Vientiane is, with roughly 700.000 inhabitants one of the smallest capitals in South-East Asia. Although Chinese investments are spurring a lot of development, this sleepy town has yet to awaken from its slumber. With little interesting temples, sights, and nightlife Vientiane might not sound all that appealing. It is because of its close connection to the Thai border and its international airport, that Vientiane is rarely excluded in any Lao itinerary. So what should you do when you find yourself in Vientiane and want to avoid total and utter boredom? I did the research and came up with a plan.
– Practical information –
When
November – February for pleasant temperatures and sunny days. At the end of February the temperature creeps up and a couple of months later it gets very humid and hot. May and June are best avoided (monsoon rains with high temperatures).
In & out
Vientiane has an international airport (Wattay Airport) which serves most major cities in the region but it does not have direct connections to Europe or the U.S.. As it is only 2KM out of town a tuk-tuk there only costs about 30.000 kip and takes 5 – 10 minutes. The airport has air-con, clean toilets, a restaurant and a few cafés but that is basically all amenities it offers.
Khua Din Bus Station is centrally located opposite of the Morning Market (Talat Khua Din) and is the best place to catch local buses and the International Bus crossing the border into Thailand at Nong Khai. The International Bus is also the easiest and cheapest connection into mainland Thailand. From Nong Khai, you can venture on further into Thailand by either bus or train. Bangkok can be reached by night-train but there is also a direct night-bus to Bangkok leaving from Vientiane.
Budget
Vientiane is not much pricier than any other Lao destination except accommodation-wise. Expect to pay 8.000-12.000 kip for a dorm in a premium hostel and double for a decent private in a guesthouse. Lunch is about 30.000 kip and dinner double.
– What to do –
Minor confession: I did not fell in love with Vientiane when I was there. It might have been because I was feeling a bit ill but most probably the city is just not that interesting. There are some sights however that are definitely worth visiting. If you plan it well you can see all the highlight without spending any nights here. Start early in the morning (breakfast at Le banneton!), spend a full day of sight-seeing and take a bus/train/flight out of Vientiane at the end of the day.
COPE visitor center
Let’s start with Vientiane’s top attraction: the COPE visitor center. COPE helps people with physical disabilities rehabilitate throughout Laos. It specifically targets survivors from Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) with missing limbs by providing rehabilitation services and prosthetic limbs. The visitor center is free and gives great information about the ‘secret war’ a.k.a. the U.S. bombings on Laos during the Vietnam war (did you know Laos is actually the most heavily bombarded country in the world?) through its exposition that through the use of digital media are really interactive. But it also does a great job in helping people realize how it is for people with missing limbs. Try on the prosthetic leg and try to climb the bridge and stairs with it in front of a mirror! It took me about an hour to see it all, and I cannot imagine it taking anyone longer. Consider a donation to the center to help the UXO survivors – the entrance was free anyway so you can spare it.
Patuxai
Patuxai is a giant concrete monument a kilometer north of the city center. It was finalized in 1969 and sponsored by the U.S. government. Fun fact is that the Americans actually wanted an airport-strip in Vientiane and therefore donated massive amounts of concrete. The Laos government thought otherwise and thus the monument was erected. It is quite impressive and beautiful. If you arrive before 5:30 PM you can actually climb the monument which provides an awesome view of the city. After 5:30 PM the way down is still open until around 7 PM for visitors coming down. Don’t think you can sneak in and climb up after 5:30 PM. Trust me – tried it, didn’t work. Entrance is only 3.000 kip. Get there really early if you are after pictures without massive amounts of Chinese tourists in it.
Pha That Luang
Pha That Luang is a couple of kilometers out of the city center so you might want to take a tuk-tuk to this one. Basically, Pha That Luang is a giant golden stupa and nothing more. You can walk around it and snap some pictures. As you can probably guess from my enthusiasm in this one – I was not really impressed. It is, however, one of the most important symbols of Laos. There are some other buildings on the site worth checking out but they are only mildly interesting. Entrance is 10K kip and it closes at 5 PM. Some sources (incl. Lonely Planet) claim it is closed on Mondays but that is simply not true.
