Vientiane: Skip It, They Said - I'm Glad I Didn't

The Penultimate Guide to Vientiane, Laos' Charmingly Sleepy Capital

Where in the World is Vientiane?

Nestled on a languid bend of the mighty Mekong River lies Vientiane, a capital city that takes immense pride in being the most relaxed seat of government on the planet. Bordering Thailand (wave across the river and someone might lazily wave back), Vientiane occupies that special geographical location best described as "Yes, this really is the capital city, I promise."

While Bangkok races toward the future and Hanoi buzzes with energy, Vientiane sips its coffee, adjusts its hammock, and wonders what all the fuss is about. Located in central Laos, this city of about 700,000 people spreads out unhurriedly along the Mekong's left bank, as if it's still contemplating whether being a capital city is worth all the effort.

How to Get There (Multiple Options, All Involving Patience)

By Air: Wattay International Airport welcomes flights from major Southeast Asian cities, though "international" here means "we have a couple of immigration booths and sometimes the air conditioning works." Expect to pay $150-350 for flights from Bangkok, Hanoi, or Kuala Lumpur, and prepare for the thrilling experience of an airport where the baggage claim and exit are essentially the same place. 

By Train: The shiny new China-Laos Railway connects Vientiane to the Chinese border and various points in northern Laos. For 200,000-600,000 kip ($10-30, depending on distance and class), experience the miracle of watching Laotian landscapes roll by at speeds that would impress your grandparents but concern your children. The gleaming Vientiane Railway Station sits inconveniently far from the city center because why make things easy?

By Bus: International buses from Thailand cross the Friendship Bridge for 200,000-300,000 kip ($13-20), providing the unique experience of standing at the border while your passport disappears with an official for an uncomfortable amount of time. A word to the wise: you'd better have a visa already or you won't be allowed to board (or they'll just leave you stranded at the border crossing).

By Slow Boat: Erm, no. For the particularly adventurous, multi-day slow boats ply the Mekong from Thailand, offering breathtaking scenery and the opportunity to develop personal relationships with every mosquito in Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, those services run between Huay Xay to Luang Prabang only.

Visa on arrival is available at most international border crossings ($40 for almost everyone, $20 for Chinese and Vietnamese, $0 for ASEAN).

Accommodation Options (From "Is This A Hostel Or Someone's House?" to "Surprisingly Fancy")

Budget: $8-20 per night gets you a bed or a room where the bathroom door is more suggestion than barrier and the Wi-Fi password is likely "12345678." But the smiles are genuine and the ceiling fans work most of the time.

Mid-range: $25-60 rewards you with actual star ratings, breakfast buffets featuring both Western and Asian options (the line between which blurs considerably), and receptionists who have mastered the art of the knowing nod when you return at 2 AM.

Luxury: $70-150+ buys you a colonial-style experience complete with poolside service, pillow menus, and the distinct pleasure of explaining to locals that yes, you really did pay that much for a hotel room in Vientiane.

Daytime Activities For The Culturally Curious And Heat-Tolerant

Pha That Luang: Visit Laos' golden national symbol, a massive Buddhist stupa that appears on everything from currency to beer labels. Entrance fee for the inner sanctum is 30,000 kip ($1.40), or 5,000 kip if you convince them you're a devout Buddhist by reciting the one meditation chant you learned at that wellness retreat in Bali. Surroundings (That Luang Park and Wat That Luang Tai) are also well worth it and free to explore.

Temple-Hopping in the Old Quarter: Vientiane's old part of town boasts a delightful collection of temples all within walking distance of each other, so in other words perfect for creating the illusion that you're culturally sophisticated on Instagram:

- Wat Si Saket: The city's oldest surviving temple features thousands of tiny Buddha images in niches along the walls. Worth 30,000 kip ($1.40) just to play "count the Buddhas" until you lose track around number 47.

