, this wild and rugged national park makes for an interesting excursion for those seeking a bit of adventure. For those looking for what to do in Vientiane for a taste of nature, this national park is a superb option.

Waterfalls, rivers, jungles, and mountains offer various activities for lovers of the outdoors.

You might even have a chance to spot wildlife including elephants, bears, monkeys, and deer. You can reach the park on your own if you’re comfortable and confident with rough roads, while alternatively there are tours you can take from Vientiane.

• Location: Phou Khao Khouay National Park , C22P+W7 Nam Leuk, Laos

Vientiane isn’t a very large city, which lends itself well to being seen toured on a bicycle. Visit all the top things to see in Vientiane while getting some cardio in!

Bicycles are available for rent from many hostels and guesthouses throughout Vientiane, if you don’t mind exploring on your own.

If you’d prefer having an expert guide to tour you around Vientiane and teach you about local culture, we recommend booking this Vientiane bike tour online.

A private car and driver is probably the most comfortable and simplest way to get around Vientiane and its environs. Ride in the utmost comfort to visit the top Vientiane attractions, on your time!

With the convenience of your own transportation, you’ll be able to go anywhere you want and stop anywhere, without having to deal with the eternal hassle of haggling with tuk-tuk or taxi drivers.

Photo Credit:  Mario Micklisch

Nam Ngum Reservoir is Laos’ largest lake, and provides visitors with swimming, boat rides, and fishing.

The peaceful reservoir is close enough to Vientiane to make for an easy day trip if you want to have a quick run out of the city to enjoy a day on the water, and it’s one of the top places to visit in Vientiane without an overcrowding of tourists.

• Location: Nam Ngum Reservoir , About 30 miles north of Vientiane

The tour includes lunch at one of the floating restaurants to feast on fresh seafood dishes, as well as a curated itinerary of lively spots between the reservoir and Vientiane.

If you’re looking for what to do in Vientiane that’s unconventional and exciting, try visiting the 5 April Shooting Range. You can choose from pistols, rifles, shotguns, and semi-automatic machine guns. Prices depend on the choice of gun and how many bullets you use.

The lasting influence of French colonization of Laos can be felt on Rue Settathirath , where bakeries serve up baguettes and croissants.

You can hang out with a coffee and snack at Joma Bakery or Scandinavian Bakery, which is Laos’ first European bakery. At night, there’s a few watering holes to catch a drink at, including Khop Chai Deu , a former colonial villa that has been turned into a bar and restaurant serving up Lao and international cuisine.

• Location: Rue Settathirath , downtown Vientiane

Beautiful textiles and fabrics have been a part of Lao culture since before the Tang Dynasty. At the Lao Textile Museum, which is in a beautiful old wooden home and garden just outside Vientiane proper, you’ll get an understanding the history and technique of Lao textiles.

• Location: Lao Textile Museum , 151, Nongthatai Village, Chanthaboury District
• Entrance Fee: 30,000 kip
• Hours: 9 to 4 PM every day

This tour also includes a visit to the Vientiane Buddha Park.

This clifftop cave sanctuary in the jungle outside Vientiane is said to have a history reaching back almost a thousand years.

Today, there’s not much to the shrine except for a Dvaravati-style Buddha statues carved into the rock, but what’s stunning about this place is the isolation and the views from the top of the cliff.

It can be tough to reach Wat Dane Soung, but worth it if you want an adventure and a little exploration with a driver or on your own motorcycle, but be warned—the track near the temple is not easy to ride on, and should only be attempted in dry weather and with adequate motorcycle experience.

THINGS TO KNOW How to Get to Wat Dane Soung Jungle Temple:

• Starting at Vientiane, head North towards Luang Prabang on the road N°13
• Drive 22 km until Houakoua village (watch for the milestones)
• Right after passing the bridge, turn left on a sealed road
• Pass the Ban Naxone village
• Drive West to Ban Nagnang
• Go through the village, and watch for the school on the right
• Turn into the dirt track on the right until you reach a dam and a small lake
• If taking a car, you must leave it at the Lake Tourist Area Car Park
• Continue 3km (W) by feet or on motorcycle, but you should only use the motorcycle in drive weather and with experience, as this track is not easy and can be dangerous

The Lao Disabled Women’s Development Center is an organization where disabled Lao women can come and live while learning vocational skills they can use to improve their lives and independence .

The women learn handicraft and artisanal skills they use to make products that are for sale at the center, with the profits directly funding the center.

• Location: Lao Disabled Women’s Development Center , Address: 100 Thadeua Road, Hadsayfong District, Vientiane 01000, Laos
• Hours: 9AM – 5PM, closed weekends

If museums are your thing, you might enjoy visiting this museum dedicated to the revolutionary leader and former president of Laos, Kaysone Phomvihane. The museum contains photos and artifacts from the deceased leader’s life.

There is limited information available at the museum in English, but guides are available to help you navigate through the exhibits.

• Location: Kaysone Phomvihane Museum , National Highway 13 km 6, Ban Sivilay, Muang Saythani, Vientiane, Laos
• Hours: 8AM – 12 PM, 1- 4PM

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29. Lao National Museum  

The Lao National Museum has exhibits covering the entire span of Laotian history, from the Stone Age to the history of the Vietnam War and after.

The Lao National Museum in Vientiane, Laos, stands as a cultural gem, offering a captivating journey through the nation’s rich history and heritage. Housed in a distinctive French colonial building, the museum showcases an extensive collection of artifacts, exhibits, and historical items that chronicle Laos’ evolution from ancient times to the present day.

What makes the Lao National Museum special is its comprehensive portrayal of Lao culture, traditions, and the struggle for independence. Visitors can explore captivating displays featuring traditional costumes, religious art, and artifacts from different periods, providing valuable insights into the country’s diverse tapestry.

The museum’s carefully curated exhibits and informative displays create a meaningful narrative, making it a worthwhile destination for history enthusiasts and anyone keen on immersing themselves in the cultural fabric of this enchanting Southeast Asian nation.

• Location: On Thanon Samsenthai, one block from the Lao Plaza Hotel, in front of the Tennis Club and the National Stadium
• Hours: Monday – Friday 8 AM – Noon, 1 -4 PM | Closed weekends

During our time in Vientiane, we weren’t looking for anything fancy. We spent little time in the hotel, and merely needed a place to crash at night. What we wanted was an affordable private room with a private bathroom that was conveniently located to street food options. We found exactly what we were looking for at the Thawee Guesthouse .

The digs are sparse but the guesthouse had everything we needed, and the employees were extremely nice and helpful.

What You Need to Bring

Here are our preferred Men’s Walking Shoes and Women’s Walking Shoes .

We did a LOT of walking in Vientiane, as it’s our preferred method of exploring when we don’t have a clear destination. On foot, we can wander wherever our heart takes us, stopping at random markets or street food vendors we find.

We hate generating all that plastic waste from using disposable water bottles. Using a reusable water bottle and water filter is eco-friendly and economical.

We’ve used the Survivor Filter Straw/Collapsible Canteen combo and love it. You can check out our full Survivor Filter Pro and straw review .

Recently we’ve also been using the Sawyer Gravity Filter , which makes it incredibly easy to just hang it up and let gravity do all the work.

Whichever filter you use, the Survivor Filter Collapsible Canteens are THE BEST. They look a little odd, but they’re compressible and nearly weightless, making them extremely valuable travel water bottles.

A travel umbrella , poncho , Women’s Rain Jacket or Men’s Rain Jacket is essential if you’re traveling to Vientiane from May to September , when rain is a’plenty.

From November to March it’s pretty dry, however, so you can leave these babies at home if you’re traveling at that time.

Even if it’s just your smart phone, we always recommend bringing some kind of camera to capture the memories. We personally use this camera body with this lens , as well as this drone . If it’s super rainy, you might want to pack a GoPro or other waterproof camera.

Here are our recommendations for the best budget travel cameras .

We know most people only use Vientiane as a base to arrive into Laos. But what a waste!

We hope our guide can help you utilize your time in Vientiane to its fullest. Hopefully you know a little more about the best things to do in Vientiane, Laos, from the most notable to some really cool off-the-beaten path Vientiane attractions.

And remember, we will soon be releasing a list of things to do in Vientiane at night, including the Vientiane night market, so please subscribe to our mailing list to be notified first when that is published!

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Which of these Vientiane attractions will you be adding to your itinerary?

Tell us in a comment below!

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Benjamin Juster

2014 Jeopardy College Championship contestant fond of Mexican food, hiking, learning new languages and obscure history, Ben has temporarily settled on Jeju Island in Korea to teach English and travel.

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10 Places to Visit in Vientiane + Things To Do

It can be loud and busy in most capital cities. But Vientiane is different. The national capital of Laos has a laidback vibe, attracting tourists who seek a peaceful holiday.

Like any national capital, Vientiane is a good first stop on a tour of Laos. It is teeming with attractions and activities that will introduce you to the local way of life in most aspects. Its primary attractions include the Buddha Park, That Luang, Patuxai Victory Monument, Wat Si Saket, Ho Phra Keo, and the Presidential Palace. After a round of a historical excursion, head to the Mekong River, where countless shops, street food stalls, and whatnots liven up the day.

There are two ways to get to Vientiane from overseas. One is by flying to Wattay International Airport, which hosts many Asian cities, including Kuala Lumpur, Busan, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, and Guangzhou. The other is crossing the border from Thailand, and traveling by train or bus.

1. Patuxai Victory Monument

Location : P.D.R, Vientiane, Laos . Save on Google Maps .

Vientiane Travel Essentials:

Where to stay in Vientiane (click below to see rates and book online) Cheapest Rates | Best Reviews  | Home Rentals/Airbnb

Vientiane Tours & Discounts

Laos  WIFI/SIM Card

See also :   Places to visit in Laos  |  Luang Prabang Tourist Spots  |  Vientiane Attractions  |  Things to do in Pakse (southern Laos) .

More travel tips coming up! In the meantine, enjoy this  quick list  of attractions and tourist spots in Vientiane. To help with your trip planning, I’ve added links to the locations on Google Maps. Feel free to click/tap on the links posted. Then, use the “save” feature on the Google Maps app for easy reference.

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2. Pha That Luang (Stupa)

Location : Vientiane, Laos . Save on Google Maps .

3. Wat Si Saket (Temple) Museum

Location : Ave Lane Xang, Vientiane, Laos . Save on Google Maps .

4. Chao Anouvong Park & Mekong Riverside

5. Presidential Palace (Palais Presidentiel Laos)

6. That Dam Black Stupa

Location : 140 Rue Samsenthai, Vientiane, Laos . Save on Google Maps .

7. Wat Mixai (Temple)

Location : Rue Setthathilath ban mixay, Hom 8, Vientiane, Laos . Save on Google Maps .

8. Wat Ong Teu Mahawihan (Temple)

9. Vat Haysoke (Temple)

Location : Hom 2, Vientiane, Laos . Save on Google Maps .

10. Vientiane City Pillar Shrine (Hor Luk Mueang)

Where to go near Vientiane

Location : Laos (northern Laos) . Save on Google Maps .

Vang Vieng Travel Essentials

Where to stay Tours + discounts

Top discounts

Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang Shuttle – Shared City Transfers

Vientiane – Vang Vieng Shuttle – Shared City Transfers

Asia 4G LTE WIFI Hotspot (Manila Airport Pick Up)

Beyond Vientiane

Luang Prabang

Location : Luang Prabang province, northern Laos . Save on Google Maps .

Luang Prabang Travel Essentials

Pak Ou Cave & Kuang Si Waterfall Day Tour from Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang Private Car Charter by Laos Smile

Bolaven Plateau & Champasak

Location : Laos (southern Laos) . Save on Google Maps .

Champasak Travel Essentials

Where to stay

What places have you added to your bucketlist? Have you been to beautiful places in Vientiane that should be on this list? Feel free to share your thoughts!

Places to visit in Vientiane

Vientiane tourist spots, things to do in Vientiane, where to go in Vientiane & more.

Note: Destinations featured above are not listed by rank.

Where to Stay in Vientiane

Click below & search recommended Vientiane hotels/hostels/home rentals within your budget. Remember to set your  min/max price , travel dates, and  sort by review ratings . I often book online with these trusted booking sites below for rock-bottom prices & convenient bookings.

Agoda Airbnb Booking.com

Book sooner rather than later if you already have your dates set. Cheaper-priced rooms and hotels with high reviews tend to get fully booked faster, especially during busy days like weekends, holidays & peak tourist seasons.

Vientiane Essentials & Top Discounts

Laos mobile data sim card/pocket wifi.

Travel with ease & confidence throughout your trip. Get a data SIM card or pocket WIFI device! Access Google Maps and all your favorite travel apps. Share your travel stories instantly with all your friends. Click below and choose your pick-up location:

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Popular discounts and tours booked by other travelers:

Shared City Transfers between Luang Prabang and Vientiane

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11 Unmissable Things To Do in Vientiane, Laos

By: Author Stefania Guglielmi

Posted on Last updated: December 2, 2023

Categories Asia , Laos

Vientiane is such a lovable city, and there is much more to do than you think! Check out the best 11 things to do in Vientiane in this Vientiane travel guide for first timers.

Vientiane, Laos, might not be as famous as Luang Prabang , yet should definitely be on your itinerary. Before visiting, I kept hearing “oh, Vientiane is not worth it” and “there’s nothing to do in Vientiane” , but I don’t agree at all.

Sure, Vientiane might lack the super famous attractions that you can find elsewhere in Southeast Asia, but it’s a very pleasant, charming city. It’s the capital of Laos, yet it’s quiet, clean, and filled with parks and green spaces. Fran and I were coming from the chaos of Hanoi in Vietnam and we were so happy to find a city that’s so livable and chilled. We even said we could easily live here for a couple of months!

Anyway, I’m making this introduction long. Here it’s all the info you need to make the most out of your visit to Vientiane, Laos.

Table of Contents

How To Get to Vientiane, Laos

Coming from other destinations in Laos? Check out your options for:

➤ BOOK HERE transportation from Luang Prabang to Vientiane ➤ BOOK HERE transportation from Vang Vieng to Vientiane

or use the search bar down here to check your transport options:

➤If you’re coming from abroad, Vientiane is the capital of Laos and easily accessible from most countries. However, the best way to reach Vientiane in my opinion is by looking for cheap flights to Vietnam or Thailand and then use a low-cost such as Air Asia or other Asian carrier to fly to Laos. This way is usually much cheaper than flying internationally with Laos as your final destination.

➤ You can also fly to Udon Thani , in Thailand, and cross into Laos by land ( check out here transport options ).

There are multiple airlines that fly to Udon Thani. Nok Air even offers a package that includes flight to Udon Thani + transportation to Vientiane (it’s approximately a one-hour ride).

➤ It’s also possible to get to Vientiane by train from Thailand , and b y bus from Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and China (and possibly from Myanmar although only some border’s crossings are allowed to foreigners). I usually book transportation in advance on Bookaway . Check out your options:

➤ BOOK HERE a bus/train from Bangkok to Vientiane ➤ BOOK HERE a bus from Hanoi to Vientiane

The Best Things To Do in Vientiane

So, what to do in Vientiane? Definitely enough to keep you occupied for a couple of days! Check out my favorite attractions in Vientiane.

1| Visit the COPE Visitor Center

The COPE Visitor Center is a mini museum that highlights the work done by COPE Laos, a center that help children and adults in Laos recover from the terrible injuries and disabilities they faced as a result of the many unexploded bombs spread all over the land during the war from 1964 to 1973.

The Visitor Center displays many of the prosthetic limbs that COPE has gotten for its children over time, and teaches visitors about the work it does and the effects of war on children.

There’s also a cinema room where they display documentaries about the devastating effects of the UXO (unexploded bombs) and the work of the organization. We watched an entire movie and we learnt a lot. We really had no idea that still so many people today get injured/die with the explosion of the UXO, and that so many others in Laos are disabled due to the same reason.

If you’re also visiting Luang Prabang, you’ll find there another center similar to this one.

READ ALSO : 16 Unmissable Things To Do in Luang Prabang

The COPE Visitor Center is open daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and visitors can support COPE Laos by donating or making a purchase at the shop.

2| Climb To the Top of Patuxai Victory Monument

The Patuxai Victory Monument is a testament of war that sits in the center of Vientiane, dedicated to all of the citizens of Laos who gave their lives for their country in different wars.

Built between 1957 and 1968, this arch has gates on all sides (hence the name Patuxai, which means “Victory Gates” ) and was built with a style that combines French and Lao tastes similarly.

For just 3,000 kip (approximately $0,35), you can climb seven floors to the top where you can look out at the city below, and the effort is worth it. Nice views over the city and the main boulevard!

The Patuxai Victory Monument is open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4.30 pm, and on Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 5 pm.

3| Buddha Park

Buddha Park is a funky sculpture park located in a meadow by the Mekong River, just 25 km southeast from Vientiane. Constructed in 1958 by Luang Pu Bounleua Sulilat and dedicated to Gautama Buddha, the park is filled with over 200 concrete sculptures of Buddhas, Hindu gods, and other demons and mythological creatures.

Of particular note is the giant, three-floored sculpture of a pumpkin. The door to the pumpkin is found through the mouth of a mythological creature that sits at the base of the pumpkin, and the floor levels represent Hell, Earth, and Heaven.

Visit in the early morning or late afternoon if you want to avoid the giant group tours.

The Buddha Park is open daily from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and buses go there from Talat Sao Bus Station every 40 minutes.

4| Browse the Riverside Night Market

Every evening by 5 pm, hundreds of red awnings are set up on an esplanade in front of the Mekong River to get the Riverside Night Market into action.

Starting slow but crowding up as the night progresses, locals and tourists alike wander through the markets and purchase whatever they fancy. Available for sale are clothes, locally made crafts, souvenirs, underwear and more. There is also a children’s playground in the middle of the market which has swings, monkey bars, and slides.

Unlike other night markets, there is no food sold at the Riverside Night Market, but you can find plenty of street food vendors and restaurants around the market.

The Riverside Night Market is usually open from 6 pm to 10 pm every day.

5| Marvel at The National Symbol – Pha That Luang

In the heart of Vientiane, just a couple km northeast of the city center, the Pha That Luang temple stands as a national symbol and the most revered national monument of Laos.

Originally built in 1566 when Vientiane was made the capital of Laos and modified over the centuries, Pha That Luang ( The Great Stupa) is a gold-covered Buddhist stupa, which is believed to contain a breastbone of the Buddha. The Great Stupa was built fully in the style of Laos, and it’s truly marvelous to walk around and admire.

Pha That Luang is open from 8 am to 12 pm, and from 1 pm to 4 pm.

6| Visit The Other Temples in Vientiane

As with the rest of Laos, Vientiane is deeply steeped in religion and hosts many other temples other than the Pha That Luang for visitors to explore. To be honest, I love temples in Laos much more than in Thailand, because they are equally beautiful, yet with a fraction of the people around. Many times we had entire temples just for ourselves!

Head to the Wat Haw Phra Kaew , originally built in 1565 to house the Emerald Buddha, but now it also serves as a museum for the religious arts. It contains a variety of stone sculptures, wood carvings, and many Lao treasures like Khmer Buddhist stone tablets and bronze frog drums. There are some very old treasures, some even from the prehistoric era!!

Wat Si Muang is a gorgeous gold and red Buddhist temple that was built in 1563. Legend has it that Si Muang (whom the wat is named after), sacrificed herself on the foundations of the wat in order to appease angry gods, and the pillar built on top of that sacrifice now marks the center of the town.

On Lan Xang Road, Wat Sisaket sits as one of the only temples in Laos to have survived the attacks and occupation by the Siamese when they destroyed the capital in 1828. Built in the early 19th century, i’s a truly remarkable one, different from all the other Buddhist temples we’ve seen so far…and we’ve seen quite a bit! Here there are over 10,000 (yes, 10,000!!!) images of Buddha, mostly in the cloister (see the above picture). Really worth a visit.

Entrance to each temple in Vientiane costs around 20,000 kip, approximately $2,30.