Night Market
Vientiane’s night market is huge and probably the best place to go souvenir hunting in the capital but it nowhere nearly as charming as the night market in Luang Prabang (and even less atmospheric as the one in Vang Vieng). The wares sold here are cheap – I found a decent pair of fake-Ray Bans for 10.000 kip which has got to be the cheapest sunnies I’ve ever bought in South-East Asia. The food-section at the night market is great for cheap local street food and also serves Vietnamese food.
Visiting the other sights
There are dozens of smaller temples, stupas, and shrines dotted around town. Lonely Planet has a full-day cycling tour dedicated to visiting them (which actually is better done as a walking tour consider the short distances between the points of interest) but sadly enough I didn’t think they are worth the time spent. Especially if you have been traveling around Thailand or Vietnam you’ll find most of them utterly underwhelming. Worth a peak are: The Presidential Palace, Wat Si Saket, the overgrown That Dam and the Lao National Culture Hall. Also, check out the food-market Talat Khua Din but think twice before you plan on having lunch here. The shop-owners don’t even bother to squat away the flies that are comfortably nested on all the fresh produce.
Definitely skip Wat In Paeng and Wat Mixai. Don’t even think about visiting the textile market Talat Sao unless you like dirty, raunchy, damp markets that sell flimsy household items and crappy but overly expensive touristy trinkets. Lastly the most underwhelming church in Asia: the Sacred Heart Cathedral can instantly be scraped off your itinerary.
The Lao National Museum has recently been moved 6 KM out of town so actually, requires a bicycle to visit (most major travel-guides have not picked up on this).
Buddha Park
Considering most ho(s)tels and tour-agencies heavily promote this attraction I cannot skip out. It is located 25 kilometer out of town which means an hour by bus on the Laos roads (ticket is 6000 kip, bus 14). A taxi will probably be a bit faster. The park is an ill-maintained small park filled with Buddha statues. The oldest dates back to 1958. It is not all that bad but considering the effort it takes you to get there, not really worth the trip. Entrance is 8.000 kip.
– Eating & sleeping recommendations –
Vientiane has a great culinary scene going on and next to Luang Prabang probably also the best place in Laos to get some western bites. As I was not in the best of states when in Vientiane I was glad about the latter. This is also the reason why I did more research on western eateries than on the local cuisine.
Cowboy Park
Very popular with locals, the Cowboy Park might look a bit corny (its name certainly is) but it actually has a great selection of food stalls with both local and fusion food. A couple of drive-in bars serve good drinks and add to the general atmosphere.
Scandinavian Bakery
The Scandinavian Bakery at Rue Pangkham is the best place to get western-style sandwiches, cakes and pastries in Vientiane. The bread is all day-fresh and the prices are really reasonable. The most atmospheric sitting-space is definitely the tiny balcony upstairs. As I was suffering from a particularly nasty case of explosive diarrhea having some stomach cramps when in Vientiane this place was a lifesaver.
Pomodoro Pizza
Its owner slash chef is not only a great host but also makes some mean pizza’s. For some reason there is also ‘Kapsalon’ on the menu – probably the worst dish in the Dutch cuisine – but do not let this distract you. Try the calzone!
House of Fruitshakes
Stylish little place that serves coffee small bites and… excellent fruitshakes (how else with that name). Had the best fruitshake in a while here (the use heaps of fruit and don’t add sugary syrups etc.) so highly recommend sorting out this spot!
Sleeping: Sailomyen Café and Hostel
If you are looking for a party Dream Home Hostel 1 is the place (Dream Home Hostel 2 has been closed down). The beds are comfy, showers hot and the free vodka between 8 PM and 10 PM makes sure all guests mix and mingle. If you are looking for trendy, affordable accommodation with the most comfortable beds in town – check out Sailomyen Café and Hostel.