Laos' laid back capital has been described as looking more like a collection of villages than a big capital city. It is growing, but still has a slower pace than the cities of its neighbor to the south. It is still a small city, with not a lot of major sights. You can see most of what “must” be seen in less than a day. However, there's an atmosphere in Vientiane that appeals to many, and any trip to the city should last for a few days at least, to give you time to unwind and relax.
The Presidential palace
You can see most of the main sights on foot, since they are within a short distance of each other. A good place to start would be the Presidential Palace. From here, you can visit the former home of the Emerald Buddha, the Ho Prakeo, and Wat Sisaket before strolling up Lane Xang Road to the Patouxai, Vientiane's own triumphal arch.
All that walking will make you hungry, and Vientiane's restaurants provide an interesting mix of French and Asian influences.
Vientiane History
The area around Vientiane has probably been settled since at least the eighth century, but it wasn't until 1560 that the Lao king Setthathilat moved the capital here from Luang Prabang. The city was attacked and overrun many times during its history, by Burmese, Chinese, and last but certainly not least by the Siamese, who more or less leveled the city in 1828.
The French arrived in 1867, and found the city abandoned. They eventually established Vientiane as the capital of an administrative division of French Indochina, and rebuilt the city. The name "Vientiane" is a French corruption of the Lao name for the city, Wiang Jun, which translates to "sandalwood fortress." The French presence lasted from 1899 to 1945, and most of the city's small number of colonial buildings date from this time.
There are basically two ways to get to Vientiane from outside of Laos. One is by direct flight from nearby countries, the other is to cross the Friendship Bridge from Thailand. At some point in the future, there may be a train from Thailand into Vientiane, as a result of an agreement between Thailand, Laos and French in 2005. There is already train service from Thailand across the Friendship Bridge, so there's just the 28 kilometers or so to be laid between the bridge and downtown Vientiane.
Most of the accommodations available in Vientiane are small hotels and guest houses. There is, as yet, not a big demand for hotels. The only major international chain with a property in the city is the Mercure.
Suggested Vientiane Hotels Here's a short list of hotels that you can book on the Internet through our hotel partners. If you don't like our selections, you can use the search box above to compare rates from dozens of sites using Hotels Combined.
A cart selling one of Laos' unique street foods, a baguette stuffed with a sort of paté.
Vientiane has become home to several excellent restaurants, at remarkably low prices. There are a number of restaurants catering to foreigners in the main tourist areas, along Lane Xang and Samsenthai Roads, as well as along the Mekong River. You'll find everything from small roadside stalls to full restaurants.
Some of the fancier restaurants have menus with prices in US Dollars or Thai Baht, but most eateries sell in Lao Kip.
The morning market (talat sao) in Vientiane, before it was remodeled Vientiane has some good shopping opportunities, especially for local handicrafts and arts. The place to start is Talat Sao - the morning market. Despite its name, most of the market doesn't open until at least 9:00 a.m. and stays open until late afternoon. This large covered market takes up an entire city block. Under its temple-like roof you can find just about everything.
Vientiane shares the monsoon driven climate of its Southeast Asian neighbors, but is generally a bit cooler than the hotter countries to the south. The coolest time of year is also the driest. See the box at right for the current conditions.
Historical Weather Patterns for Vientiane From November to March, the nights can be quite cool while the days are pleasantly warm.
Average Monthly Highs & Lows (°C) As in the other monsoon countries of Southeast Asia, the rainy season is not necessarily a bad time to visit.
The Ho Prakeo, a chapel that once held the Emerald Buddha that is now in Bangkok's Grand Palace. One of the fanciful "Naga" serpents that guard the stairs to the Ho Prakeo. Next to the presidential palace, in the grounds of what was once the royal palace, stands the Ho Prakeo, or "Hall of the Emerald Buddha." This building was once the private chapel of the King of Laos, and the only surviving part of the old royal palace.
Vientiane is sited right on the Mekong River, and the riverfront area of town is a nice place to spend an evening, along with everyone else in town. This is the one place, and the one time of day, where we saw a lot of people in Vientiane. The bank, running along Fa Ngum Road, is alternately thick with mature trees and open to the wide expanse of the river.
If you didn't already know that Laos was once a colony of France, the Patouxai would give you a good clue. The Patouxai anchors one end of Lane Xang Avenue, about a kilometer from the presidential palace. Locally, the arch is commonly known as anusawali, the Lao word for "monument."
The Patouxai - Vientiane's triumphal arch The arch was started in 1962, and in fact remains unfinished. This becomes most obvious once you pay the entrance fee and start the climb to the top.
The classical French facade of the Presidential Palace At the base of Lane Xang street is the Beaux Arts styled Presidential Palace. It was originally built to house the French colonial governors, and also served as a royal residence during the brief reign of the monarchy after independence. Since the royal family was banished in the 1970s, it is now mainly used for formal ceremonies.
The Presidential Palace is not open to the public.
The national monument of Tat Luang About a mile north of Vientiane's city center is the most important shrine in Laos, the Pha Tat Luang, a symbol of both the Buddhist faith and Lao nation-hood. Many legends surround its origins, some dating it as far back as the 3rd century BC. However, the first actual record of the monument in its current location is from the 16th century. The current structure dates from the 1930s.
East of town, past the Friendship Bridge, is perhaps Vientiane's quirkiest sights, the Buddha Park. The name is fitting. Scattered around a large grassy yard on the banks of the river are dozens of concrete statues. There are Buddha images, as would expect, but also depictions of many deities from the Hindu-Buddhist pantheon, as well as many mythical creatures.
A statue with multiple faces and arms, in front of a Reclining Buddha The Buddha Park is the creation of Luang Pou Bounlua Soulilat, who claimed to have been the disciple of a Hindu holy man in Vietnam.
Perhaps the busiest temple in Vientiane is Wat Si Muang. The temple is near the eastern entrance to the city center, on the road leading from the Friendship Bridge, and so is heavily frequented by visitors coming to the city, seeking good luck.
The sim and entry gate of Wat Si Muang For all its popularity, Wat Si Muang is rather a small temple. The sim (ordination hall) sits in a large paved yard that is often full of cars parked while the faithful pay a quick visit.
Just across the street from the Presidential Palace is Vientiane's oldest surviving monastery, Wat Sisaket. The temple was built between 1819 and 1824 by King Anou. According to tradition, this was where the Lao lords and nobles came to swear allegiance to the King. When the Siamese sacked Vientiane in 1828, they spared this temple, perhaps because it is built in a style similar to Thai temples. The French restored the temple in 1924, and again around 1930.