7| Watch the Sunset Over the Mekong

The Mekong River is the 12 longest river in the world and runs through South-East Asia from China through Laos. The views from this great river are famed around the world, especially the views during sunset.

There are various opportunities to view the sunset from different vantage points; with Naga Boats that carry passengers downriver into the sunset, and restaurants alongside the river including Tawan Riverside, Bor Pen Yang, Moon the Night, and Khong View.

8| Join a Food Tour/Cooking Class All in One

In every society, food is always a part of its history and culture. Take a gastronomical tour of Vientiane and learn to replicate its Lao delicacies in a Food Tour and Cooking Class, all in one. Foodies can go around the eating spots of Vientiane, from eateries to food markets, local restaurants, and more.

The tour begins with a practical cooking session, where aspiring Lao chefs are taught to make Kao Larm , a traditional dessert made with sticky rice and coconuts which are roasted in bamboo leaves. From there, you’ll be taken to the local fresh food market, the most famous Kao Piak shop in town, the Xaoban Homemade Yoghurt factory, and other food infused locations around Vientiane.

At each stop, you’ll learn about the history of the food in Laos, and get a taste of each delicious delicacy. The day is capped off with some Beerlao and deep fried bugs, enjoyed at one of the more popular bars along the Mekong River.

9| Try Rice Farming at a Local NGO

Vientiane gives visitors a chance to take their cultural experience a little bit deeper by joining the rice farmers of the town as they go about their business of providing the staple food for their communities.

Early in the morning, you will be picked up and taken to one of the Lao non-government organized farms, where (using traditional Lao farming methods) you will learn to plant or harvest rice, learn about the soil and organic fertilizers used, collect eggs from ducks and chickens, and do some fishing or vegetable harvesting.

With the fieldwork completed, farm hands will take part in preparing a traditional Lao lunch, after which, they will get some rest before being transported back to their hotels. On the way back, you’ll stop at the local fresh foods market where you’ll have a chance to pick up some local coffee or sweet treats.

10| Learn Some Traditional Arts at Lao Disabled Women’s Development Center

In many parts of the world, the disabled are often cast aside by society as being unable to contribute anything of value. Their living situations are usually terrible, and if they are women, those situations are made worse. But in Laos, disabled women find support.

At the Lao Disabled Women’s Center, women suffering from disability are invited to come and live and study. While there, they gain life empowering skills that help them make a living for themselves so they can live life independently. Many of the women gain vocational and artistic skills, and the wares which they create are put up for sale in the Center, which welcomes tourists and lets them purchase the products whenever they visit.

You can also participate in courses and classes in various arts and traditional techniques, which is another great way to support these women.

11| Visit a Traditional Herbal Sauna

When on a visit to any part of Asia, some bodywork should always be on any tourists’ to-do list. In Vientiane, massage parlors and herbal saunas are in plentiful supply. For a traditional and affordable experience, after a day filled with a lot of walking and exploring, visit the Herbal Steam Sauna in Vientiane.

For 20,000 kip (about $2,30), sit in an herb-infused sauna that will scour your skin of dead cells and pervade them with healthy oils and herbs. They’ll give you a mixture of ground coffee and yoghurt to massage all over your body, and after the sauna you’ll rinse it out and voilà! This natural scrub really works! The center also offers a Chinese cupping massage for an extra 100,000 kip ($ 11,60).

And there you go! Here you have enough activities to keep you occupied for 4 days or more, so choose your favorites and have fun in Vientiane.

Where To Stay in Vientiane, Laos

La seine hotel by burasari: a full review.

If you’re visiting Vientiane soon and looking for the perfect luxury hotel don’t look any farther, as I’ve found the one for you: La Seine Hotel by Burasari . This 5-star hotel was everything I was looking for and more. The hotel is located just a few miles from the airport, and can be easily reached either by taxi or by airport bus. It’s not exactly in the center of Vientiane, but just a short 10-minute walk to the night market and tens of restaurants.

We were greeted at check-in with a welcome drink… and what else could it be if not wine, in a wine-themed hotel? I had a glass of white wine, Fran had its usual red wine, and then we were shown to our room…wow!

Calling it room is actually a disservice to it. We stayed in the Pomerol Suite and truthfully, it was the most incredible suite I’ve stayed in – ever! This suite is decorated in burgundy, reminding you of the red wine from Bordeaux. It has a very sensual feel, and it’s perfect for couples on a romantic getaway.

At 68 square meters, you can say the Pomerol Suite is huge for being in a city hotel. The room features an extra-large king bed, and a separate sitting area with a couch and a studio area with a desk and comfortable chair that is perfect if you need to get some work done during your stay.

But the bathtub and the gigantic shower are the main highlights of the room, no doubt. This must be one of the biggest bathrooms I’ve ever seen. I took a decadent, bath in the luxurious tub every day of my stay, which after a few months of travel was the biggest luxury I could dream of. I also took a million photos in the tub, but don’t judge me! You would too with such an instagrammable tub.

The coconut bathroom products were amazing, they tasted so good that I almost wanted to eat them. Every light switch around the room had an image indicating what they were for, which is very smart and useful when your room is this big. Also, something we really appreciated was the complimentary minibar that was refilled daily with water, sodas, beer, and a couple of snacks.

The room has a very large balcony with a view of the Mekong, and you can choose to have your breakfast (or glass of wine) here.

I always say that of course we appreciate a luxury design, but even more important is the personalized attention to the guest. In this case, we arrived to the room and found it prepared with rose petals in the bath tub and some beautiful decorations on the bed, and our stay started immediately with a wow factor.

Two of the three breakfasts we had at La Seine were à la carte, while one was buffet style. We didn’t really understand what was the criteria for one or the other, and preferred the à la carte option for a wider choice (not that the buffet was any bad!). Some of our favorite plates were the eggs Benedict with salmon, the pancakes with fresh fruit… and do we want to talk about those wonderful croissants? You can definitely tell that Laos has a French past just by biting one of those melt-in-the-mouth croissant.

Even if you’re not a guest of the hotel, I definitely recommend visiting the Red Rose Bar, an old-charm bar with retro furnishings and daily happy-hour from 5 to 7 pm, where you can have two drinks for the price of one.

Enjoy a glass of wine or one of the sophisticated cocktails. We had the signature Hi-So Passion cocktail with passion fruit and absinthe, and it was really good.

One night during our stay, we had dinner at the Red Rose Restaurant (the same area where you have breakfast in the morning). Don’t expect noodles and fried rice here; the menu is sophisticated, and the food is top. Applause for the chef – whom we also had the pleasure to meet.

The restaurant features both Asian and International food, and we had a good mix of both. We started with some Chicken Satay, a Thai chicken skewers recipe with peanut sauce, and Tom Yum, a hot and sour Thai soup. They were both very good, but our favorite was the Australian beef that we had. It was so incredibly tender! We then finished off with taro ice cream served in a dragon fruit. Make sure you visit the restaurant during your stay. Prices are on the higher side for Asia, but the food is well worth it.

Right when you enter the hotel, you can’t help but notice the winery, home to hundreds upon hundreds of bottles of wine. I have no doubt believing that this is Vientiane’s best wine shop, maybe Laos’ too. I didn’t try this myself, but you can reserve a wine tasting by the glass or by flight.

All in all, it’s hard to imagine a better hotel for your stay in Vientiane. Everything from the incredible service to the breakfast to our suite that I’m still dreaming of, was perfect. If you’re coming to Vientiane, do yourself a favor and pamper yourself at La Seine Hotel.

Rates start at just under $110 per night for a Superior Room in low season, and $240 for the Pomerol Suite we stayed in.

⇒   CHECK OUT rates and availability for La Seine Hotel by Burasari .

Disclaimer: We were guests of La Seine Hotel by Burasari, however all opinions are exclusively our own. I’m extremely opinionated, so I will tell you if something isn’t right!

Stefania Guglielmi is the founder of Every Steph. Originally from Bologna, Italy, she's been traveling full-time since 2016 and has visited over 50 countries across 6 continents. She believes sustainable travel and luxury travel can go hand in hand and has been advocating for responsible tourism since 2014. Stefania's advice and travel experiences have been featured in important publications such as Business Insider, Refinery29, and Yahoo Money.

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The 8 Best Things to do in Vientiane

Vientiane is pretty laid back for the capital city of Laos.  It’s here in Vientiane that you’ll find a monument to the Laotian people who lost their life in pre-revolutionary times.  In Vientiane, you’ll find the most important symbol of the country of Laos and her most important religious icon.   Our guide on Vientiane itineraries includes what to do in Vientiane in 2 days and what to do if you only have one day in Vientiane.   This is NOT a capital city where you need to race around and run in and out of cultural museums and must-dos. Vientiane is laid back, and your approach to seeing the best things to do in Vientiane should be the same.  Come to the capital, relax a little, and explore some of the psyches of Laos.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS MORE INFORMATION IN  OUR DISCLAIMER

#1 THING TO DO

Take a City Tour of Vientiane

You’ll get to see Vientiane’s famous landmarks on this guided full day tour, from the That Luang Stupa to Wat Si Saket, this is a fabulous way to explore the Laos capital.

The Best 8 Things to Do in Vientiane

You might decide after reading this, and other content on Vientiane that you’re not going to visit, and that’s understandable.  While many capital cities around the world have a host of informative museums, world-class restaurants, and incredible tours to take, Vientiane is a little more, heck, a lot more laid back than that.

I’d say you should come to Vientiane to visit COPE if nothing else.  I firmly believe that you can’t understand a lot of the country without understanding more about how a war that finished in 1975 impacted and continues to seriously impact the people and children of this country.  For me, the best thing to do in Vientiane was to come and visit COPE.

1. Visit COPE in Vientiane

For me, the highlight of Vientiane was COPE – government-run unexploded ordnance (UXO) rehabilitation center.  COPE stands for The Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise.  It is a charity organization providing treatment and rehab for Laotian people with disabilities.  Many of these disabilities have been caused by unexploded ordnance (UXO) left over from the Vietnam war, which ended in 1975. There’s more on the major sites of the Vietnam War to visit in our guide here.

Laos is the most heavily bombed country in the world per capita.   More than 580,000 bombing missions were conducted over Laos. That’s one bombing mission every 8 minutes. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For NINE years. Between 1964 and 1974, during the Vietnam War, more than 2 million tonnes of ordnance were dropped on Laos. 270 million these “bombies”.

There’s a small exhibition area to walk around, which provides some interesting signage and displays, including a mountain of old artificial legs, but for me, the best part of visiting COPE was the small movie theatre that they have here.

We watch “Bomb Harvest”, which follows the work of the Mines Advisory Group – MAG – and Laith Stevens, an Australian bomb disposal technician with a great gallows sense of humor. There’s a host of documentaries to watch there, where admission is by donation, which goes to support the victims of UXO injuries.

If you come to Vientiane and indeed Laos and don’t visit at least one of the UXO-related centers, then I fear you’re missing much of the story of Laos.  If you want to experience more, there is a UXO museum in Luang Prabang , and the Plain of Jars area is still littered with UXO and has a great museum to visit.

Your visit to COPE will help support the 5 rehab centers in the eight provinces of Laos and you can visit COPE from 0900 to 1800 every day.  Your visit is free, but your donation is incredibly important to help support the work of COPE.  Most of those coping with disabilities are children.

2. Get The Best Views of Vientiane from Patuxai

Patuxai – which stands for Victory Gates is a huge concrete arch found on Lang Xang Avenue in Vientiane.  There are gates on all sides of the monument and its style is somewhat unique, it does, however, resembles the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France.  The concrete that was used to build Patuxai came from the Americans and was originally designated for a new airport, but made its way into this monument that is also a roundabout or traffic island.  Patuxai is a monument to those Laos people who died in pre-revolutionary wars.

The monument has 5 towers and is decorated with Buddhist symbols and Hindu deities as well as scenes from the Ramayana (that we recognize from India) on the ceiling to the night market and temples.

There are internal staircases, and it costs 5,000 kip to climb to the top to get one of the best views of the city (depending on the time of year and the time of day – sunset is said to be particularly good).  It was somewhat gloomy when we visited.

Patuxai is open from Monday to Friday from 0800 until 1630 and on weekends from 0800 until 1700.

There are markets and stalls on most of the floors as you walk up and the intricate décor is interesting.

3. Eat Banh Mi in Vientiane

The night market in Vientiane might have some great places to eat, but the best Banh Mi we found outside of Saigon, Vietnam was down by the river.  It’s called Khao Jee here in Laos.  Found near the river, with a lady who doesn’t speak English, but sells the most wonderful HUGE spicy stuffed pork sandwiches for 7,000 Kip each.

4. Visit the Buddha Park in Vientiane – Xieng Khuang

You’ll need to go out of the city to visit Xieng Khuang.  This is the infamous Buddha Park and it is somewhat bizarre.  Catch the green and white number 14 bus from the bus station (it goes every 40 minutes or so)  – well a road near the Talat Sao station near the market paying 6,000 kip each way per person.  The Buddha Park is 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) from Vientiane.

Virtually all tourists who take this bus are going to one of two places (or both), Buddha Park and the BeerLao brewery.

The Buddha Park is literally a park with lots of statues of Buddha and a strange demon’s mouth through which you walk into a giant pumpkin to descend to the depths of hell.  You’ll also find David Beckham here (kind of).

The Buddha Park is also known as Xieng Khuang, this is a sculpture park.  It was started in 1958 by monk and sculpture artist, Bunleua Sulila. and contains more than 200 statues and Hindu and Buddhist sculptures.

It costs us 5,000 kip each to enter the park.

The biggest sculpture in the park looks like a giant pumpkin.  There are three levels – Hell, Earth, and Heaven.

We enter through the demon’s mouth.  And make our way through the levels for a view of the park – in Heaven.  And then, of course, there are the statues of Buddha with the strange David Beckham-like faces, and no we weren’t able to find out why.

5. Visit the BeerLao factory near Vientiane

Just because we screwed up and didn’t get to go to the BeerLao factory nearby, their tours ran the day before we headed to the Buddha Park, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go. The Number 14 bus runs straight past it!  Find out more about taking tours at the BeerLao factory and brewery here

6. Visit Phra That Luang in Vientiane

Phra That Luang – the Great Stupa is the National Symbol of Laos and the most important cultural monument in Laos.    Phra That Luang was built in 1566, at the time that Vientiane was confirmed as the capital of Laos.

Phra That Luang is believed to contain the breastbone of the Buddha and is a gold-covered Buddhist Stupa.   It was looking a little tired when we visited.  While Phra That Luang is open from 0800 until 1600 every day, it is closed for lunch from 1200 until 1300.

Phra That Luang is 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the center of Vientiane, easily reachable on foot, by rented bicycle, or tuk-tuk.

This symbol of Buddhism and the ancient royalties of Laos can be found on the Laos currency and on all government logos.  This current stupa was built in the 1500s, although there has been a temple here since the 3 rd century BC.  If you’re visiting Phra That Luang you should dress and behave modestly.

7. Visit the Vientiane Night Market

Alongside the Mekong River here in Vientiane you’ll find the Vientiane Night Market.  Here you’ll find all the usual touristy stuff – handicrafts, t-shirts and the like.  We loved the night market in Vientiane, though for the food stalls. Excellent barbecued meat, and good Laos salads.  Cold BeerLao.  You’ll find the night market open from dusk until about 2200.

8. Take a Laos cooking class in Vientiane

There’s no better way to understand the culture of a country than by understanding its food.  Taking a Laos cooking class in Vientiane is a fabulous way to learn traditional Laos recipes, understand local vegetables, herbs, and spices, and be able to make dishes when you get home.   This tour includes visiting markets, cooking and eating – check your options here.

Best Vientiane Itinerary For your Time

It’s possible to arrive in Vientiane on an overnight bus, from say Pakse (and either the Bolaven Plateau or 4000 Islands), see the city in a day, and then head out that night.  Many travelers do this.  Check out our recommendations for Vientiane itineraries depending on how long you want to spend in the city.

How to See Vientiane in One Day

If you have just one day in Vientiane, then you’ll want to first head out to the Buddha Park.  This seriously quirky park is about 25 kilometers (15.5  miles) from Vientiane – and you can access it on a public bus.  You’ll spend most likely an hour tops there and then head back into the city.

Next head to COPE – it’s an incredible experience and will give you a fabulous understanding of the impact that the unexploded ordnance from the Vietnam War had and continues to have on the countryside.

You’ll want to go to Phra That Luang after your visit to COPE and find a little peace.  This is Laos’ most important symbol and you’ll be seeing it everywhere.

Alternatively, you make it easy on yourself and book a full tour of the city complete with accommodation and a visit to the Buddha Park – check it out here.

End your day at the top of Patuxai to catch a sunset.  The Victory Gates monument has some of the best views of Vientiane, especially at sunset.  Once you’ve got your important sunset photos head towards the night market, where you can pick up some great Laos food and a cold BeerLao or two before heading you’re your bus and your trip onwards… ( book onward transport from Vientiane here )

What To Do In 2 Days in Vientiane

You can fit a whole lot into a 2-day itinerary in Vientiane.  Choose to slow down the pace of our recommend 1 day Vientiane itinerary or try this.

Day 1 in Vientiane

• Go to the Buddha Park when it opens at 0900.
• On the way back – remember you’re taking the public bus number 14, which goes every 40 minutes or so so it’s cheap and convenient, stop off at the BeerLao brewery for a tour and a taste.
• Arrive back in Vientiane early afternoon and head to the COPE center to learn about the after-effects of the Vietnam War.
• Still got energy? Save it for tomorrow and treat yourself to a cold BeerLao or two at the night market.

Day 2 in Vientiane

• Start the day by visiting Phra That Luang – Lao’s most important religious symbol.  You’ll want to get here early, as the light is much better for photos then. The stupa opens at 0800.
• After Phra That Luang, you’ll head on a tuk-tuk tour of Vientiane, where you’ll get to visit markets and eat and drink with a lot of local flavors. See what else is involved here.
• End your day at the top of Patuxai, where you hopefully get to see a stunning sunset over the city of Vientiane.

However long you decide to spend in Vientiane you’ll find something to do with your time.  The food is good here, life is laid back and the city is friendly.  Explore a little and see something of Laos’s capital city during your visit to the country.

Arriving in Vientiane

Vientiane’s bus station isn’t central.  Depending on where you’ve arrived from (we came from Pakse to Vientiane) you’ll arrive at either the northern or the southern bus station.  We arrived at the southern bus station.

That’s something that you’ll find a lot of in Laos.  Each town and city here in Laos has multiple bus stations – depending on where you’re coming from.  None of it is very clear, but what is patently obvious is that these bus stations are not located for the benefit of anyone traveling to them. I do believe that the town planners were in league with the tuk-tuk drivers. Everywhere we’ve visited in Laos has a bus station (or multiple bus stations) up to 10km out of town for no apparent reason other than revenue maximization.

And so our overnight bus, which drove us nearly 700km cost us 170,000 kip. (you can book the Pakse to Vientiane bus online now  or read our guide on how to travel the route between Vientiane and Pakse here ).  The shared tuk-tuk that we take into the center costs 30,000 kip each.  I’m sure we can all do the maths here.  If you want to make money in Laos.  Buy a tuk-tuk, not a bus.

Where to Stay in Vientiane

There are a host of places to stay in Vientiane – here’s our pick of the luxury places to stay in Vientiane, mid-range places to stay in Vientiane, and budget accommodation in Vientiane.

La Seine Hotel, Vientiane: The La Seine Hotel is a hotel located in downtown Vientiane next to the Mekong River. This five-star hotel’s 37 rooms all have their own private bathroom with bathrobes and hair dryer, LCD satellite TVs, free WiFi, air-conditioning, a mini-bar, and an in-room espresso machine; although different rooms offer different views, its either the view of the Mekong River or the view of Vientiane. La Seine Hotel also offers a great wine and dining experience at the Red Rose Restaurant, which can be reached through the lobby. This top-rated hotel in Vientiane is perfect for wine-lovers and nature-lovers with its chill atmosphere and quality services. Check out La Seine Hotel’s rooms and rates here.

