Vientiane Travel - Guide to the Laos CapitalTo see a Vientiane map and details of hotels and guesthouses, click HERE. Vientiane travel is certainly interesting. For many, it's the first place seen in Laos and perhaps the most apparent difference between Thailand is financial. Life is hard for many here - children living on the streets, something rarely seen in Thailand, is something you'll see. For a capital city, Vientiane is very small and it's quite pleasant to walk about the city, map in hand. The tourist 'center' is the riverfront and streets nearby - a stroll along Fa Ngum road (see map) as the sun sets is enjoyable. Food stalls share the space with (mainly) ladies doing aerobics - it's quite a hive of activity but the slow paced and broad Mekong River adds a special tranquility to the scene.
Markets abound in Vientiane, much more so than Thailand, it seems. The supermarket has yet to hit Laos. It's fascinating to just take a step back and observe the markets but it can also be sad to see as, generally, there are far too many stalls than really needed - many seem reduced to selling very little and no doubt receive small reward for their hard day in the sun. The iconic Victory Monument (known localy as 'Patuxay', meaning 'Victory Gate'), viewable right from the start of wide Lane Xang Avenue (see Vientiane map), more than a kilometers distance, is Laos' most famous landmark.
It was built in the 1960's and modelled on The Arc De Triomphe in Paris, although close up, the architecture is distinctly Laotian. The Americans gave money to the Laos government to build an airport, but the government chose to build Patuxay instead! ....For under 1 US dollar, you can climb up to near the top of the monument for great views of the city.
That Luang Stupa, at the end of That Luang Road, is a 16th century construction that is thought to contain relics of the Buddha. The chedi was actually built over an earlier, 13th century Khmer structure - it's also believed the Khmer structure was built over a 3rd Century Indian Buddhist construction! The gold leaf chedi is certainly striking - it's considered the most important Buddhist site in the country by the Laos people. Entrance for foreigners is about 1 US dollar.
The architecture of the city is heavily influenced by the French who once occupied the city. This does help to create a certain romantic feel to the city, but its stark contrast to how many live here leaves me wondering about the huge gulf between the rich and poor. Change is occuring quickly in the city. I first visited in 2003 and remember uneven and dusty central city streets, a quiet feel with relatively little traffic and many on bicycles. Skip to 2009 and, sadly (at least in terms of the visitor), development has meant noise and traffic and I no longer have fond memories of Vientiane.
To be honest, I think this is exasberated by my love of nice accommodation for a relatively cheap price! - something Vientiane can no longer lay claim to. It's a boom period for hotel owners and prices, between 2007 and 2009, have doubled in some guesthouses. Don't forget to head to this page for details of accommodation as well as a Vientiane travel map.
For many, Vientiane is intriguing initially, but having traveled around other parts of Laos and seen just how slow-paced life still is, a return to the capital isn't always relished. Check out some amusing photos of signs translated into English that I took while in the city. Also see here some more photos of Vientiane.. And here are some photos of bus prices, visa prices and train times I photographed that were advertised at one of the city guesthouses, just to give you an idea of travel and visa costs in the region. A few handy Laos words: Hello: Sabai dee Thank you: Khob chai How are you: Sabai dee bor?
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