Vientiane is a small capital city located in Laos, just over the border from Thailand. As capital cities go, there aren’t tonnes of tourist attractions in Vientiane but what is there is unique to the city. Visiting Vientiane can be a great entry point to Loas and a stop over on your way to Laos’ tourist hot spots of Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang. Below is a one day itinerary for Vientiane for you to make the most of the city in a short space of time.
Patuxay Monument
The Patuxay Monument has become a symbol of the city of Vientiane. The archway is reminiscent of the Arc De Triumph in Paris but the information board is very clear on their differences. Unlike Paris’ monumental archway, the Patuxay Monument is symmetrical and square. It was built, surprisingly recently – in the 1960s – but has quickly become a focal point of the city. Under the arch you will find a few market stalls, unfortunately you cannot enter the building or access to the rooftop.
COPE visitor centre
The COPE Visitor centre is a unique attraction in Vientiane. The visitor centre share’s stories about COPE’s Nobel work into helping people of Laos access prosthetics. The centre shares harrowing facts about Laos was involved in the Vietnam War and subsequently became the most bombed country per capita in the world. Many unexploded bombs remain hidden across the Laotian countryside. Whilst ongoing surveys hope to identify and remove remaining bombs, COPE help those who have lost limbs from explosions. In the visitor centre, you can find our more about their stories and see a collection of homemade prosthetics.
The COPE visitor centre is roughly a 20 minute walk from the Patuxay Monument.
Entrance Fee for COPE Visitor Centre: Free, donations are welcome.
Ho Phrakeo Museum
Ho Phrakeo Museum is a former temple, now housing a museum of buddhist artifacts. This history dates back to the 1500s but the current building was constructed in the 1930s and 40s. The temple was the home of the famous Emerald Buddha for 200 years. Whilst the buddha now resides at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, there are still lots of buddhist sculptures and artwork to be found inside the museum. Personally, I found the most interesting artifacts to be the sculptures in the temple’s garden.
Ho Prakeo Museum is roughly a 20 minute walk from COPE visitor centre.
Entrance fee for Ho Prakeo Museum: 30,000 LAK (approximately £1 or $1). Women must cover their legs when visiting the museum.
That Dam Stupa
That Dam Stupa (yes, that’s really its name) is a monument said to protect the city. The ancient stupa is rumoured to have once been covered in gold but has since blackened and in parts has become a garden of moss and grass. Little is known about the origins of the stupa that has become a symbol of Vientiane.
That Dam Stupa is roughly an 8 minute walk from Ho Prakeo Museum.
Buddha Park
Buddha Park is one of the largest attractions in Vientiane. The park comprises of more than 200 statues, depicting buddha or other Hindu or Buddhist images. Some of the structures allow you to climb inside or walk up. The park also has a flower garden and cafe overlooking the river.
Buddha Park is a little way out of the city but is easily accessible by public bus. Take the number 14 bus from the bus terminal to Buddha Park. It stops right outside the park. The bus costs 6,000 LAK each way. The bus terminal is roughly a 10 minute walk from That Dam Stupa.
Entrance fee for Buddha Park: 40,000 LAK (approximately £1 or $2)
Vientiane Night Market
In the evening, take a stroll along the river through Vientiane’s night market, next to Chao Anouvong Park. Here you will find a range of clothing, accessories and souvenirs. There aren’t many food stalls at the market but between Sithane Road and the river you will find an extensive range of street food stalls.
Drinks at Tipsy Elephant
Treat yourself in the evening to drinks at a rooftop bar overlooking Vientiane and the Mekong River. The Tipsy Elephant also serves food. Prices are higher than many other restaurants in Laos but still fairly reasonable.
When to Visit Vientiane
November to April is the dry season in Northern Laos. The temperature is usually around 20-30°C (66-86°F), with December and January being the cooler months. The summer brings warmer weather but also more rainfall with June to August being the wettest months. I would suggest the best time to visit Luang Prabang is from November to March. We visited in January and had pleasant temperatures and no rain.
How to travel to Vientiane
Luang Prabang is easy to reach via train from Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng thanks to the new Laos-China Railway. You can also get most of the way there by train from Bangkok. You would need to cross the border a Nong Khai. Read all the details about making that journey here.
Vientiane has a small airport allow you to fly into the city. Direct flights are available from Bangkok, Hanoi, Da Nang, Phnom Penh and Singapore.
How Many Days to Spend in Vientiane
Vientiane is fairly small for a capital city. You can explore the top sights in Vientiane within a day or two. The city makes a great entry point for Laos before moving on to see some spectacular natural phenomena in Luang Prabang.
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