Laos: Vientiane – Exploring the sights of the Lao capital

August 12, 2024
Laos
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Vientiane, Laos' national capital, mixes French-colonial architecture with Buddhist temples such as the golden, 16th-century Pha That Luang. Along broad boulevards and tree-lined streets are many notable shrines including Wat Si Saket, which features thousands of Buddha images, and Wat Si Muang, built atop a Hindu shrine.

Our journey in Lao had started at the border with Thailand. We took the two day slow boat journey along the Mekong River, to the ancient Lao capital of Luang Prabang.

After spending a couple of days exploring Luang Prabang we headed south on the newly minted high-speed railway to Laos’ capital Vientiane.

I had allocated a day to look around, which in hindsight was not enough time, before we flew onwards to Vietnam.

A Brief History of Vientiane

The town was founded during the late 13th century, and in the mid-16th century the capital of the Lao kingdom (a state known as Lan Xang) was moved to Vientiane from its previous traditional location at Luang Prabang (now Louangphrabang). In 1778 Vientiane came under Siamese control; in 1828 it was sacked and destroyed when the subject Laotian king revolted against Siamese hegemony. From 1899 to 1953, with the exception of the Japanese occupation (1945), Vientiane was in succession the seat of the French governor and the French administrative capital.

The city’s central river port location in a country relying heavily on rivers for transportation and its surrounding hinterland of intensive rice cultivation have made Vientiane the major economic centre of Laos.

Places to visit in Vientiane

Pha That Luang

This large golden Buddhist stupa located in the centre of Vientiane is the national symbol and most sacred monument of Laos. It is featured behind the kip notes and on the national seal.

Legend has it that missionary monks from India arrived in Vientiane carrying the breast bone of the Buddha in the 3rd century AD. The monks enshrined the relic with a stupa. Centuries passed, and the original stupa is no longer around. It was rebuilt into a Khmer temple in the 13th century, then destroyed during Siamese invasion and further conflicts until the 1930s, when the French rebuilt a replica based on old drawings of the Khmer temple.

Pha That Luang is about 4 km from the city centre so you will need to hire a taxi or tuk-tuk to get there.

Tickets cost 30k kip per person, and the place is open from 8:00 to 17:00 pm. You need to dress conservatively for your visit.

Patuxai

Patuxai is large war monument and triumphal arch, that was built between 1957 and 1968 in memory of Laotian soldiers who died during World War II and the war of independence from France in 1949. If was funded by donations by the United States that were intended to be used to expand the airport so it could be used by US fighter jets.

Ironically it bears a resemblance to the Arc De Triomphe in Paris and has the moniker of the ‘Arc De Triomphe of Laos), but it is taller, has four gates not two and has designs reflecting traditional Laotian motifs, including Hindu and Buddhist symbology.

You used to be able to take stairs to the top of the tower, but they fell into disrepair and became dangerous and are now closed. So, we had to be satisfied standing and looking up at the monument.

COPE Visitor Centre

COPE (Cooperative Orthotic & Prosthetic Enterprise) is an organisation in Laos in charge of supplying artificial limbs, mobility aids and wheelchairs to victims hurt by UXO (unexploded ordnance). During the Vietnam War the North Vietnamese used areas of Laos to move their troops around as part of the infamous Ho Chi Minh trail. Consequently, American forces dropped a huge amount of ordenance on neighbouring Laos, to thwart their progress. This resulted in Laos becoming the most heavily bombed country in the world!

Despite the war ending more than 40 years ago, undiscovered unexplored ordenance (UXO) continues to maim and kill people in this part of Southeast Asia. It could take another century before all the bombs are disposed of.

COPE is free to visit and is open from 8.30 AM – 4 PM, but a donation is highly appreciated.

Night Market

Spend an evening shopping or eating in the night market by the Mekong River facing Thailand. If shopping isn’t your thing, the walk by the riverside is still a nice stroll after dinner. There’s a mini amusement park by the night market.

The night market is open from 6 PM to 10 PM every day.