- Ho Phra Kaew: Once home to the Emerald Buddha (which the Thais "borrowed" and never returned), this former royal temple now serves as a museum of religious art. The 30,000 kip ($1.40) entrance fee includes the chance to pretend you understand the significance of ancient artifacts.

- Wat Chan: A peaceful temple with beautiful murals where you can briefly escape the heat and contemplate why you didn't book a beach vacation instead.

- Wat Inpeng: Known for its beautiful wooden facade and the monks who will absolutely judge your tourist outfit choices.

- Wat Mixay: A centrally located temple perfect for when you need a spiritual moment between shopping expeditions.

- Wat Si Muang: Home to the city pillar shrine where locals make offerings for good fortune. For a small donation you can join them in requesting blessings, with success rates roughly equivalent to your horoscope.

- City Pillar Shrine: Lak Meuang houses the guardian spirit of Vientiane. Make an offering here if you want your visa extension to go smoothly or your stomach to survive that street food you just ate. 

Pro tip: A single day of temple-hopping will equip you with enough Buddhist knowledge to confidently misinform your friends back home for years to come.

Patuxai (Victory Gate): Climb Vientiane's answer to the Arc de Triomphe, built with concrete originally donated by the USA for a runway (or so the myth goes). The Laotians, in a magnificent display of passive-aggressive architecture, used it to build this instead. The 30,000 kip ($1.40) entrance fee grants you access to spectacular city views, a sort of museum and souvenir stalls selling items of questionable origin.

Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan): Located 25km from the city, this bizarre sculpture park features over 200 concrete Buddhist and Hindu statues, including a 40-meter reclining Buddha. Created by a man who considered himself a priest-shaman, it's the closest thing Laos has to an acid trip immortalized in concrete. Entry costs 60,000 kip ($2.80). Take a bus from the central bus station or haggle till you're blue in the face with a stubborn taxi driver (or use a ride-hail app, see below). Next door is a similarly named flower garden for those with a botanical fetish. Entry is 40,000 kip ($1.75). It also boasts a fancy café and traditional Lao restaurant.

New Lao National Museum (in Tha Ngon): Located about 30 minutes outside the city center, this ambitious museum complex is technically still under construction but nearing completion. When finished, it promises to be the definitive showcase of Laotian history, culture, and achievements. Even in its unfinished state, it's worth the trip to see what happens when a country decides to catapult its museum game from "quaint" to "grandiose" in one architectural leap. The journey there is half the adventure as it's a bit of a slog. Consider it a preview of what Laos aspires to become, complete with imposing facades and optimistic timelines.

COPE Visitor Centre: Learn about Laos' tragic distinction as the most bombed country per capita in history and the ongoing work to clear unexploded ordnance. It's free to enter, though donations are appreciated. Guaranteed to make you feel simultaneously depressed about humanity and inspired by resilience.

Morning Market (Talat Sao): Test your negotiation skills in this labyrinthine market selling everything from traditional textiles to counterfeit electronics that will definitely stop working the moment you cross the border. Under renovation at the time of writing (May 2025). Go shopping in the nearby fancy Naga Mall, the somewhat dilapidated Talat Sao Mall or Vientiane Center instead.

A Nightlife That's Just Getting Started

Mekong Riverside: As the sun sets, the Mekong riverfront transforms into a night market and promenade. Join locals and tourists alike for an evening stroll, street food sampling, and outdoor aerobics classes that you'll be too intimidated to join but will watch with fascination.

Samlo Pub Street: Actually named Setthathirat Street, Vientiane's emerging bar district features a growing collection of pubs, cocktail lounges, and rooftop bars. From backpacker dives serving Beer Lao for 20,000+ kip ($1) to sophisticated cocktail joints mixing lemongrass-infused gin creations for 60,000 kip ($4), you'll find your preferred poison.

Night Clubs: Venues like Samlo Club, Future, and Marina Club pump out a mix of EDM, K-pop, and Thai hits until the early hours. Expect entrance fees of 30,000-50,000 kip ($2-3) and the unique experience of watching Laotian youth transform from polite government workers by day to wild dancing machines by night.