Bloom Boutique Hotel and Café, Vientiane: The Bloom Boutique Hotel and Café is a three-star hotel located 1.1 km from Vientiane City Pillar Shrine, one of the capital city’s key shrines, and is near the Riverfront. This 16-room hotel offers a private bathroom with a shower, flat-screen TV, and complimentary WiFi, and some units have a dining area, a coffee maker, and a work desk. The Bloom Boutique Hotel and Café also includes breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant, views of the garden, and laundry room service. This popular accommodation is a great place to stay when visiting Vientiane. Rooms at the Bloom Boutique Hotel are popular, so book early here.

Vientiane Garden Villa Hotel, Vientiane: The Vientiane Garden Villa Hotel is located 2 km away from the center of Vientiane. This three-star rated hotel features rooms with air-conditioning, flat-screen TV, a refrigerator, and a private bathroom with a hot and cold shower. The Vientiane Garden Villa also sports an outdoor pool with views of the garden and the outdoor space, and Lao and Vietnamese cuisines are served at their Garden Restaurant. This well-rated hotel also offers free WiFi throughout the accommodation. This hotel is a fabulous place to stay in Vientiane. Check room availability here.

Leaving Vientiane

We left Vientiane and headed for Vang Vieng (check out our post on what to do in Vang Vieng here   – and here are details of how to do that – or you can book a bus here.  Many travelers leave Vientiane and head to Pakse ( details here ) and then go onto the Bolaven Plateau (seriously cool) or Lao’s 4000 Islands (massively chilled out. 

Our route to Vang Vieng was easy, and it was part of our plan to end up in Huay Xai in order to take on the absolutely sublime Gibbon Experience – read our review here .

Where else to visit in Laos

Here are some of the other amazing places to visit in Laos on your trip.

• What to see in Vientiane, Laos
• The best things to do in Vang Vieng
• What to see in Luang Prabang
• How to take the Mekong Slow Boat
• How to bike the Bolaven Plateau, Laos
• Don’t miss the Gibbon Experience in Northern Laos
• What to see in Si Phan Don – 4,000 Islands
• How to Explore the Plain of Jars

Travel Tips for Exploring Laos

• Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.
• Get online immediately with an eSIM in Laos
• Book the best Laos tours and guides on Klook
• Here’s our guide to ATM fees in Laos
• Save money in Laos with a Wise debit card
• Read our Laos Transport guide here
• Here’s our guide to food and drink in Laos
• Book Buses in Laos with 12goAsia
• Book accommodation in Laos with Agoda

Final Words on the 8 Best Things to Do in Vientiane

This is a pretty laidback capital city. As well as the National symbol of Laos, there are several attractions of interest and some great food options too here. You can easily explore the city in two days, or take a single day and go on a city tour before you head on.

We receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using our affiliate links. We do not represent World Nomads. This is not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.

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Sarah Carter

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• 15 Must Visit Attractions In...

Must-Visit Attractions in Vientiane

Vientiane is the biggest city in Laos (officially the Lao People’s Democratic Republic), but this capital operates at a liveable, relaxed pace – and is easily navigable compared to many other Southeast Asian cities. Stroll past the markets and restaurants lining the Mekong River, drink a Beerlao beer at Tad Moun Waterfall and hop between the Buddhist shrines.

1. take in the view from patuxai.

This massive monument is Laos’s answer to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Featuring traditional Laotian carvings, it is a war memorial dedicated to those who fought in the struggle for independence from France. It was built in 1968 from funds meant for an airport expansion, donated by the United States. Located along Lane Xang Avenue, it’s within walking distance from downtown, and you can climb its seven flights of steps for a panoramic view from the top.

2. Shop at the Night Market

Market, Street Food

The Night Market, also known as the Chinese Market, bursts into action along the Mekong riverfront as the sun goes down, and stays open until 9:30pm. From their red-roofed tents, merchants sell backpackers’ clothing and inexpensive electronics, as well as souvenirs such as Buddhist paintings and handicrafts. Feel free to haggle before handing your cash over – you can normally get 10 to 30 percent off the price.

3. See the Pha That Luang (Golden Stupa)

Buddhist Temple

5. Learn Lao Civil War history at the COPE Visitor Centre

6. Eat dinner on the Mekong Riverfront 'beach'

Restaurant, Asian

Vientiane, like the Lao cities of Thakhek, Savannakhet and Pakse, lies on the banks of the Mekong River. From November to March, the dry season reveals a sand bank at the river’s edge – perhaps the closest this landlocked country ever gets to a ‘beach’. Bars and restaurants make the most of this: swing by the Beach Garden, which lays out seating on the sand and puts on live music most nights. The Laos menu includes delicious sun-dried beef, fish soup and dumplings.

7. Take a tour of Lao Disabled Women’s Development Centre

Around 10% of people in Laos have a disability, and disabled women are among the most marginalised group of society. This non-profit organisation empowers them through practical training and life skills. Book a tour to meet trainers and trainees, take part in a Lao blessing ceremony and eat lunch in the garden. You can also book an hour-long handicrafts workshop, where you’ll learn how to turn newspaper into accessories, picture frames, coasters and placemats.

8. Step inside Ho Phra Keo Museum

Also known as Haw Phra Kaew, this temple-turned-museum is full of Buddhist relics. The ornate gold-and-white shrine was built in the 1560s to house the Emerald Buddha, which has since been sent to Bangkok – having been moved to Vientiane from Chafing Mai by King Setthathirath. However, there’s still plenty to see, with carved Buddhas and Khmer deities, along with the temple’s original 16th-century lacquered doors, adorned with Hindu carvings.

9. Pay a visit to That Dam (Black Stupa)

That Dam, which translates as black stupa, is an incongruous black spike protruding from a quiet roundabout on Chantha Khoumane road. However, people know this monument for miles around, thanks to the legend of the seven-headed Naga serpent – the spirit who protects the citizens of Vientiane and is said to reside here. The brick stupa was once covered in gold, but this was pillaged by the Siamese when they invaded in the late 1820s.

10. Grab dinner on Walking Street

This lively outdoor market is lit up by festoon lights, marking the way through a maze of streets around Vientiane New World shopping centre. You’ll find clothes and accessories for sale, but the main draw is the range of Asian food, from Japanese sushi to Vietnamese noodles and good old barbecue meat-on-a-stick. Join the young locals by hiring a pair of rollerblades and scooting around the rink, while speakers pump out American and Thai pop music.

11. See inside Wat Si Muang

The colourful temple of Wat Si Muang is the site of the Khmer-era lák méuang (city pillar), believed to be the home of another guardian spirit of Vientiane. As the legend goes, a woman sacrificed herself to calm angry spirits by jumping into the hole where the pillar was to be placed. Shrouded in cloth and behind a seated Buddha, the ancient artefact contrasts to the century-old temple, which was rebuilt by the French – the original was destroyed by Thai invaders in 1828.

12. Paddle or kayak at Tad Moun Waterfall

Natural Feature

Tad Moun Waterfall, 25 miles from Vientiane city, is accessible by bike ride or tuk tuk. The falls themselves are more akin to mild rapids – and they only exist in the rainy season – but the whole area is geared up for enjoyment, with thatched huts to hire and vendors selling ice cream and Beerlao beer. As well as a swimming area, you can use inflatables to ride the rapids, or kayak down the river and back again.

13. Take a tour of Nam Ngum Reservoir

Nam Ngum translates as beautiful water, and with its 300 lush mini islands, this reservoir matches its namesake. Hydropower is one of the top exports of Laos, and the country’s largest lake has the bonus of providing an ideal setting for boat rides, swimming and fishing. It’s 80km to the north of Vientiane, but package tours will take you there – many of which include a cruise to nearby fishing villages and lunch aboard a floating restaurant.

14. See the Kaysone Phomvihane Memorial Museum

15. Explore Wat Si Saket

Wat Si Saket, built in 1818, is the only temple in Laos to have completely survived the Siamese occupation, which came a decade later. More than 2,000 ceramic and silver Buddha sculptures are displayed in the temple’s cloisters – and inside is an opulent scene of pillars and gold plating. It is still an active monastery, where you can see monks roaming among the garden’s fruit trees and pavilion.

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The Perfect Vientiane Itinerary - Things to Do in 24 Hours

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Laos is full of adventurous things to do and filled with ancient buildings and unique cultures. But all of those things do not exist in the capital of Laos. Vientiane is a bustling city filled with busy traffic, modern buildings and paved roads. It’s definitely busier than I ever imagined, especially after traveling in Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang . Both towns are so chill and slow-paced. If you’re using Vientiane as a transit point to the next destination during your Laos backpacking trip , here is a 24-hours Vientiane itinerary to help you plan a day there.

Many travelers asked, “how many days do I need for Vientiane?”. Well, in fact, most people stayed in Vientiane for one day or two days max. There aren’t many things to do there compared to other towns. Due to the fact that a large portion of Laos’ lands deemed unusable because of the ordnance buried below, the government seems to focus all their economy on the capital city.

In Vientiane, you can find transportation to each and every town throughout the country, as well as sleeper buses to Bangkok, Hanoi , and other neighboring countries. Vientiane is often used as the transit point from Luang Prabang or Vang Vieng to Pakse and Si Phan Don in Southern Laos.

Enough talking, let’s dive straight in and see what you can do in 24 hours in this one day Vientiane itinerary!

• 1 Worship The Pha That Luang (Best of Vientiane itinerary)
• 2 See The Patuxai Monument
• 3 Visiting COPE Visitor Centre
• 4 Watch the Sunset Over Thailand in Chao Anouvong Park
• 5 Shopping in Vientiane Night Market
• 6 Alternative – Be Amazed in Wat Si Saket
• 7 Alternative – Take a Walk in Buddha Park or Xieng Khuan

Worship The Pha That Luang (Best of Vientiane itinerary)

Pha That Luang is probably the most well known Vientiane attraction of all time. The golden stupa stood elegantly under the sunshine, and the reflected golden ray just amazes everyone who passed by. You could say that it’s the landmark of Vientiane.

The stupa is believed to have enshrined a breast bone of Buddha. Pha That Luang was built back in 1566, right after Vientiane was made the capital of Lan Xang Kingdom. During the invasion of the Siamese army in 1827, Pha That Luang, along with most parts of Vientiane city was destroyed. It wasn’t until the 1930’s when the French rebuilt the stupa to its original design.

Do you know that Pha That Luang was submitted to the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites list?

If you’re visiting in November, maybe you’re in luck to see the That Luang Festival, which takes place for three days during the full moon of the twelfth lunar month. You’ll see huge crowds of locals visiting and paying tribute to the stupa, as well as giving alms to the monks.

Since it’s that famous, you should also expect crowds of tourists in the compound. Chinese and Korean tourists have been flooding Vientiane for the past few years. The number of Korean tourists also surprised me because I never expected so many Koreans in this country.

There are accommodations throughout the city, so if you booked your hostel far away, you might need to walk to get there. Tuk-tuks are ridiculously expensive in Vientiane, just for your info.

The entrance fee to Pha That Luang is 10,000 Kip per person, and the stupa is open from 8 am to 4 pm. Note that there will be a lunch break from 12 pm to 1 pm, you can’t visit between this time frame.

Do you need a visa to enter Laos? Check it and apply your Laos visa online here in just 5 minutes!

See The Patuxai Monument

Patuxai Monument is yet another landmark of Vientiane city, which was built between 1957 to 1968. Patuxai, which translates to ‘Victory Gate’ was erected to remember those who fought for independence from the French army. It’s an attraction not to miss in your Vientiane itinerary.

The monument was constructed using the funds from the US, which was meant to be used for the expansion of the airport.

The architecture of the monument was heavily influenced by Buddhism and Hinduism religions. If you look up to the ceiling of the monument, you’ll find various craftings and arts of the Hindu gods, like Brahma and Vishnu.

On top of the monument, you’ll also see 5 towers. Four of them occupying the corners while the tallest tower lies in the middle. You could pay a fee of 5,000 Kip per person to climb to the top for the view of the city.

There is also a sign in the monument stating that the construction was never completed due to the country’s turbulence history.

However, the compound is more than just the monument. If you walk further in, you’ll also find a fountain, built using the funds donated from the Chinese government. There are loads of benches so you can easily just sit down and have a rest.

The entrance to the compound is free but you would have to pay 5,000 Kip to climb the monument.

Check out how you can travel from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng all by yourself here !

Visiting COPE Visitor Centre

COPE is an organization with a mission to help people with disability to walk again using prosthetic legs and provide them physical rehab support.

Upon entering the visitor centre, you’ll be amazed by how well the decoration the interior is. There are information boards all around the displayed items, and loads of prosthetic limbs to see.

The main thing about this visitor centre is how well they presented the history of the Secret War. If you didn’t know it yet, the US army dropped more than 2 million tons of ordnance bombs into the land of Laos from 1964 to 1973. This makes Laos the most heavily bombed country per capita in modern history.

The bombing was intended to destroy the Ho Chi Minh trail, which was used to transfer the army and military supplies from Northern Vietnam to Southern Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

Up to a third of the dropped ordnance bombs did not explode, and therefore buried inside the land of Laos. When farmers try to plow the land and accidentally hit the ordnance, or setting fire on top of the buried ordnance, the bomb exploded. These accidents happen frequently for the past few decades and rendered many Laotian people disabled. And that’s where the COPE comes into play.

In this visitor centre, you’ll also learn about how the other partner organizations dispose of these unexploded ordnances in the rural land of Laos. There are free documentaries to make learning more interesting.

I highly recommend paying a visit to COPE Visitor Centre to learn about Laotian history, and to donate some funds to help the organization. The entrance is free !

One thing I didn’t like is the way they treat different types of visitors. I’m not trying to complain, but the staff is very more likely to approach western visitors and explain things to them without asking. They didn’t even show me the donation box when I was leaving, and they never even looked at us or said things like ‘thanks for visiting’. Just saying.

Check out this guide to the most beautiful waterfalls in Laos !

Watch the Sunset Over Thailand in Chao Anouvong Park

What’s a better way to end your day other than watching the sunset? Well, watching a sun setting over another country, in this case, Thailand!

The Mekong River by Chao Anouvong Park and the entire Vientiane city acts as the border between Laos and Thailand. At the park, if you walk closer to the Mekong River, you’ll find yourself a wide stretch of beach. There, you can find yourself a seat and watch the sun setting slowly over the opposite country’s land.

We didn’t know that the opposite was Thailand until we actually looked at Google Maps afterward.

After watching the sunset, then it’s time for dinner and shopping in the Vientiane night market!

There is a handful of food court and food stalls over at Chao Anouvong Park. When I was there, my friend and I were surprised by the numbers of waiters surrounding us.

Once we had a seat, the waiters and waitresses from all the surrounding stalls came over, and put their menu on our table. None of them understand English, and it was extremely awkward and uncomfortable. We had at least 6 menus on our tables and surrounded by 6 people at least. But it’s an unforgettable experience anyway.

If you prefer a better experience, there are loads of restaurants around as well!

Shopping in Vientiane Night Market

Vientiane Night Market is the largest in the country. I was amazed during my visit. It literally took me more than an hour to fully explore everything this night market has to offer, and I’d say you should add this to your Vientiane itinerary.

In this night market, you’ll find plenty of food stalls, but they are not the main highlights. The clothing stalls are. There is a huge variety of clothing to choose from, and they are all cheaper than those you find in other towns like Luang Prabang or Vang Vieng. You might need to negotiate a little bit to get a more satisfying price.

Vientiane Night Market is also a perfect place to buy souvenirs back home because there are quite a lot of foreign tourists there.

The only thing that bothers me is the beg-packers begging for money on the street. And the most disturbing thing is that these beg-packers always get more donations from the locals than the disabled locals on wheelchairs.

Vientiane Night Market is open every day from 5 pm to 11 pm. I highly recommend you to visit this night market!

Alternative – Be Amazed in Wat Si Saket

Located at the intersection of Lane Xang Road and Setthathirat Road, Wat Si Saket is the only temple in Vientiane to maintain its original form despite the Siamese invasion in 1827. It was built in 1820 near the Royal Palace by King Anouvong, the last king of Vientiane.

The historic temple houses more than 10,000 images of Buddha in different mudras. The temple was further restored in the 1930s.

The entrance fee is 5,000 Kip per person, and it opens daily from 8 am to 4 pm, with a lunch break between 12 pm to 1 pm.

Alternative – Take a Walk in Buddha Park or Xieng Khuan

If you still have a lot of spare time and decided to venture out of town, then consider adding the Buddha Park into your Vientiane itinerary. Buddha Park, also known as Xieng Khuan is located 25km southeast of the city.

The sculpture park contains quite a number of Buddha statues and Hinduism images. Although it’s not a temple, it’s sometimes referred to as Wat Xieng Khuan. ‘Wat’ is a temple in the Laotian language.

The park was built back in 1958 by Luang Pu Bounleua Sulilat, who later moved to Thailand and proceeded to create a similar park, called Sala Koeku in Nong Khai. Here, you will enjoy a temporary escape from all the bustling vibe of the capital city.

The only downside is the lack of information boards to tell more about the sculptures and the meaning behind them.

To get there, you’ll have to hire a tuk-tuk, which will cost around 200,000 Kip. Find a few travelers and share the ride together to split the bill. The driver will wait for you at the entrance of Buddha Park until you’re done with your visit, then drives you back to your accommodation.

The park is open every day from 8 am to 4.30 pm. The entrance fee is 5,000 Kip per person, and an additional 3,000 Kip if you bring your camera, pretty weird right?

What do you think of this one-day Vientiane itinerary?

Hopefully, this article helped you in planning your one-day transit in Vientiane. Not sure for you, but Vientiane is not much of my thing if compared to Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang. A full day was pretty enough for me to explore. Let me know what you think of this Vientiane itinerary in the comment section below! Till next time, enjoy Laos! Check out my 3 days Luang Prabang itinerary and Vang Vieng itinerary too!

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Yen is a university student from Malaysia and a huge fan of Blues music and photography. His passion for travel can be traced back to 2016 when he spent 6 months traveling New Zealand. By blending into the locals and traveling long-term, he shares all the comprehensive and detailed travel ideas and guides for the countries with his footprints.

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• 1.1 History
• 1.2 Orientation
• 1.3 Climate
• 2.1 By plane
• 2.2.1 From Northern Laos and China
• 2.2.2 From Thailand
• 2.3.1 Domestic travel
• 2.3.2 From Thailand
• 2.3.3 From Vietnam
• 2.3.4 From Cambodia
• 2.4 By boat
• 3.1 By taxi
• 3.2 By tuk-tuk or jumbo
• 3.4 By bike
• 3.5 On foot
• 4.1 Temples and stupas
• 6.1 Alcohol
• 6.3 Bicycles
• 6.6 Handicrafts
• 6.7 Markets and shops
• 6.8 Supermarkets
• 7.2 Mid-range
• 7.3 Splurge
• 7.4 Chinese
• 7.5 Vegetarian/vegan
• 9.2 Mid-range
• 9.3 Splurge
• 10.1 Internet
• 10.2 Post office
• 10.3 Wi-Fi and GPRS
• 11.3.1 In Vientiane
• 11.3.2 In Thailand
• 11.4 Mosquito-borne diseases
• 11.6 Swimming
• 12 Stay safe
• 13.1 Embassies

Vientiane ( Lao : ວຽງຈັນ, Vieng Chan ) is the capital of Laos , with stunning temples, vibrant night markets, beautiful French-Indochinese architecture, lively street food stalls, and traditional craft markets.

Understand [ edit ]

Not too long ago, Vientiane was often described as sleepy and charming. However, the combination of exploding population — Vientiane has over doubled in size since 2000, reaching some 750,000 people in the 2020 census — and the frenetic Chinese-led investment boom and bust has led to considerable growing pains, with strip malls, traffic jams and abandoned construction sites throughout the city, and the French colonial villas of the old town now stand cheek to jowl with various concrete monstrosities, tied together with spiderwebs of power cables.