Wat Sisaket

Wat Si Saket is the oldest temple of the town that is still in its original form. It was built in 1820 near the Royal Palace in the centre of town by King Anouvong, the last King of Vientiane. It is one of the very few temples that survived the destruction that came with the Siamese armies, that looted and burnt the city in 1827. Today, the cloister and sim have been turned into a museum housing thousands of Buddha images, the oldest ones being from the 16th century. The museum houses over 10,000 images of the Buddha in various mudras. Almost 7,000 of them are contained in niches in the galleries surrounding the cloister. A fenced storage room contains hundreds of broken Buddha images that were discovered during excavation works. My favourite part of the complex was the sim, which had some beautiful murals inside that had faded in time.

The temple is open every day from 8 AM to 4 PM with an hour lunch break in between. Ticket cost 30k kip.

Ho Phra Keo Museum

Ho Phra Keo was once a Buddhist shrine dating back to 1565, meant to house the Emerald Buddha when King Saysetthathirath of Lane Xang Kingdom moved the capital from Luang Prabang to Vientiane.

Located just past the Presidential Palace, the shrine no longer has the Emerald Buddha – it is now in Bangkok – and has since been converted into a museum with many artefacts such as more bronze and stone buddhas, 6th-century stone sculptures and tablets, and other Laotian treasures.

Tickets cost 30k kip, and the museum is open everyday from 8 AM to 4 PM with an hour lunch break in between.

That Dam Stupa

The mysterious dusty brown stupa overgrown with weeds and shrubs has probably stood in the same place for aeons and witnessed the aftermath of the Siamese invasion and Indochina Wars.

That Dam Stupa, which means the ‘Black Tower’ in Laos, was once likely gilded but was stripped of gold during the Siamese invasion. Locals believe that a seven-headed naga resides within the stupa.

Visiting is free. It is located on roundabout between Chantha Khoumane Road and Bartholonie Road.

Buddha Park

Buddha Park is an open-air sculpture park located about 25 kilometers (15 miles) outside of Vientiane on the river Mekong. It’s known by locals as Xieng Khuan which means Spirit City, and it’s the quirky setting of over 200 sculptures of various shapes and sizes depicting figures from Buddhist and Hindu traditions and lore.

Although the statues and sculptures seem ancient and appear to be carved from stone, in reality, this park is relatively new. It was founded in 1958, and the sculptures themselves are mostly cast in reinforced concrete.

The tickets cost 40k kip, and the park is open from 8 AM to 5 PM.

Getting around Vientiane

Bus
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.

Bicycle
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.

Taxis & Tuk-tuks
Taxis and tuk-tuks are a popular and inexpensive way to get around. Fairs for tuk-tuks for most journeys should be around 10,000-20,000 LAK. Be prepared to negotiate before taking your ride. For taxis try and get a metered one, if not negoiate again for around 8000 LAK per kilometre.

Ride Hailing / Taxi Apps
In Laos’ larger cities such as Vientiane and Luang Prabang there are ride hailing apps that you can use to book rides.

LOCA Leading the way in ride-hailing services in Laos, LOCA provides a safe and dependable transportation system designed for locals and tourists alike. With advanced features like real-time driver tracking for enhanced traveler safety, LOCA offers unmatched convenience for exploring Laos’s vibrant cities and beautiful landscapes.

Xan SM Laos is a revolutionary addition to Laos’s transportation scene, introduced by a leading Vietnamese ride-hailing company in 2023. This innovative taxi app brings eco-friendly travel solutions to Laos, pioneering electric vehicle (EV) taxi services for locals and tourists. By prioritizing sustainability and cutting-edge technology, Xan SM Laos sets a new benchmark for transportation services in the area. Using the VinFast EV, a renowned smart electric car model from Vietnam known for its safety and efficiency, Xan SM Laos ensures passengers enjoy a comfortable and environmentally friendly journey.

Getting to Vientiane

Plane
Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, has an international airport – Wattay International Airport – with direct flights from several countries.

Coming from Singapore, there’s Scoot that flies into VTE three times a week – Tue, Thu, Sat – in the afternoon. The journey takes 3 hours.

There are also direct international flights from Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, China, and Korea.