Live Music: Several bars feature live bands covering everything from Western classics to regional hits, often with that special Laotian interpretation that makes "Hotel California" sound like it was written specifically about a guesthouse in Vientiane. I would have added Tully's Irish Pub if it wasn't so inconveniently relocated to That Luang Lake.

Extra Information That's Actually Useful

- The local currency is the Lao kip, which comes in denominations so large you'll feel like a millionaire (and mathematically, you probably will be as 1 USD equals about 20,000 kip).

- Save yourself from tuk-tuk negotiation fatigue by downloading ride-hailing apps like LOCA and inDrive. These local equivalents of Uber will get you fixed prices, air-conditioned cars, and drivers who won't take you on the "scenic route" to rack up fares. Prices are often comparable to or cheaper than tuk-tuks, especially for longer distances. There's also an electric taxi company called Xanh SM (cyan-colored Vinfast EVs) that can be booked by app.

- Unfortunately, old-style tuk-tuks are sometimes a necessary evil to get around town, especially if you can't be bothered with apps, don't enjoy walking in the stifling heat or if you're not fit enough to rent a bicycle. Always negotiate before getting in, with most short trips costing 50,000-100,000 kip ($2-4) or a multiple thereof, depending on your negotiation skills and the level of Mafia boss driving the contraption. 

- The old quarter's temple circuit can be comfortably completed in a half-day walking tour if you're reasonably fit. Start early in the morning to avoid the midday heat and the tour groups who arrive fashionably late. Renting a bicycle is actually a semi-popular way to get around for some.

- Most temples open around 8 AM and close by 5 PM, with some shutting during lunch hours. Remember to dress respectfully, so cover shoulders and knees, or risk the silent judgment of every monk you encounter plus a death stare of the person manning the cash register.

- ATMs are plentiful in the city center but charge withdrawal fees of 20,000-40,000 kip ($1.30-2.60), plus whatever extortionate fee your own bank slaps on. It's a good idea to bring some popular hard currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, CNY etc.) and exchange as you go.

- For destinations outside the city center like Buddha Park or the new National Museum in Tha Ngon, the above-mentioned ride-hailing apps are your best bet for reliable, fixed-price transportation. Bus fanatics can also hop on a bus departing from the Central Bus Station near Morning Market. Cheap but likely hot and boring.

- Lao coffee is exceptional and strong enough to make your heart question its life choices. Try it with sweetened condensed milk for the authentic experience.

- The heat can be oppressive, particularly from March to May. Plan activities for early morning or late afternoon, and embrace the Laotian custom of the afternoon nap. Carry an umbrella like a local. Don't go shirtless like a bogan.

- English is spoken in tourist areas but learning basic Lao phrases will earn you smiles and occasionally better prices. "Kobchai" means thank you.

- Many attractions close for lunch from roughly 12-2 PM because siestas are taken very seriously here. You should do the same.

When to Visit

The best time to visit Vientiane is during the cooler dry season (November to February) when temperatures are merely "warm" rather than "surface of Venus." The hot season (March to May) will have you questioning your life choices, while the rainy season (mid May to October) turns streets into impromptu rivers but brings lush greenery and fewer tourists.

Final Thoughts

Vientiane may lack the frantic energy of Bangkok or the colonial charm of Hanoi, but that's precisely its appeal. It's a capital city that doesn't try too hard, doesn't show off, and doesn't rush. In a region racing toward modernization, Vientiane remains refreshingly committed to the art of taking it easy. Don't skip it, like some feeble-minded wannabe influencers recommend. Stay a few nights and you won't regret it.

Come for the temples, stay for the riverside sunsets, and leave with a newfound appreciation for a pace of life that makes "slow" look positively hurried. Just don't tell too many people about it.

We'd hate for Vientiane to feel pressured into becoming exciting and overcrowded.

Extra: Photo Gallery here

Location: Vientiane, Laos

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