Nevertheless, the city has retained some charms, like plenty of gold-encrusted temples, a remarkably cosmopolitan dining scene and a pleasant riverside promenade by the Mekong River. So after you've done the round of temples, the best thing to do here has always been to wander down to the riverside, relax with a cold Beerlao, the Lao national beer, and watch the sun set on the Mekong.

History [ edit ]

Settled since at least 1000 CE, Vientiane became an important administrative city of the Kingdom of Lan Xang ("million elephants") in 1545. Ransacked in 1828 by the Siamese, Vientiane sprung back to be again named the capital of the protectorate of Laos by the French, a position it kept after independence (1953) and after the communists took over in 1975. Today Vientiane is far and away the largest city in Laos.

Orientation [ edit ]

Vientiane stretches along the northeast bank of a bend in the Mekong River. From the riverbank inland, the main roads running parallel to the river are Fa Ngum Rd , Setthathirat Rd , and Samsenthai Rd. The central district, Chanthabuli , contains most of Vientiane's governmental offices, hotels, and restaurants. Vientiane's widest boulevard, Lane Xang Rd , runs from the Presidential Palace (now used for governmental offices and for state receptions) to the northeast around Patuxai , the Victory Gate, towards Pha That Luang , the That Luang Stupa, the most important religious monument in Laos.

Climate [ edit ]

Vientiane has the same climate as most of Laos (and Thailand, for that matter). The hot season from March to May cranks the mercury as high as 40°C, and the humidity makes it feel like 50°C. The slightly cooler wet season is from May-Oct, when temperatures are around 30°C, tropical downpours are frequent (especially Jul-Aug), and some years the Mekong floods. The best but also busiest time to visit is the dry season from November to February, when daytime highs are around 30°C, nighttime lows a pleasant 20°C and rain is rare.

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ].

Flights were cut severely during the COVID outbreak, when Laos was hermetically sealed off from the world, and are still much more limited than they used to be. As of Oct 2022, there are international flights from:

• Bangkok Don Mueang : AirAsia now flies once a day.
• Bangkok Suvarnabhumi : Thai Smile and Lao Airlines each fly once daily.
• Busan , South Korea : Lao Airlines flies three times a week.
• Chiang Mai ( Thailand ): Lao Airlines three times weekly via Luang Prabang .
• Hanoi ( Viet Nam ): Lao Airlines three times weekly and Vietnam Airlines daily.
• Kuala Lumpur ( Malaysia ): AirAsia three flights weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
• Phnom Penh ( Cambodia ): Vietnam Airlines daily.
• Siem Reap (Cambodia): Lao Airlines three flights weekly via Pakse .
• Singapore : Scoot flies three times a week.

From neighboring countries, it is often cheaper and relatively painless to travel to Vientiane overland rather than by air.

From Bangkok, many visitors fly into Udon Thani in Thailand , and cross the border by bus, as this domestic flight is considerably cheaper than a direct international flight to Vientiane. There is a direct shuttle from Udon Thani airport to the Thai/Lao border at Nong Khai (about 50 km away) for 200 baht , and there are also direct cross-border bus services from Udon Thani (the city, not the airport) to Vientiane. This option (flight, bus transfers and immigration clearance at 2 points) takes at least 2 hours longer than a direct Bangkok to Vientiane flight. You may have difficulty getting an international bus to Laos if you do not already hold a visa. Bus conductors sometimes check for this, as the buses do not wait at the border long enough for the painfully slow visa on arrival process.

There are domestic flights from:

• Lao Airlines flies to five domestic destinations: three to five flights daily to Luang Prabang for about US$100; once or twice daily to Pakse, four times per week to Huay Xai and Oudomxay , and six times per week to Xieng Khuang (Phonsavan).
• Lao Skyway the second-biggest Lao airline, operates several flights weekly each between Vientiane and Huay Xai, Luangnamtha , Luang Prabang, and Oudomxay on small aircraft.

There is an Airport Shuttle Bus between Wattay International Airport, city center and Central Bus Station. The fare is 40,000 kip per person (Nov 2023), and buses run roughly once an hour from 08:20 to 18:50 to the airport and 09:00-19:40 from the airport. The bus stop at the airport is at the International Arrivals exit; turn right upon exiting. You can buy a ticket at the helpful bus information desk inside the airport, or you can just buy one on the bus. Bus stops at the city center are along Setthathilath, Samsenthai and Pangkham Rd. The bus stop at the Central Bus Station is along Nongbone Road a few meters away from the International Bus Ticket Office.

Many hotels offer a pickup service from the airport, or you can take a fixed-price taxi coupon for around US$7. Rides to the airport should be around half this price. If you don't mind walking the distance between the airport and the main road (less than 500 m), you can take a local bus for less than US$1.

By train [ edit ]

Vientiane has two separate train stations, which are over 20 km apart and not connected by train. Neither is anywhere near the city center. If leaving by train, be sure your ride is going to the right one!

From Northern Laos and China [ edit ]

Since April 2023, five high-speed trains per day run from Muang Xay via Luang Prabang , Vang Vieng and Phonhong to Vientiane.

One of these trains daily starts from Kunming South Station in China. The train stops at Mohan and Boten for 1 1/2 hours each for you to complete Chinese and Lao border formalities respectively, taking 9 hr 30 min altogether. The northbound train leaves Vientiane around 08:00 to reach Kunming for 19:40. These trains are much faster and more comfortable than buses, so they are very popular and sell out.

Getting tickets is now easy with the official LCR Ticket App, but Lao phone number is needed for registration (as of Jan 2024 MasterCard payment is not supported yet ,but Visa yes). One can book tickets only up to three days ahead and those run out quick, so early booking is recommended. Otherwise, can book through an agent (around 80,000 kip fee/$4 ). See more on trains on Laos#By train for details.

The station operates in a Chinese style, meaning that tickets and matching ID are required to enter the station and security inspections were in place, mostly looking for flammable sprays. Liquids are OK. Despite the station's cavernous size, as of October 2022 facilities are minimal, consisting of a single coffee shop inside the departures area. If you have more time to kill, there's a simple cafe in the 2nd floor "Shopping Area" outside security, plus a ramshackle collection of stalls a few hundred meters away outside. There are no ATMs, money changers, convenience stores, proper restaurants etc.

From Thailand [ edit ]

One daytime and two overnight trains take 11-12 hours from Bangkok Bang Sue via Ayutthaya to Nong Khai on the border, where you're stamped out of Thailand and may have to pay departure tax. Sleeper train 25 is met by a shuttle train, which rattles over the Friendship Bridge across the Mekong into Laos, stopping the traffic which shares the bridge. This takes barely 10 min to Tha Naleng, where you get your visa and are stamped into Laos. In 2023 the sleeper fare was about 1200 baht in first class and 900 in second, the shuttle was 40 baht, and then there's your visa fee and onward minibus to Vientiane to pay. See State Railway of Thailand [dead link] for timetables and fares.

You can also take any train or bus to Nong Khai then a tuk-tuk across the Friendship Bridge. The railway station is 1.5 km short of the bridge, the bus station is further. In normal times there are more services to Nong Khai and over the bridge, but these are scaled back by COVID. Decline all offers of combi-fares with visa fee or onward travel to Vientiane, these are poor value.

Southbound to Bangkok take the afternoon shuttle from Tha Naleng to connect with Sleeper train 26, which leaves shortly after 19:00 to reach Bangkok for 06:00. Trains 25 / 26 are modern Chinese rolling stock, see Thailand#Get around by train for descriptions of standards on board.

By bus [ edit ]

Bus tickets can be bought from various travel agents in Vientiane. Transport by songthaew to designated bus terminal is invariably included in the price. It may happen that instead of going to the bus terminal the songthaew will stop at the roadside near the bus terminal and you will wait there until the bus departures and comes to pick you up. Due to this arrangement you will get to choose the last available seats. According to the songthaew driver it's because the bus station is too crowded and it's more comfortable to wait at the roadside.

Vientiane has the following bus terminals:

17.964225 102.6152 1 Central Bus Terminal (CBS) , Nongbone Road ( to the southeast of Talat Sao Morning Market, a ten-minute walk into the tourist centre ). It's also called Talat Sao Station, Morning Market Station or Khua Din Bus Station. It is used by city buses (even though their existence might be vigorously denied by people you ask, as many have stakes in passenger transportation) and those circulating within Vientiane Prefecture and to Thailand. See below Get around - By Bus . ( updated Oct 2023 )

18.030619 102.658247 2 Southern Bus Terminal/Station (SBS) , Kaisone Phomvihane Rd, the first stretch of Rte 13 South ( 10 km northeast of the centre ). It is used for buses going south of the capital, like to Tha Khaek and Pakse. It's connected with the CBS via City Buses 23, 28 and 29 , which run between 05:50 and 16:00 eleven times M-F 07:00-16:00, five times on Sa Su. It costs 5,000 kip and takes 32 minutes. Outside these times you are at the mercy of the tuk-tuks, starting from 15,000 kip if you are lucky. ( updated Oct 2023 )

18.008835 102.552206 3 Northern Bus Terminal/Station (NBS) , T2 Road (now called Asiane Road ( 9 km northwest of the centre ). It is used for buses going north of the capital. It's connected with the CBS via City Bus 8 , which runs between 06:00 and 17:00 every 30 minutes. A tuk-tuk will probably try to charge you about 50,000 kip. Don't pay more than 10,000 kip. One person including baggage costs 20,000 kip (Feb 2012). ( updated Oct 2023 )

17.9672 102.6068 4 Bus Stop for Vang Vieng . Large VIP buses and mini-buses leave to Vang Vieng from here. Mini-vans will pick up passengers from hotels and bring them to this point. Avoid being picked up too early by walking to this location which is near to many guest houses and hotels.  

Domestic travel [ edit ]

For bus schedules, see the images taken at the various bus stations at Hobo Maps .

The Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge ( Saphan Mittaphap ) over the Mekong river is the most common means of entry. It is open daily till around 22:00 (but check with the locals if unsure) and links the

• Thai border post in Nong Khai , Thailand with the
• Lao border post in Thanaleng, Laos , around 20 km southeast of Vientiane.

Bridge crossing is either - via your direct bus or - via the public shuttle bus; it goes frequently just from behind Thai emigration and charges 30 baht (Jan 2024). Foot or bicycle crossing is prohibited (however, people have been seen strolling the bridge); bicycles can be carried in buses' cargo compartments

If you need a Visa on arrival , the process is

• get stamped out at the Thai border post
• cross the bridge to the Laos border post
• at the immigration booth get an arrival form and fill it out
• the filled-out form
• your passport
• two passport-sized photos. If you forgot your passport photo, they'll photocopy your passport for an extra US$1/40 baht (or do it on the Thai side for just 2 baht).
• US dollars for the visa fee (USD 40, except for nationals of China and Vietnam who are charged USD 20 [1] as of 2022); LAK and THB may be accepted instead, but at a poor rate; there are ATMs on the spot
• wait some minutes until they have processed it and get back your passport (and change, where applicable)
• check that the entry stamp is there
• walk out past the entry fee booth, if no one stops you, you haven't done anything wrong. On weekends only you may be charged a 9,000 kip or 40 baht (2010) "overtime charge".
• you reach the parking lot on the western side of the immigration building

To go from the Lao border post to Ventiane , it's 25 km, or at least 30 minutes by

• taxi (300 baht) to any destination in Vientiane
• jumbo (posted price 250 baht, but easy to bargain down to 100 baht or less for immediate departure with only one passenger) to any destination in Vientiane
• shared jumbo if you're prepared to share (and possibly wait), at less than 50 baht/person after negotiation
• local bus (usually Bus 14, approx. hourly between 07:20 and 18:05 according timetable ) to Talat Sao (aka Morning Market Station, Central Bus Station, Vientiane Bus Station), charging 18,000 kip (Jan 2024).

Direct buses will not wait long enough for completion of the visa on arrival procedure. There are a couple of direct international cheap, comfortable, hassle-free, and popular -so book ahead or arrive early- buses to/from Talat Sao bus station (the timetable changes often):

• Nong Khai , 4 per day between 7:30 and 18:00 (55 baht)
• Khon Kaen , 2 per day (185 baht); leaving Khon Kaen Bus Terminal (Prab-argat) at 07:45 (usually delayed till 08:00) and 15:15; the trip takes around 4 hrs
• Udon Thani , 5 per day between 8:00 and 17:30 (80 baht)

From Udon Thani airport, a 200-baht minibus ride can be purchased in the airport. You will be dropped off on the Thai border post.

For exiting Laos over the Friendship Bridge, Bus 14 goes from Talat Sao (Morning Market) to the border post approx. hourly between 06:15 and 17:00 according to the timetable , but it is common that schedules are not obeyed, and buses may even leave ahead of time. Ask the staff. Avoid the tuk-tuk/songthaew drivers insisting it is late, slow, or gone and wanting 50,000 kip to drive you to the border before dumping you there at the mercy of their Thai equivalents on the other side. There is no exit fee at the Laos border post. However, on weekends a 9,000 kip or 40 baht (2010) "overtime charge" might apply. Just walk past the exit fee booth; if no one stops you, you haven't done anything wrong.

From Vietnam [ edit ]

A direct bus from Hanoi takes at least 20 hours (despite what the travel agents might say it averages 24 hr) and should cost about US$15-20. There is a twice-weekly VIP bus (better seats) and a local bus that departs every day. With the local bus you're not certain of a seat and Vietnamese people tend to sit and never get up again until arrival.

The journey from Hue is 14-18 hr and should cost US$20-30. The bus arrives to Southern Terminal where you have to bargain hard with tuk-tuks. The ride to town after midnight is 30,000 kip. There are local buses heading towards town from here that usually stop at the central market priced at about 10,000 kip.

From Cambodia [ edit ]

The bus trip from Phnom Penh to Vientiane costs about US$50 if you go VIP. This means you get a sleeper (bed) for the night portion of your trip. Unless, however, you have a partner you will share the rather small bed with a random passenger of the same gender. The bed is comfortable, though there have been reports of leaking windows and flooded mattresses.

At the Lao-Cambodian border, essentially the same form has to be filled out numerous times (to ensure each official gets his fee). If you can't carry your luggage 500 m from the Cambodian border post to the Lao, you're out of luck. The bus staff will have disappeared by now. The border process is hot, slow, and enervating.

Regardless of what the travel agent or bus company tells you, the Phnom Penh -Vientiane (or return) trip usually involves four separate buses, not two. The [Phnom Penh-Lao border and Pakse -Vientiane legs are comfortable enough. However, between the border and Pakse ( Southern Laos ) you will be crammed into a minibus or open van, sit on other people's laps, etc., as the vehicle does the rounds of every guesthouse in the region. You will eventually be transferred into another van, and the process repeated. It can take 4-6 hours, and it is seldom clear where you are, where you are going, or who is in charge.

If the bus staff talks you into putting your luggage on a second bus, because of space problems, it is liable to vanish along the road. The bus trip between Phnom Penh and Vientiane averages 27 hours.

By boat [ edit ]

Vientiane may be on the mighty Mekong, but it lives more in fear than in love with the river. There are no bridges across it in Vientiane, and there are no docks. A new levee is being built that will separate the town from the river by 100 m of parkland. As such, boat travel from Vientiane on the Mekong is extremely rare, slow, and expensive, especially travelling upstream.

Get around [ edit ]

Getting around Vientiane is generally easy, as the traffic is far less murderous than in larger Southeast Asian cities like Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City . Street signs are rather lacking, although in the centre more and more signs are appearing. Where there are signs displaying street names they are bilingual in Lao and French. The Lao word "thanon" on these signs is translated by "road", "rue", "avenue" or "boulevard", in many cases without any apparent logic.

When talking about directions or streets with "r" in them, Laotians pronounce "r" as "l" ("plied lice" rather than "fried rice"). An example is Rue Setthathirat pronounced as "Lue Setthathilat".

Perhaps because they are shy about their English skills, it is difficult to get street directions from Laotians, even from people in police uniforms.

Maps covering the city are available at bookshops and some mini-marts, but are not as detailed and not always to scale. Many shopfronts feature addresses in Roman letters, and these are often the best way to determine the street one is walking. People navigate using landmarks, so name the nearest embassy, hotel or temple near where you want to go.

In the centre of Vientiane, the through roads Setthathirat Rd and Samsenthai Rd and the side roads connecting them and down to the river have sealed surfaces and pavements, and there is decent street lighting. A one-way traffic regime is in place (but the police are not enforcing it), and parking regulations have also been introduced.

Vientiane's rainwater drainage system, which also includes "grey water" from baths, sinks, laundries, etc., consists of gullies on the roadside, usually covered by concrete slabs. These slabs are sometimes damaged and very precariously balanced or even missing altogether. People rapidly learn to take care before stepping on anything that looks like a slab. Waste from toilets is, or should be, collected in septic tanks (at every house), but those gullies can nevertheless smell abominably. In the centre things have improved markedly as a result of the road upgrading. The smell from the gullies is now no longer very noticeable.

Do not rely exclusively on the Google Earth view of Vientiane for locating the sights: many locations put there by well-meaning users are clearly in the wrong place, not just a block or so away, but some even in a wrong part of the city.

By taxi [ edit ]

Vientiane has a small fleet of genuine taxis retired from Bangkok, usually found lurking at the Friendship Bridge, the airport or in front of large hotels. Fares are set by bargaining, so figure on around US$0.50 per km or US$20-40 to hire one for the day, depending on car type and distance.

• Taxi Vientiane Capital Lao Group Co. Ltd. , 90 Nongbone Rd , ☏ +856 21 454168 , +856 21 454088 . It advertises 20,000 kip for the first kilometer, then 2,000 kip every 300 m thereafter.  

Another option is to use the Loca app for ride hailing - which has the advantage of being able to use international cards.

By tuk-tuk or jumbo [ edit ]

Tuk-tuks and their bigger cousins, jumbos, are ubiquitous in Vientiane. If chartering a tuk-tuk/jumbo, make sure of the fare in advance. Short hops within the city should not cost more than 10,000 kip per person. In most cases, foreigners will find it difficult to get bargain prices. All the tuk-tuk drivers carry a fare card for popular destinations but these fares are ridiculously inflated. Do not pay these bogus, published fares. Walking away can make the fare drop quickly. Shared jumbos running on set routes, e.g., Lan Xang Rd to Pha That Luang, charge a fixed 10,000 kip. Tuk-tuks lined up at Mekong riverside restaurants or other busy areas will try to charge you 30,000-50,000 kip even for short trips. It's not worth trying to bargain as they won't go anywhere for a normal (10,000 kip) fare. Walk a few blocks and you get a much lower price.

Old Japanese buses and white minibuses connect the centre to the suburban districts, but they are not equipped with air-con and have no signage in English, although route numbers are usually posted on the front.

A three-day bus pass can be bought at the airport for 45,000 kip (2020).

City Routes from the Central Bus Station include

• Bus 8 to the Northern Bus Terminal, 5,000 kip
• Bus 10 to That Luang, ITECC, 4,000 kip (bus stop in front of Talat Sao Mall)
• Bus 14 to the Friendship Bridge, continues on to Buddha Park, 5,000/12,000 kip (Dec 2022)
• Bus 23 to the Southern bus station, continues to Tha Ngon
• Bus 28 to the Southern bus station, continues to the railway station of the LCR 15,000 kip (Nov 2022)
• Bus 29 to the Southern bus station, continues to the university, 4,000 kip
• Bus 31 to the university
• Bus 32 to southern Vientiane
• Airport Shuttle - temporarily suspended, see above Get in - By plane
• Lao ITECC Line - temporarily suspended, see above Get in - By plane

By bike [ edit ]

Bicycles are perhaps the best way to get around the city. Most guesthouses and hotels can arrange bike rental for around 10,000 kip per day. (The cheapest is apparently Douang Deuane Hotel, 8,000 kip, though their bikes are not the best.) Although the city's flat terrain makes for good biking, one-way streets can be difficult to identify. You can usually choose to leave your passport, your driver's licence, about 1,000 baht, or a comparable amount of kip or dollars as a deposit. Test the bike a bit, including the brakes, before renting.