Bus
There are three bus stations in Vientiane with buses travelling on different routes.

The Central Bus Station covers both long and short-distance buses within the city, the Thai border, and the Southern and Northern Bus Stations.

The Northern Bus Station covers Northern Laos, including journeys into China.

The Southern Bus Station covers Southern Laos, including journeys into Vietnam.

Boat
One of the nicest and most popular ways to get to Luang Prabang is to cross the border at Chiang Khong in Thailand to Huay Xai and take a boat up or down the Mekong through spectacular and scenic countryside. If you take the slow boat, it will take 2 days. See our blog post on taking the slow boat.

Train
The 414km-long Boten-Vientiane railway was completed and put into operation in December 2021. There’re 5 scheduled trains available on each way, including 4 speed trains (CXX) and 1 ordinary train (KXX). Speed trains run at 160km/hour and ordinary train at 120km/hour. The speed trains reduce the ride journey between Vientiane and Luang Prabang from 10 hours to 2 hours. Another important station is Vang Vieng in between. It’s now very convenient to travel among Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang and Boten.

The train always sells out so you need to get your tickets in advance. When we travelled it was quite an ordeal to get tickets, but that may have changed, so check with your hotel.

Also, worth noting is that the train station is quite a way out of town (12km). So, you will need transport (and time) to get there!

The best time to visit Vientiane

The best time to visit Vientiane
Vientiane offers the most favorable weather conditions and temperatures to visitors in the late autumn transitioning into the winter. Specifically starting from November to February. This period is characterized by cool temperature ranges from 28.1°C (82.6°F) to 30.8°C (87.4°F). This time frame also offers the least rainfall, ranging from 3mm (0.12″) to 78mm (3.07″), with the number of rainfall days not surpassing nine days, making it an ideal time for outdoor activities and sightseeing.

The worst time to visit Vientiane
The period from May to October could be challenging for visitors not accustomed to high humidity and heavy rainfall. During these months, the temperatures hover between 31.3°C (88.3°F) to 34.3°C (93.7°F). The period also marks the start of the monsoon season, and the city experiences its maximum rainfall from 246mm (9.69″) in May to 335mm (13.19″) in August, which is coupled with up to 21 rainfall days per month. This humid, wet weather might not be preferable for outdoor explorations and may restrict the travelling experience.

Where to stay in Vientiane

1. Luxury – La Seine Hotel

Featuring a restaurant, bar and views of city, La Seine Hotel is located in Vientiane, a 16-minute walk from Laos National Museum. This 5-star hotel offers luggage storage space. The property has a 24-hour front desk, airport transportation, room service and free WiFi throughout the property.

At the hotel the rooms are equipped with air conditioning, a seating area, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a safety deposit box and a private bathroom with a bidet, free toiletries and a hairdryer. Every room includes an electric tea pot, while certain rooms also offer a terrace and others also have river views. At La Seine Hotel each room comes with bed linen and towels.

2. Mid-Range – Chanthapanya Hotel

With free WiFi, Chanthapanya Hotel offers comfy accommodations with a sauna and an outdoor pool. Guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant. Free private parking is available on site.

Certain units include a seating area for guests’ comfort. A flat-screen TV with cable channels is provided.

A 24-hour front desk is available at the property.

Vientiane is 1969 feet from Chanthapanya Hotel, while Nong Khai is 11 mi away. Wattay International Airport is 2.5 mi from the property.

3. Budget – Barn Laos Hostel

Barn Laos Hostel in Vientiane provides adults only accommodations with a garden, a shared lounge and a terrace. The property is around 2.8 miles from Thatluang Stupa, 3.7 miles from Lao-ITEC Exhibition Centre and 12 miles from Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge. The property provides evening entertainment and a shared kitchen.

The rooms in the hostel are equipped with an electric tea pot. Featuring a shared bathroom with a shower and a hairdryer, rooms at Barn Laos Hostel also provide guests with free WiFi, while certain rooms will provide you with a balcony. All guest rooms feature bed linen.

The area is popular for cycling, and bike rental is available at the accommodation.