Despite the poor standard of local driving, cycling is fairly safe in the city because the traffic is quite slow. But take extra care when the roads are wet, because many are unsurfaced (even in the city centre), and they can be muddy and slippery. Innocent-looking puddles sometimes conceal deep potholes.

On foot [ edit ]

The city centre can be quite comfortably covered on foot, at least in the cool season. Pha That Luang, however, is 4 km away from the centre and thus a bit of a hike. Out of the city centre there are few footpaths so walking can be uncomfortable.

Crossing the street can be a nightmare. Traffic lights seem to be timed for cars only, leaving little or no time when the crosswalk is clear for pedestrians. Markings for pedestrian crossings are quite faded and the local drivers have always regarded them as decoration anyway. The crosswalk buttons and walk signals seem to be little more than decoration as well, and cars often run red lights. The only blessing is that the traffic usually moves slowly and there often isn't much of it.

By car [ edit ]

In Laos there are many car rental companies. If you are looking for a Western level of service, try Europcar (Asia Vehicle Rental), on Samsenthai Rd, 5 minutes from Namphu Fountain.

See [ edit ]

Vientiane is best viewed as a comfortable transit point for other places in Laos, or as a recuperative stop on the way out. It's a pleasant enough place, but generally, there is little reason to spend more than a couple of days here.

• 17.96127 102.61789 1 COPE Visitor Centre ( Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise ) ( Khou Vieng Rd, 300 m east of Water Park/JoMa Cafe, opposite Green Park Hotel ). 09:00-18:00 . This centre explores the Lao legacy of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and the National Rehabilitation Centre's efforts to expand prosthetic, orthotic, and rehabilitation services across the country. There are exhibits, and visitors can watch short films on the subject. Exhibits are appropriate for all ages. An excellent gift shop offers fun, offbeat souvenirs that support a good cause. Free parking. Free .  
• 18.0065 102.645 2 Kaysone Phomvihane Museum , Muang Saythani ( km6 Dongdok Rd ). Tu-Su 08:00-12:00, 13:00-16:00 . A quiet museum celebrating Laotian war hero and prime minister Kaysone Phomvihane. Exhibits on the history of Laos from ancient times to the present, but the main focus is on the life of Kaysone Phomvihane. The exhibits are presented in rough chronological order, but somewhat disjointedly without a sense of narrative, so they're hard to follow if you're not already familiar with the broad strokes. Interesting for history buffs, though. 5,000 kip . ( updated Feb 2020 )

• 17.971482 102.618468 4 Patuxai ( Victory Gate ), Ave Lane Xang . 08:00-17:00 . A local rendition of the Arc de Triomphe . Besides having elaborate Buddhist embellishment, it differs from the original in having four gates instead of two and being just a bit higher to spite the French. Reasonably impressive from afar, a surprisingly frank English sign inside the monument labels it a "monster of concrete" when seen up close. The concrete was donated by the US, although it was supposed to go towards a new airport instead: hence the nickname "the Vertical Runway". The monument itself aside, the palm tree-lined park around it complete with fountains is quite pleasant though lacking of shade during the daytime. You can climb up to the 7th story, stairs only, for a nice view of central Vientiane and three levels of souvenir shops with less than enthusiastic sales people sitting about. It features a musical fountain nearby that attracts visitors from around Laos and Asia, as well as a World Peace Gong presented by Indonesia. Roving cameramen will be happy to charge you for photos near these attractions. 3,000 kip (to climb) .  
• 19.8813 102.1369 5 President Souphanouvong Memorial , Kaysone Phomvihane Rd, Ban Phonsa-art , ☏ +856 20 55 821 230 . Tu-Su 08:30-16:00 . 5,000 kip .  
• 17.9623 102.61 6 Presidential Palace . The official residence of the President of Laos, completed in 1986 in a mostly beaux-arts architectural style, but with a traditional Lao roof, on the site of a former royal palace. The president does not live here, however, and it is only used to house government offices and for ceremonial purposes. Not open to the public, but may be viewed from outside the gates.  
• 17.96614 102.60658 7 Lao Cultural Hall , Rue Setthathilath .  
• 18.000791 102.616875 8 Lao Textile Museum , No 151/11 Ban Nongtha-tai, Chanthabouly District ( a bit of a walk from the nearest bus stop; alternatively you can take a taxi/tuk-tuk/Loca - a Loca from downtown should cost about 50,000 kip ), ☏ +85621 213 467 , [email protected] . 09:00-16:00 daily . A beautiful semi-open-air museum of Lao textiles, clothing, weaving, and dyeing. Watch weavers at work, see samples of traditional Lao clothing, view the process of making indigo and samples of dyed thread, and taste color-changing butterfly-pea flower tea and fresh fruit from the courtyard (included in the ticket price). The gift shop has a lovely selection of silk, cotton, and mulberry paper products. 30,000 kip . ( updated Feb 2020 )

Temples and stupas [ edit ]

There are many more temples all over the town, but if you are out to admire temples Luang Prabang is the place to go, not Vientiane.

Some temples (indicated below) charge an entry fee 5,000 kip and are open 08:00-16:00, with a 12:00-13:00 lunch break. The monks at places that don’t charge a fee are grateful for a small donation.

• 17.9628 102.6052 9 Chinese Temple , Quai Fa Ngum ( Two blocks from Wat Xieng Nyeun ).  

• 17.9617 102.6115 11 Hophakaew Museum ( Ho Phra Keo ), Setthathirat Rd ( Opposite Wat Si Saket ). A stunning, elegant, and majestic structure, King Setthathirat's former royal temple, which housed the magical Emerald Buddha ( pha kaew ) after it was taken from Lanna ( Chiang Mai ). The Siamese took it back in 1779, and is now housed in Bangkok 's Wat Phra Kaew . Later the Thais returned in 1828 to raze the temple. The present structure is a 1942 reconstruction of dubious provenance. Today, the temple no longer operates and the interior has been turned into a small jumbled museum housing Buddha images. Look for the beautiful tall, lithe, long-armed Buddha in the hands-down "calling for rain" pose. 10,000 kip .  
• 17.9665 102.6025 12 Inpeng Temple ( Wat Inpeng ).  
• 17.97667 102.63644 13 Pha That Luang ( That Luang Rd (2 km east of Patuxai). ). Daily 08:00-17:00 . The national symbol and most important religious monument of the country, That Luang is a three-layered gilded stupa. The current version dates from 1566, although it has been ransacked and renovated numerous times since then. Accessing the inner courtyard gives you a slightly closer view of the stupa, and lots of Buddha statues. Vientiane's most important festival, Bun That Luang , is held here in Nov on the night of the full moon. There are two temples beside That Luang: Wat That Luang Neua (north) and Wat That Luang Tai (south), which are being renovated. 10,000 kip . ( updated Feb 2020 )
• 17.964 102.603 14 Wat Chan ( Vat Chantha ), Quai Fa Ngum (ຖະໜົນເຈົ້າຟ້າງຸ່ມ) .  
• 17.9663 102.6047 15 Wats Onteu, Inpeng, Mixay & Haisok , Rue Setthathilath ( along Setthatirat Rd in the town centre ). Given their location, the temples most likely to be visited by tourists.  
• 17.9631 102.6064 16 Wat Xieng Ngeun , Xieng Nyeun .  
• 17.9631 102.6114 18 Wat Si Saket ( Sisaket Museum ), Lan Xang Avenue (ຖະໜົນລ້ານຊ້າງ) ( corner of Lane Xang Rd and Setthathirat Rd ). With very contemplative ambience, probably the oldest standing temple in Vientiane and among the most atmospheric. Built in 1818 by Chao Anou in the Bangkok-style and hence left unsacked when much of Vientiane was razed in a Siamese raid in 1828. Within the cloister walls are hundreds of niches housing Buddha images large and small, made of wood, stone, silver and bronze. In the centre of the courtyard is a five-tier-roofed sim (ordination hall) housing yet more Buddha niches and beautiful, but fading murals of the Buddha's past lives. 5,000 kip .  

Nearby [ edit ]

• 17.8823 102.7037 20 National Ethnic Cultural Park , Thanaleng ( on the main road (Thadeua Rd), just before the access road to the Friendship Bridge branches off ). Here, typical houses of various ethnic groups are on display, though only from the outside unless you happen to meet some kind of custodian who will unlock some of them and show the inside. There also are some statues of dinosaurs and a rather dismal looking small "zoo". Most times the only activity seems to be the kiosks where they sell soft drinks and crisps/chips, but there are said to be occasional cultural shows. Tour operators often take their guests here before or after a visit to the Buddha Park. Not worth a trip.  

Do [ edit ]

• 17.964209 102.604259 1 Champakham Massage & Spa , Rue Francois Ngin ( in the center of Vientiane, next to Fuji restaurant ), ☏ +856-20-99-11-11-82 , [email protected] . 09:00-22:00 . Here you can enjoy traditional Lao massage in private cabins. Friendly owner & staff. If you choose full body massage you'll get your feet washed before starting. If you wish to take a shower after your (oil) massage, you're welcome to do so. Spa services include body scrub, bathtub... Good value for money (example: full body massage for 60K Kip [around US$7], full body scrub starting at 80K Kip [around US$10]). Wifi available. ( updated Mar 2018 )
• French Cultural Centre ( Centre Culturel et de Cooperation Linguistique ), Lane Xang Rd . Has a French library and a small theatre that shows plays and films.  
• Kuanjai Sikhot Boxing Gym ( Muay Lao (kickboxing) ) ( on the same road as the airport, going out of town; head towards the Sekhai Market. Turn right before the market, then go straight and make the first left turn, go straight another 700 m ), ☏ +856 20 56632835 . The national sport of Lao PDR. Similar to muay Thai, but is not a tourist trap unlike many gyms in Thailand.  
• Lao Experiences Cooking Course and Food Tours ( bookings at the Full Moon Cafe ), ☏ +856 20 95553097 , +856 20 55699429 . Daily . Learn about Lao cooking and culture. Cook Lao-style in the garden on a quiet stretch of the Mekong River.  
• 17.96851 102.60802 2 Lao National Stadium ( Chao Anouvong National Stadium ), Rue Le Ky Huong .  
• Lao Massage ( next to the Drop Zone on Chao Anou Rd ). This massage shop is particularly delightful. The massage parlor does not really have a name, and the most prominent sign merely says "now open". Your masseur or masseuse will be grateful for a tip. The staff will be happy if you have the decency to take a shower before you go. They won't say anything to your face, but smelly foreigners make their job less than pleasant. US$3-6/hour .  
• Monk Chat ( Sangha College (Wat Onteu) ). Once a month, local monks gather for chats with tourists.  
• Nam Ngum Lake ( 90 km from Vientiane ). A local favourite. There are floating restaurants along the lakeshore; their specialty is fish fresh from the lake. Cruises among the lake's islands can be booked here, which makes for a relaxing couple of hours. Just enquire at your guest house/hotel or at any travel agency (where they will then try to sell their tours).  
• 17.9722 102.6203 3 Patuxay Park , Thannon Lan Xang .  
• Tour via Vientiane ByCycle , Ban Sithan Neua ( Tours start in front of Spirit House Cafe ), ☏ +856 20 55812337 . Vientiane ByCycle offers awesome guided bicycle tours through and around Vientiane. They take you off the beaten track to places where you usually would not go ordinarily. Along villages, temples, school yards, bank of Mekong River, crematoria, markets and local businesses. They have excellent quality mountain bikes.  
• 17.96632 102.60362 4 Hire a bicycle from Lao Bike , Setthathirath Road ( opposite Wat Ong Teu ), ☏ +85620 55090471 , [email protected] . Explore the region with a good quality bicycle. Rent by the day or longer. Bikes are for sale and can be repaired too. US$2-6 per day .  

Buy [ edit ]

Alcohol [ edit ].

• Vientiane State Import/Export Enterprises , Samsenthai Rd ( next to Phongsavanh Bank ). A duty-free, state-owned liquor store. Limited selection but the cheapest prices in town for popular brand name liquor by the bottle. This place is pretty good in terms of product authenticity but nothing is 100% guaranteed.  

Banking [ edit ]

• Banks and money changers are plentiful in the city centre. Money changers give a better rate than the banks. The best rates are at the shops along Rue Lane Xang in the section north of the Talat Sao Morning Market.
• Credit cards are accepted by travel agencies and in better restaurants and shops, but many charge a non-negotiable 3% fee.
• BCEL ( corner of Fa Ngum Rd (the river promenade), Setthathilath Rd (near JoMa), Pang Kham Rd as well as at the Friendship Bridge, just past the visa on arrival pick-up window ). Foreign exchange counters at various locations. This bank charges no commission, gives better conversion rates and has longer opening hours than most local banks.  
• Phongsavanh Bank ( on Samsenthai Rd ). A privately owned bank that operates a currency exchange until about 20:30 on weekdays, and for shorter hours on weekends.  

ATMs [ edit ]

ATMs are plentiful, but often cause problems such as out of cash or "eaten card" and sometimes do not accept the major international credit and debit card networks. In addition, most have withdrawal limits of 700,000-2,000,000 kip and charge additional fees. For preventing such trouble, tourists should withdraw money only at ATMs at bank branches.

• ANZV . Allows withdrawals of up to 2,000,000 kip per transaction with a 40,000-kip transaction fee. Supports both Visa and Maestro. There are 2 branches in Vientiane. The first is at the main ANZV office mid-way down Lane Xang. There are now also various ANZV ATMs, for example on the corner of Fa Ngum Rd and Rue Chao Anou and at various minimarts, like the City minimart and at some M Point marts.  
• BCEL . Withdrawals are limited to 1,000,000 kip per transaction; however, you may make up to ten of these in one day. MasterCard and Maestro are accepted; Visa also. BCEL charges a fee of 20,000 kip per transaction.  
• Joint Development Bank . Possible to withdraw up to 1,000,000 kip per transaction with a 30,000 kip transaction fee. Supports both Visa and Maestro.  
• May Bank . Possible to withdraw at least up to 1,500,000 kip per transaction with no transaction fee.  

Bicycles [ edit ]

• Chinese bicycles and mountain bikes can be found in the Morning Market (Talat Sao) and in a few shops in the surrounding streets. Prices for a single gear bike start at about US$50, Mountain bikes at about US$80. In the tourist areas, bikes are rented out for 10,000 kip per day (Feb 2012).
• Top Cycle Zone , 47 Dong Palan . The place to go if you want to buy a decent Western style bicycle or spare parts for one. Mountain bikes from US$350 .  

Books [ edit ]

• Monument Books , Nokeo Kumman Rd ( Next to the Vayakorn Guesthouse ). Offers a good selection of English and French language books and magazines.  
• 17.96713 102.60491 1 Book Cafe . A small bookstore selling new and used books in English, German, and French, with a selection of nonfiction about Laos and Southeast Asia. Also buys used books if you have some to get rid of. Beware, if you buy a book wrapped in plastic it's likely to be a low-quality pirated version. ( updated Feb 2020 )

DVDs [ edit ]

• 17.9672 102.604 2 Seng Lao DVDs ( about 100 m toward the river down Chao Anou St from the Home Ideal department store, on your left ). Vientiane boasts one of the best DVD shops in Southeast Asia, with 10,000 titles of quality European, Asian and US movies. Seng Lao has dozens of books displaying DVD covers: you browse the books, and list your choices on a piece of paper they provide, at 10,000 kip each. The nearby and better-marked Seng Dao DVD shop has inferior service and choice. Mind the possible consequences of importing large amounts of illegally copied DVDs into your country. 10,000 kip .  

Handicrafts [ edit ]

• Look for the Stay Another Day: Laos booklet for a guide to non-profit handicraft shops, sustainable manufacturing and other NGO stuff in Vientiane and elsewhere in Laos .
• The Art of Silk ( Lao Women's Union ), Manthatourath Rd , ☏ +856 77 19798 , +856 22 02547 . M-F 09:00-16:00 . Silk and cotton weavings in both traditional and modern designs. A local magazine says "phone before visiting, as there is no permanent staff." Free .  
• Kanchana ( The Beauty of Lao Silk ) ( Just off Samsenthai Rd on Chantha Kumman Rd, the road to That Dam ). Traditional Lao silk weavings, hand-woven fabrics, textiles and clothing using natural dyes.  
• Laha Boutique ( Francois Ngin Rd ). Naturally dyed textiles (mainly cotton) from the south (Savannakhet).  
• Lao Textiles ( Nokeo Kumman Rd ). Founded 1990 by an American woman (Carol Cassidy), who now employs some 40 artisans, this firm offers modern cotton weavings using traditional motifs and. Some of their work has been exhibited in international museums, with this reflected in the price. They are not particularly welcoming to visitors, including a locked front door, a bell that needs to be rung to request entry and very prominent "No photography" signs.  
• Mixay Boutic (sic) ( on Nokeo Kumman Rd, with a second shop on Setthathirat Rd ). They weave handmade textiles of the shop's own design on the premises, and you are welcome to watch. Beautiful wall hangings, not the cheapest in town, but well worth the price. Also on sale are shirts and skirts, scarves, cushion covers and anything made of fabric.  
• Mulberries Lao Sericulture Company ( Nokeo Kumman Rd ). The sales outlet of a not-for-profit organisation that operates in about five hundred villages in Northern Laos, seeking to create income-generating opportunities. Naturally-dyed, handmade Lao silk products.  
• TShop Lai , Vat Inpeng St , ☏ +856 21 223178 . Sells oils, shampoos, soaps, etc., made by Les Artisans Lao as well as honey and some nice handicrafts. Les Artisans Lao is a social venture allowing disadvantaged, uneducated and often marginalised people to receive apprenticeships.  

Markets and shops [ edit ]

• 17.9761 102.5974 3 Chinese Market ( Behind Alina Hotel ).  
• 17.97349 102.60022 4 Evening Market , ວຽງຈັນ ( off Asean Rd ).  
• 17.96775 102.60393 5 Home Ideal , Samsenthai Rd ( a 2-minute walk on the next street over from Phongsavanh Bank ). A Chinese-owned shop, offering good foreign exchange rates. Large one-stop shop for assorted products from stationery to housewares, clothing to luggage. Prices are fixed and reasonable.  
• 17.9648 102.6146 6 Morning Market ( Talat Sao ) ( corner of Lane Xang and Khu Vieng Rd ). 09:00-16:00 . A large collection of indoor stalls selling, well, pretty much anything. There are two floors: the first floor sells mostly textiles, electronics (watch out as nearly all of them are counterfeit), and watches. The second floor has clothing, gold and jewellery. Depending on the product, you should negotiate. Discounts can vary from 10% to 33%.  
• 17.9652 102.6144 7 Talat Sao Mall , Lan Xang Avenue (ຖະໜົນລ້ານຊ້າງ) . Has 3 floors and is the first public building in Vientiane with indoor parking. On weekends folks from the countryside come and marvel at the escalators (which, in one local magazine article, were referred to in English as "electricity ladders"), and at the bravery of those who venture onto them. The mall boasts a few cafés and a Thai-style food court. The front side of the market has space for parking. The toilets are not far from the entrance and can be used for a very small fee. Many vendors are Thais so they expect you to pay in baht, despite the signs urging you to pay in kip, and they also expect you to be typical dumb tourists who'll pay any price and still think it's a bargain. Souvenir tee-shirts, three for 200 baht. Brand-name products are often fake. ( updated Oct 2021 )

• 17.964423 102.616134 8 Khua Din Market . Local market. Mostly sells clothes and fabric, especially traditional Lao clothes, but there's an array of food and other products too. The entrances can be hard to spot, but when you go in it's huge. ( updated Feb 2020 )

Supermarkets [ edit ]

Most supermarkets offer groceries from Europe, wines from all over the world (thanks to the low taxation in Laos these are astonishingly low-priced considering the distances involved); dairy products from Laos itself and Thailand (milk, yoghurt), butter and cheese from Europe and New Zealand, and everything else one may need.

• City Minimart ( on Samsenthai Rd opposite Wat Si Muang ). Maybe the shop with the most extensive range of merchandise in the town, and somewhat cheaper than the shops in the centre.  
• M-Point Mart . At least five locations in Vientiane. Much like a 7-Eleven. Stop by around 18:00 and there will be a Thai food cart right in front. Has the best pad Thai in town. You can choose from pad Thai, fried baby mussels, fried rice, and mixed seafood platter. 15,000 kip per plate.  
• Phimphone Minimart ( on Setthathirat Rd next to JoMa ). An almost a full-grown supermarket. This place will surprise you with the amount of Western stock it carries, but it is expensive, and the owners must make a nice profit on the exchange rate that they apply so it' advisable to pay in kip. A second shop with the same name (the owners are related, the shops are not) is on Samsenthai Rd at the corner of Chantha Kumman Rd. Excellent, European-style bread is usually available (on Setthathirat), though the delivery schedule is a bit erratic.  
• V-Shop ( on Khun Bulom Rd netween Setthathirat Rd and Samsenthai Rd ). Outside in front is a small café where they serve some of the best coffee specialties in town ( Lao Mountain Coffee ), shakes, fruit juices, waffles, doughnuts. Good for people watching on the edge of the Chinese quarter.  

Eat [ edit ]

Budget [ edit ].

• Along the river ( from opposite the BCEL Bank along the Mekong for approximately 2 km upriver ). Dozens of unpretentious restaurants and beer gardens (those upstream from the main beach promenade are generally cheaper). All are pleasant places for a beer and a snack or a complete meal while the sun goes down over the river. One of these is one-time famous John's Restaurant, but since the owner married an Australian and left town there is nothing to distinguish it from the other places left and right. All serve inexpensive (but not really cheap for Laos) Lao, Thai, and some Western food. Among the best is the grilled fish, served by many of them. Take care when you're in for boiled eggs: what you get here are incubated duck eggs. When you open them you're in for a surprise (but at least the little bird does not chirp). The Lao love them and they are hugely popular. Some of the restaurants along the river has Lao-style reed mats on the ground with low rattan "tables" ( kantoke ). Diners sit cross-legged on the mat around the table. They are much nicer than the rickety metal tables and plastic chairs that are the standard of all but the better restaurants in Laos. The riverside open-air restaurants have been known to use two menus, a cheaper one for locals and an expensive one for foreigners.  
• Ban Anou Night Market . Has some of the best cheap meals in the city despite being only about 1 block long. Starts setting up at sundown. There's a wide range of street snacks available, including pho made with hand pulled noodles, little lettuce-wrapped snacks with peanut filling (miang), all types of grilled skewered meats, grilled sticky rice, local beverages made from coconut, chai tea, cornm grass jelly and more. Particularly worth trying are the small rice pancakes, two hemispheres of rice-based batter fried in a tin, filled with minced pork and beansprouts and put together. About the size of a flattened tennis ball, absolutely delicious.  
• Delicious Noodle - Quan Banh Canh Ngon ( on Khun Bu Lom Road, across from the southern end of Rue Saylom, on the right side of a big green Fujifilm shop sign ). For an authentic Lao dining experience there is this noodle soup shop. This restaurant offers the best Lao white thick slimy rice noodles with some pieces of chicken, fried pork, quail's eggs, etc., and the usual vegetable servings: spring onions, cilantro, mung bean sprouts (unlimited serve-yourself quantities). There is also "kanom ku" (Chinese doughnuts) on the side, served ready for pick on every table. Excellent value as it's all for 10,000 kip plus 1,000 kip per kanom ku consumed, on the honour system. Most importantly, the noodle soup tastes great, the broth is delicious.  
• Name Unknown ( on Lane Xiang, a dirt alley north of Hatsady Rd and the Morning Market, across from the Bank of Ayudhya ). A small group of stalls offering local food patronized by office workers. The ambiance is similar to the morning and night street food markets in Luang Prabang and the vendors seemingly have not been adulterated by touristy mindset. At 09:30, flies hover rarely and the food is steaming hot, having just been lifted out of the cooking fire.  
• Nazim Indian Restaurant ( on François Ngin Road ). Decent Indian food. Their toilet is not the cleanest in the country, perhaps because the patrons of some of the restaurants on the river bank are directed here for certain needs when they are not sent down to the reeds at the water's edge. Nazim has opened another branch in Pang Kham Rd, opposite the offices of Lao Airlines. There are at least 4 other Indian restaurants in the city centre, and all quite similar.  
• Noodle Shops ( All over town ). They typically serve rice noodle soups ("feu", a close cousin to Vietnamese phở and Chinese 粉 fan2), often also fried rice and other rice or noodle-based dishes. Around US$1 for a large bowl or plate. .  
• Ray's Grille Burgers & Mexican (Formerly Ray's Grille) , 17/1 Sihom , ☏ +856 20 58 966 866 . Serves delicious Philly cheesesteaks, kebabs and quesadillas. Baguettes are freshly baked each day, and sandwiches are given generous amounts of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Middle Eastern options are accompanied by homemade tahini or tzatziki sauce. Also possible is a traditional family-style Thai feast. The quality of the food is rivalled only by the friendliness of the chef. 17,000-30,000 kip .  
• Stay Hungry Burger ( Setthathirat Rd near Nam Phu, in front of State Bookstore ), ☏ +856 20 77516084 . Stay Hungry Burger's claim is true as you really do stay hungry after eating there: their burgers are the smallest in the city.  
• 17.96567 102.60637 1 Taj Mahal Restaurant ( just south of the National Culture Hall ). Good Indian food at good prices if you don't mind listening to American pop music.  
• 17.964559 102.604198 2 Ban Lao Beer Garden , 172 François Nginn rd. Ban Mixay . Cheap Thai food (14,000 kip) and cheap beer (9,000 kip, for the cheap one, 10,000 kip for Lao beer) Nice quiet garden, nice people. (Thai Spoken). ( updated Nov 2016 )

Mid-range [ edit ]

• Banneton Café ( Nokeo Kumman Rd (running from the river to Setthathirat Rd) ). Croissants and pastries, simple lunches and excellent baguettes. Tasty, not just something to chew. Their coffee is among the best in Vientiane, on a par with that at JoMa.  
• Benoni Cafe ( on the first floor of Phimphone Market ). 10:00-17:00 . Offers a wide range of reasonably priced Asian and European dishes. The owners are Lao, but speak fluent English, French and German. Daily specials and home roasted coffee beans, the basis for one of the best coffees in town. Busy at lunchtime, discounts after 14:00.  
• 17.963069 102.605833 3 Chokdee Café Restaurant & Belgian Beer Bar ( Tintin Bar ), Quai Fa Gnum ( Right by "Chinese Temple" ), ☏ +856-21-26-38-47 . 10:00-23:30 . Restaurant & beer bar, owned by a friendly Belgian citizen who speaks a good English and so does the staff. Their signature meal, which is the Belgium national one, is mussels & fries, with different flavors to choose from, starting at 95,000 kip (US$11). Some finger food such as mini cheese burgers (35,000 kip). Famous for its beers too, including trappist ones, with around 100 different crafted bottled beers to choose from, plus a dozen on tap. As Belgium is also famous for its comic books, the place is decorated accordingly, with statues & paintings of Tintin and alikes... cosy atmosphere. ( updated Mar 2018 )
• 17.965794 102.60481 4 Dai Japanese restaurant , Setthatirath road , ☏ +856-21-255-266 , [email protected] . M-Sa 11:00-14:00 & 17:00-22:30; Su 17:00-22:30 . Japanese restaurant with a Japanese owner and chef, Takashi, who is friendly and speaks an excellent English. Very large selection (sushi, sashimi, miso soup, gyoza, tempura, teriyaki, soba, udon, ramen, curry, taiyaki) and drinks (Asashi beers, sake, potato schochu, rice shochu, shochu sour [which can be confused with fruit juice — watch out if you don't drink alcohol]). Japanese TV on to feel even more like home for Japanese people. ( updated Mar 2018 )
• Dinner Cruises . Two different companies, on boats moored opposite Wat Chan and one 300 m upriver. Not very impressive, neither the boat trip (1 hour, departure around 19:00, 1 km upstream then 2 downstream and back, only when the water level is high enough) nor the food. Very relaxing. This Lao maritime experience will cost you only slightly more than the same meal in one of the beer gardens on the riverbank.  
• Full Moon Café ( almost next to Sticky Fingers ). Nice interior with comfortable seating arrangements and relaxed atmosphere. Asian/European fusion cuisine. Friendly but unfocused staff and reasonable prices. Manager named Khamfanh speaks good English and can help with orders or information about Laos. Free book exchange. Free Wi-Fi.  
• Khao Nieow ( Nokeo Kumman Rd close to La Terrasse ). Meat offered at two levels of quality: Lao beef at around US$4-5; New Zealand lamb and beef at about US$8 and above. To be tried on a cool evening, the fondue bourguignon at US$26 for two, a surprise in a place whose name means "sticky rice". Excellent cheese fondue at US$28 for two. Not something for the hottest months of the year, but nice around year's end when temperatures drop. Set three-course meals at US$4.50 .  
• 17.96769 102.58048 5 Kong View Bar and Restaurant , 183 Luang Prabang Rd ( Riverside ). With the ongoing construction of the flood management levee and river park in Vientiane, this restaurant offers the most optimal dining views of the Mekong. Thai-owned, it features an extensive menu of what is best termed Thai-Lao fusion. Not incredibly exciting food, but good, although portions are on the small side. Also, the staff will invariably mess up your order. Keep a close eye on the bill, as well, as items tend to make it on there that you didn't order.  
• Kop Kap ( across from Tat Luang Temple ). Closed Sunday . Thai food. A favourite among expats living nearby. Packed at lunch, the restaurant is known for its excellent Penang curry.  
• 17.964784 102.610572 6 Kualao ( Samsenthai Rd ), ☏ +856 21 214813 , [email protected] . 11:00-14:00 and 18:00-22:00 daily . Upscale restaurant in a historic colonial building serving authentic Lao food with a good selection of vegetarian dishes. Traditional Lao music and dance performances in the evening. Expensive by Lao standards with main dishes from US$6-12 and set meals at US$15 . ( updated Feb 2020 )
• 17.96709 102.58903 7 Moon the Night Restaurant , QQuai Fa Ngum . A very pleasant spot to eat excellent Lao food. A large place, an extensive menu, competent and friendly service. Background music not too loud. A meal of 6 to 8 dishes for 4 people costs US$15-20 including drinks .  
• Phonethip Coca Suki Restaurant ( Sailom Rd opposite the Lao Telecom Service Centre ). Part of a chain that also has restaurants in Thailand and Indonesia. Good Lao, Thai, Chinese, and Western food. Reasonable prices and good, attentive service. Very popular at lunchtime with office workers and students.  
• Sticky Fingers ( François Ngin Rd opposite the Tai Pan Hotel ). High quality Western-style food at reasonable prices. They have won a national award for their grasshopper/cricket tacos. Also offer a wide selection of vegetarian options. There's happy hour on Wednesday and Friday nights, with half price cocktails. Open for breakfast and lunch on weekends only. Free Wi-Fi. Hangout for expats and NGO volunteers.  
• Swedish Pizza & Baking House ( Ban Anou Rd close to the night markets; the sign is hidden from view until you are well past Win Hotel ), ☏ +856 21 5705 . 07:00-21:00 . Huge selection of excellent pizzas for around 45,000 kip. The mocha shakes are particularly tasty. Also has a wide variety of fresh baked breads, pastries and cakes.  
• La Terrasse ( Nokeo Kumman Rd ). Closed Sundays . Popular with expats and tourists. It is one of the best French restaurants in Vientiane. Very good pizzas and excellent tender steaks for around US$5). Set three-course lunch is US$5.50, main dishes up to US$10. .  
• Via Via ( opposite Riverside Hotel on Nokeo Kumman Rd ). Excellent wood-fired Italian style pizza and homemade pastas priced from US$4. Good selection of Belgian beers.  
• 17.964507 102.605493 8 Osaka , Nokeokoummane street , ☏ +856-21-213-352 . 08:00-20:00 . Japanese restaurant. Well located. Incredibility large offer of Japanese food (sushi, sashimi, miso soup, gyoza, tempura, teriyaki, soba, udon, ramen, oden, curry, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, tempura ice-cream) and drinks (green tea, cream soda, sake, Asashi beers, plum wine, shōchū ...) Every item on the menu comes written in English, along with its picture (& price). Many item pictures can as well be seen, with a colored A4 page for each, on the walls. All of this making it so easy to know what's on offer, and order with confidence. Owned & managed by a friendly Japanese citizen and his Lao wife, who live in the premises with their teenage kids. Quiet, clean, air conditioned. ( updated Mar 2018 )
• 17.965061 102.60827 9 Xang Khoo , Pangkham road ( Right between Namphoo fountain & Lao Plaza Hotel ), ☏ +856-20-59-59-82-90 , [email protected] . 08:00-23:00 (kitchen closes at 22:00) . Crêperie - Lao French Bistrot. Owned by a friendly French citizen who speaks great English. Staff can as well communicate in English. Mix of Western (mainly French) food with Asian (mainly Lao). Galettes (French buckwheat pancakes) are their signature food and are gluten free (starting at 45,000 kip; they also have pizza, salads, soups. Different deserts such as crepes indeed. Drinks: French wine (for 30,000 kip), beer, tea, coffee. In addition, "Menu of the day" offers everyday a different meal that's not on the main menu, coming along a salad and as well a desert or coffee; 45,000 kip. Every item on the menu can be ordered any time during the opening hours. 2 rooms including one with terrace. Relax atmosphere with jazz music in the background. ( updated Mar 2018 )
• 17.964187 102.604157 10 Papillon , François N'gin ( Right by Mixay Temple ), ☏ +856-21-55415921 , [email protected] . 11:30-14:00, 18:00-22:00 . French restaurant owned and managed by an experienced French cook, who used to be the Western French cook at Novotel. Speaks English, and so does his staff. Features traditional food and chef specials, such as andouillettes , rognons blancs (mutton testicles) and tripes à la mode de Caen . There's a 3-course "Menu of the day" in addition to the main menu, for 45,000-65,000 kip. Drinks include French wine. This is a good value. ( updated Mar 2018 )
• 17.93275 102.62453 11 Privet , Donpamai Village, Sisattanart Distric, Vientiane , ☏ +856-20-78-097-784 . 11:00-21:00, closed on Mondays . Classical range of Russian/ex-Soviet dishes, staples and specialties alike, served amid amusingly mixed ambience with various Soviet paraphernalia lining the walls. A rare chance to taste authentic Russian soft drinks like kvass , kefir and mors , or Russian alcohol. Run and staffed by Russian expats. ( updated Jan 2024 )

Splurge [ edit ]

• L'Adresse de Tinay ( on a little street behind Wat Ongteu, parallel to Setthathirath Rd ), ☏ +856 20 56913434 , [email protected] . One of the best French restaurants in town. Very inventive and especially tasty cuisine cooked up by Tinay, a French chef trained in Michelin starred restaurants in France. Delphine, Tinay's wife, will make you feel at home from the moment you step in. Mains start at US$10 with set menus for less than US$20. Highly recommended.  
• Balkan House , Thongsangnang Village ( from Thongkhankham Market second traffic light left, than first street right opposite Nakhomesack Hotel, down the street 300 m on the left ), ☏ +856 20 7709729 . Tu-Su 08:00-15:00 & 18:00-23:00 . Traditional Yugoslav and Mediterranean homemade dishes, prepared by Montenegrin chef. From US$5-15 .  
• La Scala Italian Restaurant , Lak 3, Thadeua Rd . Excellent Italian food. Romantic setting in a beautifully maintained colonial home. Offers a lunchtime buffet Monday-Friday. Tasty Neapolitan-style pizzas. Has an extensive wine list, and pasta mains are priced from US$8.  

Chinese [ edit ]

The massive influx of Chinese investment into Laos may be controversial, but one area in which it has had an undeniably positive impact is the vastly increased quality of Chinese restaurants in Vientiane. No reason anymore to settle for the ghastly Hong Kong Restaurant or uninspired banquet fare in the big hotels. Vientiane has a growing selection of authentic regional Chinese cuisine, particularly from the southwest.

• Classic Lao Di Fang ( 經典老地方 ) ( ASEAN Rd (T2), near the Dihao Hunan Restaurant ), ☏ +856 20 54011387 , +856 20 56199938 . Chinese vegetarian. The owner is Taiwanese, so this place seemed promising, as vegetarian cuisine is very popular in Taiwan, and done to an extraordinary standard. Unfortunately, that level of quality did not follow this owner into Laos. The food is lacklustre, and the management of the restaurant appears to suffer from neglect, possibly because the owner is rarely in Laos.  
• Dihao Hunan Restaurant ( 帝豪酒店 ) ( on T2 Rd not far from Patuxai ), ☏ +856 21 262799 . Spicy Hunan food from China. Hunanese-owned and operated (the Hunan Chamber of Commerce is on the 4th floor). Staff speak Chinese and Lao, and the menu is same, but every dish has its own photo. Order anything containing chilies, and you can't go wrong.  
• Fu Man Lou ( 福滿樓 ) ( Luang Prabang Rd ), ☏ +856 21 262249 . This has two locations. The one on the road to the airport is the best by far. It is the most established of the better Chinese restaurants in the city, and the Chinese diplomats posted to Laos often dine here. Food selection is multi-regional, but the Sichuan dishes are well done.  
• Hong Kong Restaurant ( opposite Lao Plaza Hotel ). Lackadaisical Cantonese dishes (US$2-9) and a small selection of dim sum (US$1 per plate). There have been reports of them padding the bill. Check the bill carefully before paying, which is something you should do everywhere: in a country where they use a calculator to subtract 7 from 10 it comes as no surprise that their counting of beers consumed is not always accurate, although to be fair the mistakes are not always to the disadvantage of the customer.  
• Jiu-Jiu Restaurant ( 久玖酒家 ) ( Luang Prabang Rd (almost directly opposite the Marina Nightclub ), ☏ +856 21 213059 , +856 20 55333419 (mobile) . An unheralded gem, this restaurant offers fantastic southwestern Chinese cuisine. The chef hails from Qujing 曲靖 in Yunnan Province. The food is best described as Yunnan-Sichuan fusion. Helps if you know Chinese, but the staff can speak Lao as well. Menu contains plenty of photographs, so if all else fails, just point.  
• Restaurant Chengdu ( 成都食府 ) ( Luang Prabang Rd ). The owner/manager claims the chef is from Chengdu, but the heavily Manchurian-influenced food from the kitchen clearly puts the lie to that claim.  

Vegetarian/vegan [ edit ]

• Fathima ( on the Mekong on Fa Ngum Rd, just around the corner from Mixay Guesthouse ). A Malaysian-Indian restaurant. Numerous vegetarian options for 6,000-50,000 kip. Friendly staff and excellent service. Dish quality is extremely variable even for several exact-same dishes ordered on the same day. A bit of a pot-luck option.  
• 17.968687 102.612718 12 Vegetarian in the Golden Age , 0155 Hatxadi Saylom Road ( where Rue Saylom curves behind the Vientiane Plaza ). 07:00-22:00; lunch buffet weekdays 10:30-14:00 . A reasonably-priced vegan Vietnamese restaurant with an assortment of delicious vegetable, noodle, and mock meat dishes. Staff nice, place clean, they speak some English. 20-40,000 kip; 32,000 for the lunch buffet . ( updated Feb 2020 )
• Vegan Food Stall at Sao Market Food Court ( at the top level of Sao Market shopping mall ). Buffet plates, excellent spring rolls and noodle soups available. All plates at 10,000 kip each .  
• 17.96449 102.616813 13 Vegan Restaurant at Khuadin Market ( Khua Din Restaurant ) ( inside the market opposite Sao Market; pass the big basket shop and you will see a wooden sign pointing you down an alley; you can also get there from Mahosot Rd: go north past the bus station and watch for the alley on the right. Down the alley you'll see a "vegetarian" sign on the left. ). 10:00-14:30 . Offers a lunch buffet serving Laotian vegan food. 30,000 kip .  

Drink [ edit ]

Vientiane has a few bars and clubs, but there's no shortage of places for a quiet Beerlao. In particular, the Mekong shoreline has long been the epicentre of low-key nightlife, although a massive construction project to build a flood management levee system and a riverside park has seen most of the bamboo-and-thatch beer gardens here disappear.

• CCC Bar ( Supanvong Rd, Ban Haai Sok ). The second of two gay bars in downtown Vientiane, next to Silapa Restaurant and diagonally across from Vat Inpeng. Friendly atmosphere and staff with good dance beats. Mixed drinks average around 30,000 kip, with happy hour from 19:00-21:00. Second floor has a pool table.  
• Champa . Vietnamese-owned "super" club. Place to go for loud techno music.  
• Deja Vu ( next to L'Opera Restaurant on Nam Phu Square ). M-Sa . A very classy and cosy bar, owned and run by Japanese-speaking Lao owner. Great drinks. Approximately 50,000 kip per cocktail.  
• Don Chan Palace Hotel Nightclub . Till 04:00 weekends . Everything is supposed to close down before midnight, before the start of the unofficial curfew, although clubs generally stay open until 01:00-01:30. The most notable exception is this extremely popular spot which is open until 04:00 weekends. It's an after-hours club popular with working girls among others.  
• GQ Bar and Massage ( off Rue Chao Anou (the same street as the Inter City and Orchid Hotels, off Fa Ngum Rd, along the river) ). Till ~01:00 . One of two gay bars in central Vientiane. Friendly staff, cheap drinks and occasional cabaret shows around 23:00.  
• Jazzy-Brick ( Setthathirat Rd nearly opposite Kop Chai Deu ). A classy and expensive bar. The sign out front states "no shorts, no flip-flops allowed".  
• 17.96451 102.6075 1 Khop Chai Deu ( Setthathirat Rd next to the fountain square ). The name means "thank you very much". Popular with tourists, expats and Lao hi-so types. OK food, mid-range prices, large selection of Western, Thai and classic Lao dishes. Great place to drink beer in the centre of town.  
• 17.97018 102.58245 2 Marina ( toward the airport ). Happening all nights of the week. Crowd changes from beginning, midweek, to weekend. Bowling alley and karaoke next door, same owner. Diverse crowd and music.  
• Martini Lounge ( Nokeo Kummane Rd, just a block from the Mekong and next door to Croissant d'Or Bakery ). 18:00-past 23:30 curfew . Movies shown M-W at 20:00. Thursdays are Salsa nights and most Fridays a DJ is spinning. Possibly plays the most eclectic music in Vientiane.  
• 17.96596 102.60447 3 Samlo Pub ( Setthathirat Rd opposite Wat Onteu ). Once this was one of only a few bars in town, and was packed every evening, especially between 23:00-02:00 after other bars around town are closed. Perhaps quieter now that there is more competition. Has a pool table and shows sports, but the background music often drowns the TV commentary. Drinkers from Bor Pen Nyang often come here when it closes, then move on again to the Don Chan Palace nightclub once Samlo closes.  
• Wind West . Different cover bands play throughout the night. Maybe the only country-western bar in Laos. A sit and listen to live band place, not a dance club.  
• 17.96675 102.5909 4 Highland Bar . Nice drinking hole and sports bar by the river, good spot for viewing sunsets.  

Sleep [ edit ]

There are many places to stay in Vientiane, but there are few budget accommodations. Most options are mid- to high-range and can go up to astronomic prices, which are impossible to pay in local currency, and exceed the yearly salaries of most Laotians.

Normally, just get into the town centre (for instance, Nam Phu Square) and start looking around along Setthathirat Rd and its side streets. You’ll find something within minutes except in "peak season" (Jan), when it will be really difficult to find a room. Book in advance.

High season is roughly Oct-Apr or May; low season, Jun-Sep.

Some places insist on an early nightly curfew and lock the front door without giving you a key. If you wish to enjoy the nightlife (what there is of it), make sure that you will be able to stay out and, more importantly, get in again. Often there will be a doorman who sleeps near the main entrance doors and can be woken up to get in, but it's wise to check the system they have in place for getting back in during the wee hours.

• Benacam Guest House ( Ban Watchan ). Check-out: 11:00 . Clean, nice rooms, great value. Nice baths with great water pressure, a real shower, clean linens. Rooms can be small, but have a fridge and cable TV. There is Wi-Fi, but the signal can be weak in areas. 100,000 kip, double room with fan, low season (Jun 2012) .  
• Dhaka Hostel , Nokeo Koummane Rd ( next door to Mixay Guesthouse ). Check-out: 12:00 . Basic and uninspiring but cheap hostel above an Indian restaurant. A little rundown but cleanish and comfortable beds. No air-con, just fan rooms. Dorms 30,000 kip, Singles 40,000 kip, Doubles 70,000 kip .  
• 17.963821 102.605719 1 Lucky Backpackers Hostel , Manthaturath road ( right in front of Lao Airlines headquarters ), ☏ +856-20-99-11-11-82 , [email protected] . Check-in: From 11:00 , check-out: By 11:00 . Hostel offering dorms and private rooms. Free western breakfast included (07:00-10:00). Clean. No bed bugs (something important to check when booking a room in Vientiane). Very efficiently air conditioned rooms. Dorm beds come with big lockers. Free Wifi & even computer to use in the lobby. Extra services available such as motorbikes rental, transportation tickets. Very good location right by night market, the river front & most restaurants... and yet quiet. 40,000 kip . ( updated Mar 2018 )
• Mimi Guest House , Francois Ngin Rd , ☏ +856 20 55666736 . 50,000 kip .  
• Mixay Guesthouse , 54 Nokeo Koummane Rd . A simple room with fan and shared bath. Friendly staff. Clean, but has ventilation issues in some rooms (especially on the top floor where there is a smoking section). Watch your head on the stairs, watch your step, and sometimes you have to be patient with the staff. Free Wi-Fi, but only between 09:00-23:00. 50,000-100,000 kip. Add 5,000 kip for a breakfast (Oct 2011) .  
• Mixay Paradise , Francois Ngin Rd ( next door to Youth Inn 2 ). Partner to Mixay Guesthouse and just one block away. Nice guesthouse with many generally small rooms, all with a padlockable draw and good Wi-Fi with either fan or air-con. Friendly and helpful staff, you can add breakfast for USD$2. Cheap food menu, many items for 15,000 kip plus 5,000 kip for rice. 2 rooms on each floor are without windows to the outside. Rooms US$12 to $19, cheaper if you pay in kip .  
• RD Guesthouse , Norkeokoummane Rd . The "Relax and Dream away" Guesthouse isn't very dreamy, but does have padded ceiling on the stairs (good for tall people) (but be careful going through doorways), and the library has a huge Korean selection, a modest English selection, and some other languages. 50,000 kip for a dorm bed .  
• Sabaidy Guest House , 203 Settathirat Rd . Check-out: 11:00 . Has lockers to keep your belongings. Close to the centre. Good Internet, but no Wi-Fi throughout. Mainly in the restaurant downstairs. Friendly stuff, shared toilets. Laundry for 9,000 kip/kg. Warning: bedbugs (May 2013). Dormitories with no doors or sheets on a bed for 25,000 kip, doubles for 60,000 kip .  
• 17.96418 102.606164 2 Saysouly Guesthouse , 23 Manthatulath Road, Ban Xieng Yeun, Vientiane , ☏ +856 21 218383 , [email protected] . Nice, atmospheric. Family suite upstairs is huge, clean, very comfortable, and an excellent value. 90,000 kip .  
• Seng Lao Hotel ( on Chao Anou Rd around 3 blocks up from Fa Ngum Rd ), [email protected] . Clean rooms with air-con and TV. Very helpful staff can let you know where to find more local stuff in addition to normal tourist things. 115,000-260,000 kip .  
• Soutchai Travel ( Formerly aYa Guest House ), Nokeo Koummane Rd ( across from Mixay Guesthouse ), ☏ +856 21 254512-5 . Clean dorm rooms, moderately fast 24-hour Wi-Fi, small balcony, fan and air-con, lamp, locker/cabinet, towel, and water refill for 40,000 kip. Two common rooms, one with TV. Discounted travel fares for guests. Friendly staff. 110,000 kip .  
• 17.96533 102.60468 3 Youth Inn 2 , Francois Ngin Rd , [email protected] . Very clean, rooms with air-con, fan, en suite bath. Helpful and friendly staff. Free drinking water in room, bicycle hires 10,000 kip. 12 hr free Wi-Fi with captive portal. The original, older Youth Inn is closed. Avoid the 4th floor in cool season. 80,000 kip or 300 baht .  
• 17.9746 102.5965 4 Alina Hotel ( off from Sithong Road ).  
• Asian Pavilion Hotel ( formerly the Hotel Constellation, as recorded in John le Carre's The Honourable Schoolboy , and Hotel Vieng Vilay ), 379 Samsenthai Rd . A good if not quite their self-proclaimed "fascinating" mid-range choice. From US$26 with air-con, hot water, cable TV, breakfast and airport transfer .  
• Baan Champa Lao Heritage Hotel , 125 Phnompehn Rd ( Anou Village, 2 blocks from the National Museum and Cultural Centre ), ☏ +856 20 5023782 , +856 20 5505840 , [email protected] . Check-out: 12:00 . Clean, modest and relatively new hotel in a quiet area. It's family-run. Can book bus to Luang Prabang, and train tickets to Bangkok. They are extremely kind and helpful. US$15-25, including breakfast (toast, fruit, tea, coffee) .  
• Beau Rivage Mekong Hotel , Fa Ngum Rd ( on the river road but at the shady tree-lined stretch that has not yet been "developed", a few hundred metres upriver from where the road has been asphalted ). Very nice. All rooms have Wi-Fi, courtesy of the HBRM Spirit House next door. US$40-70 .  
• D'Rose Hotel , No. 339 Pangkham Rd, Sisakhet Village ( next to the Lao Plaza Hotel and walking distance to Nam Phou Fountain ), ☏ +856 21 215038 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00 . Mid-size boutique hotel with the warmth of Laotian hospitality. Laundry service, free Wi-Fi, airport transfer and it also accepts credit card with secure facilities.  
• 17.97353 102.58885 5 Daokham Hotel .  
• Douang Deuane Hotel , Norkeokoummane Rd . Has rooms with air-con, TV, and minibar. There have been reports of guests being presented with larger than agreed bills at check-out. From US$15 .  
• 17.964906 102.60855 6 New iHouse Hotel , 72/6 Pangkham Rd ( Just N of Namphu Fountain ), ☏ +856 21 217053 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00 . A modern, comfortable hotel in the city centre. There are specials and promotions when reserving a room through their website. From US$25 .  
• Inter City Hotel , 24-25 Fa Ngum Rd ( Quai Fa Ngum, riverside ), ☏ +85621242842 . Check-in: 14:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Ask for a room with a view of the river. Has rooms and corridors filled with countless statues with fierce faces, which generates a spooky feeling for some. Rooms are equally spooky with creaking floorboards, so check out the room before you check-in. Wi-Fi is free and there are also two free computers in the lobby. Restaurant has well-prepared Szechuan food, about US$3 per dish. The hotel also runs the Inter Stone House in the same building round the corner. About the same or a slightly higher price range. Western and Thai/Lao food. Their specialty is the sizzling steak on a stone platter. Offers little for vegetarians. Note: the hotel location is not marked on the map, though it is given in the map legend (H6) - it is where the Inter Restaurant is marked (Restaurant 8). US$35-61 .  
• 17.97226 102.59955 7 Keomixay Hotel , Asian Road, Nong Duang Village , ☏ +856 21 265155 .  
• Lani Guest House , Setthathirat Rd ( next to Wat Haisok ). An old, French colonial-style house in a small garden set back from the main road next to a temple. A quiet place to relax, yet right in the centre. Breakfast, wi-fi, garden. Prices US$35-45 for double, incl. breakfast (prices shown on website are considerably cheaper than what they actually charge). US$35-45/double .  
• 17.9628 102.6077 8 Lane Xang Hotel ( Fa Ngum Rd ). A majestic old hotel from decades ago, built 1960. It is one of the oldest hotels in Vientiane. Boasted the first elevator in the country. The charm of past glory, see the bathroom fittings. Hunter S. Thompson wrote dispatches from here after scrambling out of Saigon as it fell. They claim that English, French, Japanese, Thai, Russian, Vietnamese and Lao are spoken. The restaurant has traditional Lao music and dance performances every evening from about 19:00, which you watch while eating your dinner of (recommended) Lao food. Get there early to secure a table with a good view of the stage US$30-50, including breakfast .  
• 17.97456 102.59051 9 Khounxay Hotel , Asiana Road .  
• Leuxay Hotel , 189/19 Ban Hongkhatay, Chanthabouly District , ☏ +856 20 265111 . Decent hotel in a slightly out of the way location. Free Wi-Fi in rooms plus computers for guest use in lobby. Small but pleasant garden that is mostly occupied by a clean swimming pool. Quiet environment, also not much noise between rooms. On-site restaurant is reasonable but by no means the best. Breakfast options are limited but make reasonable start to the day. Friendly staff. Air-ticket and tour booking service. Most expensive rooms have large balconies overlooking swimming pool. Good business hotel or for tourists who don't mind being a little out of the way.  
• Mali Namphu Guest House ( 60 m from Nam Phu (the fountain) ). Great central location near the fountain. Clean rooms with air-con and private bath. A simple breakfast is included and is different every day, served in a nice garden setting. Wi-Fi. Their laundry service is good for neither your clothes nor your budget. US$29-35 .  
• 17.96534 102.60574 10 Mixok Guest House and Mixok Inn , 188 Setthathirate Rd , ☏ +856 21 251606 . Check-out: 11:00 . Mixok Guest House and Mixok Inn are next to each other in city centre. All rooms are equipped with cable TV, private bath with hot shower, free Wi-Fi in the room and free breakfast. Can also help you to book transfer to airport or bus station, as well as bus and train tickets. 110,000-200,000 kip .  
• New Lao Paris Hotel , 118 Samsenthai Rd ( Sieng Ngeun Village, close to the National Museum, Cultural Centre and the American Embassy ), ☏ +856 21 222229 , fax : +856 21 216382 , [email protected] . Check-out: 12:00 . Renovated, very clean hotel with quiet spacious rooms. Rate includes cable TV, free bottled water, free Internet cafe, and Wi-Fi, breakfast (eggs, toast and coffee). French-run French restaurant on the premises. You can book a bus to Nong Kai, Udon Thani, Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang at the desk. Airport pick up available upon request. Receptionists speak English, and all staff are kind and helpful. From 1,000 baht .  
• Orchid Guest House , Fa Ngum Rd . Large rooms that face the river, with en suite baths and air-con are US$20. Friendly staff and nice location on the river. US$12 (single)-US$15 (double) .  
• Sinnakhone Hotel ( near Thai-Pan Hotel ). Clean with air-con, private bath, free Wi-Fi. 150,000-170,000 kip .  
• Soupanphone Guesthouse ( Soupanphone Guesthouse ), 145, Ban Wat Chan ( ~300 m from the Mekong promenade on the river ), ☏ +856 21 261468 , fax : +856 21 262094 , [email protected] . Check-out: 12:00 . Clean guesthouse. Free Wi-Fi, TV, air-con, warm water. Possibility of breakfast, but not included as standard. Nice large rooms with en-suite bath. Doubles 170,000 kip .  
• Vayakorn Guest House , 91 Nokeo Kumman Rd ( just off Setthathirat Rd ). Check-out: 12:00 . Very clean, rooms with wooden floors, air-con, hot water. Helpful and friendly staff. Free Wi-Fi, but only reaches first floor rooms and lobby. Singles, US$22; doubles, US$32 (Dec 2011) .  
• Villa Lao ( Villa Nongduang or Thong Bay Guesthouse ) ( Ban Nong Nuang ), ☏ +856 21 242292 . Check-in: 14:00 . Comfortable two-building hotel in a quiet area. Has garden with seating area and hammocks. Rooms are traditional Lao-style and unique, although a bit dark. Rooms have fan and air-con. Breakfast not included. Wi-Fi costs US$1.50 a day. Good value. 170,000 kip .  
• Somerset Vientiane , Souphanouvong Av, Sikhotabong District , ☏ +856 21 250 888 , [email protected] . The property offers 116 units of studio, one and two bedroom apartments. Facilities include business centre, tennis court, lap pool and a gymnasium. ( updated Nov 2017 )
• Chanthapanya Hotel , Nokeo Kummane Rd ( opposite Culture Hall ), ☏ +856 21 244284 , +856 21 241451 , [email protected] . Owned and operated by the Chanthapanya family, the hotel offers the charm of a family guest house while providing the comfort of a hotel. All rooms have air-con, Wi-Fi, personal safe, cable TV, 24-hr hot water. Wi-Fi access points are on floors 2 and 4, and reception is best there. Has swimming pool and small gym. Beware unpleasant smells from air-con in some top floor rooms, and ask for a room with a view rather than a view of the neighbour's wall. They lock up early, check with reception. From US$65 .  
• 17.9553 102.6146 11 Don Chan Palace ( far out at the eastern end of the river promenade ). This hotel was completed in 2004, almost complying with the municipality's by-laws which at the time limited buildings in Vientiane to 7 storeys (Don Chan has 14). The place to be if you are looking for panoramic views, although this comes at a cost--this monstrosity has singlehandedly ruined the Vientiane skyline. It has a swimming pool overlooking the Mekong and a popular open-air beer garden overlooking the Mekong which gets crowded late in the evening. Rooms are showing their age, and often smell of stale cigarettes. Slightly far from the centre, but hotel provides shuttle service to city centre. Careful when shopping for jewellery in the shops in the lobby. From US$68 .  
• Green Park Boutique Hotel and Resort , 248 Khouvieng Road ( about 1 km east of the Morning Market ), ☏ +85621264097 . Check-in: 13:00 , check-out: 12:00 . A hotel built in Lao style, several buildings in a garden setting. Nice pool. It is somewhat away from the centre, but ideal to get away from the bustle. Guest complaints about lost or stolen items have been verified by local authorities. Be careful with your belongings at this hotel. Shuttle bus to the city centre every hour until 22:00. US$100-130 .  
• 17.969212 102.594098 12 Mercure Vientiane , Unit 10 Samsenthai Rd ( 150 m west of the Fa Ngum Park ), ☏ +856 21 213570-1 , fax : +856 21 213572-3 , [email protected] . The former Novotel in new premises. Friendly staff with surprisingly good English, a peaceful courtyard with spotless pool, fitness centre, and steam bath. Family friendly. Sunday brunch (11:00-15:00) at 130,000 kip including use of pool and fitness centre. Saturday and Sunday poolside BBQ (15:00-18:00). Despite the prices, Wi-Fi costs extra (starting from 20,000 kip per hour). Former US$49 .  
• Salana Boutique Hotel , Chao Anou Rd, 112 Ban Wat Chan, Chanthabouly District ( 2 min walk from the Mekong River and Chao Anou Park ), ☏ +856 21 254254 . Check-in: 14:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Named by Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine as one of the best boutique hotels in the world. Salana is the old Xaysana Hotel revamped. With 41 rooms, Salana has an excellent location in the centre of the city near the river and Chao Anou Park. The hotel is well-known to business travellers and tourists, and has received many positive reviews. Has a restaurant/cafe offering a good selection of Western dishes. Known for employing Lao chefs from famous hotels in Laos, is in a very good location. Good selection of beers & beverages available. From US$76 .  

Connect [ edit ]

Internet [ edit ].

Internet cafes are ubiquitous in Vientiane, particularly along Samsenthai Rd and the east end of Setthathirat Rd. The going rate is 100 kip per minute, usually charged in 10-minute increments. Charged by the hour from 5,000-6,000 kip. Many hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars etc. have free wifi but it's often quite slow.

• FastestNet , Samsenthai Rd ( between Lao Plaza and Asian Pavilion ). Lives up to its name fairly well. No firewalls or program-install restrictions. 100 kip per minute .  
• 17.9639 102.608 5 Lao National Library .  

Post office [ edit ]

Wi-Fi and GPRS [ edit ]

Laos network SIM cards such as Unitel, can be bought at the airport, together with credit and data package if required. Data packages are about 15-20,000 kip for one day, 20-40,000 kip for seven days, 60-260,000 kip for 30 days (depending on how much data you want; prices as of 2020). Thai SIM cards will work here if you are near and have a clear view across the Mekong river to Thailand on the other side.

Stay healthy [ edit ]

Dogs [ edit ].

They can be vicious, whether they are strays or just owned by irresponsible people who don't bother closing their gates. You don't need to be out in the suburbs to be attacked. Avoid anything but well lighted, busy streets at night.

If you are bitten, see a doctor. Even if you have had a rabies vaccination before your trip you will still need a booster jab.

Gyms [ edit ]

• Sengdara Gym ( Rue Dongpaina ). Most popular gym among the expat community. Expressionless reception staff and many under-employed young male staff standing around staring at you, but excellent equipment and a nice pool. Be especially watchful at the pool with children or the infirm. Daily rates, 30,000-50,000 kip .  
• Vientiane Gym , 15 Savang St ( Near the Russian Circus ). For the more adventurous/frugal gym-goer. Daily rates, 5,000-10,000 kip. .  

Healthcare providers [ edit ]

In vientiane [ edit ].

Vientiane's hospitals are a far cry from those in the West or even in Thailand. Mahosot and Setthathirat Hospitals can treat common conditions but for anything more serious you're better off heading to Thailand where there are good private hospitals with European- and US-trained doctors.

For emergency dental treatment it's also best to go to Thailand; in Vientiane's dental clinics, they seem to resort to tooth extractions a bit too easily.

Mahosot Hospital is on the river (go to their "International Clinic" where you pay more and get more personal service, but from the same doctors who work in the hospital itself). Setthathirat Hospital is away from city centre on the T4 Road.

• Australian Embassy Clinic ( km4 on Thadeua Rd ), ☏ +856 21 353840 , [email protected] . M-F 08:30-12:30, 13:30-17:00 . Provides limited general practice services with a small pharmacy and pathology department. Although the clinic is primarily for diplomatic staff and their families, Australian citizens may access its services on a fee for service basis. Reciprocal arrangements with other embassies mean that citizens from certain other countries may also access the service. There is no after-hours service. US$75 per consultation .  
• Centre Medical de l’Ambassade de France , ☏ +856 21 214150 , fax : +856 21 214150 , [email protected] . With the support of the French Embassy in Vientiane, the opened its doors to the foreign community in Laos in Apr 2007. The medical centre provides primary health care, 24 hours a day 7 days a week, along with paramedical services, including dental care, physiotherapy, speech therapy, and psychotherapy, to expatriates and tourists in Vientiane. (English-speaking.) US$36 per consultation .  

In Thailand [ edit ]

• Ambulance services to Thailand , ☏ +856 21 351156 . The ambulances of Wattana Hospital can cross the border to pick up patients in Vientiane. They can also take them to Aek Udon Hospital. Ambulances of Setthathirat Hospital can also cross the border. The bridge is open from 06:00-22:00. Outside these hours the gates are only opened for emergencies upon telephone request from the hospital.  
• Aek Udon International Hospital , ☏ +66-42-342555 (from Laos) . In Udon Thani. Has more facilities.  
• Wattana Hospital , ☏ +66-42-465201 (from Laos) . In Nong Khai, good for treating simpler cases.  

Mosquito-borne diseases [ edit ]

Vientiane is free from malaria, but dengue is a real threat, especially during the rainy season. Take the necessary precautions against mosquito bites by wearing DEET repellent (20% at least), available to purchase at any minimart. It is common practice to request a mosquito coil at dusk at outdoor venues.

Pimps [ edit ]

Taxi drivers will offer ladies as partners for single men as part of their all-out sales pitch. These drivers may be Thais (to a non-expert eye they look and sound the same) since they operate from unmarked vans and they always mistakenly quote prices in baht, not in kip, as if they were in Thailand.

Swimming [ edit ]

Don't follow the example of the locals who will bathe in anything that looks like water. There is a real risk of picking up parasites. Swimming in public pools is okay. There is one-of-a-kind garden setting on Sok Paluang Rd, and another, not in such a nice setting, on the road by the stadium.

Hotel pools are also safe. Some hotels with pools that you can use for a fee if you are not staying there: Mercure, Lao Plaza, Don Chan Palace, Settha Palace, and there are more. Recommended: the Sunday brunch (11:00-15:00) in the Mercure at 130,000 kip (plus 10% service charge and 10% taxes) including use of pool and fitness centre.

Water [ edit ]

The city's waterworks are called Nam PaPaa, which some may joke means "water without fishes". Yes, the fish have been removed but not much else. Don't drink the tap water, no matter how long it's been boiled (it tastes very industrial). Stick to bottled water, available everywhere, though some brands are better than others due to how different companies treat their water. Stick to common brands like Tiger Head.

Stay safe [ edit ]

Vientiane is a fairly safe city in terms of crime. However, bag snatching from guests sitting in front of cafes is becoming more common. Bags in the baskets of (rented) bicycles or mopeds, even when moving along, are also far from safe. Do not leave a bag in an accessible position. If your bag is snatched, immediately start shouting: the perpetrators rely on tourists reacting by silently trying to chase them without alerting the numerous police boxes.

Probably a bigger hazard than crime is the missing sewer covers on pavements. Additionally, there are many loose pavement stones that will tip if stepped on. Tread carefully and exercise extreme caution at night.

To prevent the development of a sex trade industry, so prevalent in neighbouring Thailand, Laotian law bans foreigners from having sexual relations with Laotian nationals other than their spouses. This law is enforced by the village chief and, given the fines, the incentive to enforce is high. The penalty is US$500 for the first offence, though as the text of the law is not available, the fine could be much more (the US Embassy says US$5,000); the foreign offender can face prison or deportation and the Lao woman prison. A Laotian prison is the last place anyone would want to be. If you take a girl to your room and she robs you, this law makes it almost impossible to obtain police assistance. Foreign women should note that, while rare, Laotian police enforce this law on both sexes. Bartenders are happy to provide stories of angry tourists confronting girls at the same bars they picked up the night before. Most hotels do not allow foreigners to take girls to their rooms as it is prohibited.

Homosexuality is legal and there is a fairly open gay scene in Vientiane. Since the Pathet Lao took over in 1975, the Lao government has been completely silent on LGBT rights and homosexuality. Female homosexuality is relatively frowned upon for Lao women while male homosexuality is widely tolerated. A growing acceptance of homosexuality in Laos continues. Some hotels will not allow a Lao national of the same sex into your room.

Illegal drugs are a problem throughout Laos and certainly so in Vientiane where even very young children can try to peddle "happy pills" to tourists. After declaring victory in the "war on opium" in 2005, it is not so much opium and heroin these days as methamphetamine that incurs the wrath of the authorities. Penalties are extremely harsh. Be extremely cautious of tuk-tuk drivers offering to sell you drugs, as they often collaborate with the police or police impersonators to "shake down" unsuspecting tourists.

As of 2006, the Lao PDR criminal code for drug trafficking or possession carries the following penalties:

• Heroin: up to life imprisonment and 10 million kip fine; death penalty for possession of over 500 g.
• Chemical substance: up to 20 years imprisonment, 50 million kip fine.
• Amphetamines: up to 5 years imprisonment and 7 million kip fine.
• Opium: up to 15 years imprisonment and 30 million kip fine; death penalty for possession of quantities over 3 kg.
• Marijuana: up to 10 years imprisonment and 20 million kip fine; death penalty for quantities over 10 kg.

Long trousers and sleeves are recommended when visiting a temple or official offices. Foreign women adopting the traditional long sarong (siin) are appreciated.

Cope [ edit ]

Embassies [ edit ], go next [ edit ].

• Luang Prabang a supremely charming city in the north of the country.
• Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area for wonderful elephants and waterfalls and fresh highland scenery.
• Vang Vieng for a party atmosphere head three hours north to the beautiful town of Vang Vieng. Buses from Talat Sao cost 35,000 kip, but can get a little crowded.
• Nong Khai is a very pleasant riverside Thai town just across the border on the other end of the Friendship Bridge. Well worth a visit if you are over-landing into Thailand.

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Traveling to Vientiane in Laos

Vientiane, the capital and urban center of Laos , typically serves as only a short stopover for travelers on visa runs or those on their way north to Luang Prabang or Vang Vieng. Some insider Vientiane travel tips will certainly help enhance your stay in what many travelers often call the dullest city on the Banana Pancake Trail .

Although Vientiane isn't particularly packed with things to do and see, the atmosphere in the city is pleasant and far more relaxed than other big cities in Southeast Asia. A daily rhythm left over from the colonial days still lingers.

Lao Culture

• Despite war and hardships in the past, Laotians are extremely friendly to foreign visitors. Avoid creating uncomfortable situations by raising your voice or getting angry enough to cause someone to " lose face ." 
• Be cautious about any mention of war, violence, the government, or the current problem of landmines remaining in Laos. Tread carefully if these topics come up in conversation.
• Use sabai dee (sounds like "sah-bye dee") as a friendly way to greet anyone , regardless of the time of day. Say thank you with kawp jai (sounds like: "cop jye"). 

Hotels and Guesthouses in Vientiane

• Even though Vientiane has an abundance of accommodation options, decent places tend to book up quickly during the busy months between November and May. Consider booking in advance if traveling during the peak season.
• While the rest of Southeast Asia's major cities have somehow largely escaped the world's bedbug resurgence, Vientiane wasn't so lucky. Bedbugs are becoming a growing problem in budget hotels, particularly the cheapest backpacker hostels. 
• Nearly all guesthouses in Vientiane follow the government curfew and lock their doors sometime after 11 p.m. You may have to wake up one of the staff designated to sleep in the reception area if you come home late. 
• Although advertised at nearly every guesthouse, Wi-Fi can be hit or miss in many hotels. Ask if access is available in your room or only in the reception. Some hotels may even turn off their Wi-Fi -- along with all other electricity in the lobby -- at night.

Food in Vientiane

• Vientiane has a great selection of eateries ranging from simple street food noodle stalls with plastic stools to Italian pizzerias and French cafes.
• Vegetarians and vegans can enjoy a cheap buffet in the food court on top of the Talat Sao shopping center for 10,000 Lao kips per plate.
• Forget the instant coffee that plagues much of Southeast Asia; the coffee in Laos is excellent! Unless you specify otherwise, expect to receive an overabundance of milk and sugar in coffee drinks.

Money in Laos

• When crossing into Laos from Thailand , try to pay the visa-on-arrival fee in U.S. dollars for the best exchange rate. Paying in exact change is best, but if not possible, you'll probably receive change in Thai baht. Visas fees vary by country; strangely enough, Canadian citizens pay more than Americans.
• Western-networked ATMs can be found throughout Vientiane, however, they are prone to failure and sometimes even capture cards. The safest bet is to always use ATMs attached to bank branches .
• ATMs charge the hefty US $5 or more fee per transaction; take as much cash as possible per transaction to avoid multiple charges.
• ATMs dispense Lao kip, however, Thai baht and even U.S. dollars are accepted for payment in many places. If paying with a different currency, keep an eye on the exchange rate you are offered on the spot. With the exception of paying the visa fee in US dollars upon entry, you'll typically fare better by paying in Laos kip.
• Tipping is not the norm in Southeast Asia ; it is not expected in Laos.
• Prices for purchases can always be negotiated; friendly haggling is an integral part of Lao culture. Even rooms in guesthouses can be negotiated in the low season, particularly if you are staying for several days. Avoid negotiating for food or fixed-price items such as bottled water. 
• Lao kip is practically useless outside of the country and cannot be exchanged; use all your local currency before you depart.

Getting Around Vientiane

• Just as in other parts of Southeast Asia, you'll receive plenty of offers from tuk-tuk drivers as you walk the streets. Flagging a taxi is almost always cheaper than getting a ride from a driver parked outside of a tourist area.
• Taxis and tuk-tuks don't use meters. You'll need to negotiate a fare before you get inside.

Nightlife in Vientiane

• Don't expect very many late nights in Vientiane. Due to a city-wide curfew, all but a handful of 'underground' places shut down around 11:30 p.m. or midnight.
• Beer Lao is famous throughout Southeast Asia as a cheap, quality beer. At 5% alcohol, a tall (640 ml) bottle of lager can cost as little as the US $1.50, even in bars and restaurants. A bottle of beer is often cheaper than a cup of coffee in cafes!
• Bor Pen Nyang, located on the main river street near the traveler's area, doesn't look like much from street level, but the fourth-floor rooftop bar is popular with locals, travelers, and expats. The bar offers a scenic view of the river and a wide selection of food and drinks; closing time is around midnight.
• Prostitution is rife throughout Vientiane, particularly on the streets around closing time for bars.

Health and Safety

• Mosquitoes are a real problem in Vientiane -- especially during the rainy season. Malaria isn't a serious problem in Vientiane, however, dengue fever is a real risk . 
• Tap water is unsafe to drink in Laos. Bottled water is available everywhere; the free drinking water and ice provided in reputable restaurants are safe.

You should have a good travel insurance policy and get the recommended vaccinations for Asia before visiting Laos.

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Located: on a curve of the Mekong River (Central Provinces) Total area: 3,920 square kilometers Population: 768,743 09 Districts: Chanthabouly, Sikhottabong, Xaysettha, Sisattanak, Naxaithong, Xaythany, Hadxaifong, Sangthong & Pak Ngum Capital of the province: Vientiane

Located on a curve of the Mekong River, Vientiane Capital has a recorded history that stretches back to around 1,000 AD. The area was originally settled because of the fertility of the surrounding alluvial plains, and Vientiane became the capital city of Laos around the mid-16th century.

Vientiane Capital is the home to the most significant national monument in Laos: That Luang (Great Stupa), which is the symbol of Lao and an icon of Buddhism in Laos. Of the many beautiful Wats in Vientiane, a visit to Wat Sisaket is a must; built in 1818, this is one of the oldest temples in Vientiane. Other Buddhist holy places are Wat Ong Teu Mahavihan, known for its 16th century bronze Buddha sheltered by a carved wooden masterpiece, and Wat Si Meuang, the site of the Lak Meuang or pillar-stone of Vientiane. Wat Si Meuang is also home to the guardian spirit of the city.Hor Phakeo, across the street from Wat Sisaket houses a beautiful collection of Buddha statues, including traditional Lao style of the “Calling for Rain” and “Offering Protection”. Spend a morning in the Lao National Museum, which displays an interesting mixture of revolutionary and contemporary exhibitions. The main sights in Vientiane are only a short walk or bicycle ride from most hotels. Wat Xieng Khouan, better known as theBuddha Park should not be missed: take a tuk-tuk to this unique park that includes Buddhist and Hindu. Shopping for handicrafts is easy in Vientiane Capital; visit Talat Sao (morning market) for a wide range of colourful textiles including silks, wall-hangings and other decorative pieces. For very fine handicrafts, try one of the many upscale galleries in the city center. Keep your eyes open for traditional wood carvings, mulberry paper and a variety of basketry made from bamboo and rattan.

When you get hungry try the nation’s signature dish, tam mak-hung ( spicy green papaya salad ).   laap ( spicy minced meat salad ) and ping kai ( fried chicken ). For its size, Vientiane Capital is surprisingly multicultural and has excellent French, Indian, Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants that serve both Lao and specialty dishes. Quench your thirst with a refreshing Beer Lao or fresh fruit shake from one of the many small restaurants found along almost every street in town. At dusk, find a spot along the Mekong promenade to enjoy an amazing view of the sunset over the river.

The largest fair, Boun Pha That Luang, is held in Vientiane Capital around mid-November each year. Celebrations begin at Wat Si Muang followed by a procession to That Luang . Festivities last a full week, ending in fireworks on the last night, which coincides with the full moon. In mid-October, the riverbank overflows with spectators watching the annual boat races. Boun Ok Phansa or the last day of Buddhist Lent precedes the boat races by one day. In the evening of Boun Ok Phansa, Lao people prepare small banana leaf boats called heua fai and set them afloat on the Mekong illuminated by candles and incense in a charming ceremony meant to bring good luck and prosperity.

VIENTIANE CAPITAL HISTORY

According to myth, the city of Vientiane was created by the Naga Souvannanak. Vientiane was an ancient city whose territories covered both banks of the Mekong River. The first name of Vientiane was “Ban Nong Khanthae Phiseuanam” village, which later became “Vientiane” town under the leadership of the first Governor, Bourichan or Phraya Chanthabouly Pasitthisak, between 430-120 B.C.

In 1357 King Fa Ngoum held a grandiose celebration for the great victory of the unification of all Lao territories enhancing his prestige and power over the nobility throughout the Lane Xang Kingdom and the neighboring kingdoms. It was organized in the Pak Pasak area in present day Vientiane.

In 1560, King Saysettha moved from Luang Prabang to declare Vientiane as the capital city of the Lane Xang kingdom, naming it “Nakorn Chanthabouly Sitta tanakhanahood Outtama Rajathany”.

During the reign of King Souliyavongsa Thamikarat in the 17th century, Vientiane grew to become one of the most developed civilizations. The city was the center of administration for politics, socio-economics and culture. The kings were brave, clever and kind and people were happy. The palaces were very beautiful, looking like golden houses standing along the bank of the Mekong River.

However, Vientiane was burnt down by Siames troops in 1828, and divided into two cities. The city on the right side of the Mekong River became part of Siam and the city on the left side remained part of Laos. At present, Vientiane is a smaller city, only half of its former size.

In the years of 2009 and 2010; two great historical events take place in Vientiane. In 2009 we hosted the 25th annual SEA Games and in 2010 we held a celebration of the 450th anniversary of the foundation of Vientiane as the Capital (1560-2010). To prepared for the above auspicious events Vientiane people have continued developing the city to be peaceful, clean, green, charming, light and civilized.

Vieng (Vien) in the Lao language means “the city”. Chantha (tiane) a Pali word, means sandalwood or the moon. Vientiane is the city of sandalwood and sandalwood is the symbol of Vientiane. It could also be the city of the moon, or the city where people respect the moon as their symbol. It is true however, that Lao people believe their origin to be from the moon, and even the design of the national flag has the image of the moon in its center.

In the old part of Vientiane city, an attractive and interesting settlement is situated along the Mekong River where the ancient temples, museums, monuments and parks are all located just a short distance apart.

The cosmopolitan capital of Laos, Vientiane, has galleries, boutiques, theatres, nightclubs and internet cafe, making it a major attraction for visitors from all around the globe. Although the city is small, it offers visitors a great variety of restaurant serving both Lao and foreign cuisine.

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Buddha Park

Buddha Park (aka Xieng Khuan) is a famous sculpture park with more than 200 religious statues including a huge 40-metre high reclining Buddha image. The best spot for photography here is on top of the giant pumpkin structure standing about three stories high. The entrance is crafted to look like a demon’s mouth (about three metres high) with a stone ladder inside leading to a bird's eye view of the entire Xieng Kuan Park.

Highlights – This explains why his park is full not only of Buddha images but also of Hindu gods as well as demons and animals from both beliefs.

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Guiyang-laos tourist train to be launched to boost tourism.

This rail service that will debut with a ride from Guiyang city in China’s Guizhou province to Laos capital of Vientiane promises to be a catalyst for tourism development across the region.

Equipped with modern amenities, including shower facilities, charging stations, and entertainment options such as karaoke and coffee shops, the train aims to provide passengers with a luxurious travel experience.

Visitors in Guizhou can book the eight-day excursion through regional travel agencies or digital platforms. The itinerary boasts stops at prominent Lao destinations like Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, and the majestic Kwang Si Waterfall.

To accommodate tourists from Southeast Asia, new itinerary options tailored to explore Guizhou will also be introduced.

Guizhou is the third province of China after Yunnan province and the capital Beijing has offered trains connecting to the Laos-China railway system.

According to recent data from the Laos-China Railway Company, since the start of cross-border trains in April 2023, about 150,000 tourists from 87 countries and territories and more than 8 million tonnes of goods have been transported across the border, contributing to promoting tourism and economic development along the Laos-China railway.

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