Vientiane, Laos
The cool, uber-relaxed capital of Laos rests on the banks of the Mekong River, just within sight of Thailand. Vientiane features an incredible collection of Buddhas, a local flavor that will satisfy the spiciest food lover, and incredibly friendly locals that will make you feel right at home.. If you’re deciding what to do in Vientiane, you’ve come to the right place!
What To Do in Vientiane:
If you’re looking for what to do in Vientiane, you really can’t go wrong. However, here are a few things that you shouldn’t miss!
What to do in Vientiane? Check out Buddha Park!
This incredible sculpture park is located about 15 miles from Vientiane, and features over 200 Hindu and Buddhist statues. Built in 1958, this is one of the most interesting things we’ve seen in SE Asia and is a must when deciding what to do in Vientiane.
What to do in Vientiane? Stroll Through the Patuxai Victory Gate!
Build between 1957 and 1968 and located in the center of town, Vientiane’s own Arch of Triumph commemorates Laos’ fight for independence from French rule. The structure is rather beautiful and should be added to the “What to do in Vientiane” list.
What to do in Vientiane? Book a Tour!
What to do in Vientiane? Browse the Night Market
This lively sprawling market pops up on the Mekong River Walk each night.. This is THE place to grab the perfect Laos souvenir. Seemingly the social center of Vientiane, the entire city shows up between 6pm and 10pm to walk, chat, and see what’s happening.
What to do in Vientiane? Admire Pha That Luang Temple
Generally regarded as the most important national monument in Laos. The impressive 148-foot golden stupa is covered in over 500 kilos of gold leaf should not be missed!
Bonus!
We’ve teamed up with GPSmyCity and converted our Vientiane travel guide into a downloadable application that comes complete with a GPS map of our recommendations and operates offline without any need of data plan or Internet connection. You can check it out here.
Getting to Vientiane:
FLY
Although generally, our preferred method of transport, flying into Vientiane is a bit expensive by SE Asia standards. Unless flying from Kuala Lumpur (about $49) or you find an AirAsia sale rate from Bangkok($45), typical direct flights run around $140. Your best bet is checking Skyscanner for the very best rates.
Vientiane Flight Deals
BUS
The trip from Hanoi has been quoted as “a hell of a journey or the journey from hell”. At 35 hours and $160, we’re guessing it’s more likely the latter. However, the journey from Bangkok is much more bearable at just 10.5 hours and $20.
TRAIN
One can expect train routes into Vientiane to be long and uncomfortable. The most reasonable trip is from Bangkok via the Friendship Bridge across the Mekong, taking only 10.5 hours for $18-$27.
Airport to Vientiane City Center
You can fly into Wattay International Airport, which is about 3 miles from the Vientiane city center. How will you get there?
From Wattay International Airport:
Taxi/Minibus
Find the Taxi Desk near the arrivals exit and purchase a ticket to the city center for about $6.
Hotel Transfer
Check ahead with your hotel or residence, as may offer free pickup and dropoff.
Getting around in Viantiane
Taxi
Generally found at the airport and in front of larger hotels, there are metered taxis in Vientiane, but most are unoffical and negotiating the fare is part of the experience! A driver and car for an entire day in Vientiane should cost about $50.
Tuk Tuk
Tuk Tuk’s are relatively easy to find throughout Vientiane. Expect those that are lined up in queues to be the most expensive and least likely to negotiate. Still, a ride from these guys anywhere in the city shouldn’t be much more that $5. Find a tuk tuk without a passenger and not in line, and try offering them half for a similar ride.
Bus
The cheapest, yet trickiest way to get around Vientiane, is by city bus. Fares generally range between 0.25-0.75USD, which is paid aboard the bus. All bus lines depart from the central Morning Market bus station. Although some signs are printed in English, your best bet is simply asking which bus you should board.
Walk
The city of Viantiane basically stretches along the Mekong River, which makes it a less than ideal walking city. Walkscore.com gives the city a score of 60, calling it “Somewhat Walkable.” Tuk Tuk’s rule the streets of Vientiane!
Where To Stay in Vientiane:
Where To Stay in Vientiane: HOTEL
There’s a nice selection in Vientiane, with four stars hotels starting as low as $33/night. When it comes to hotels, we recommend shopping Agoda.com, far and away the most competitive resource when searching for hotels in Vientiane.
Vientiane Hotel Deals
Where To Stay in Vientiane: HOSTEL
While there aren’t a number of options in Vientiane, the hostels available are highly rated and some even have swimming pools. Prices generally range from $5.00/night for a bed in a dorm-style room or $28/night for a private room. Hostelworld is our recommended resource when searching for hostels in Vientiane.
Vientiane Hostel Deals
Where To Stay in Vientiane: AIRBNB
We love Airbnb! From private rooms to entire homes, there are plenty of choices when visiting Vientiane. If you’re a first-timer with Airbnb, use this coupon and enjoy $35 off of your stay.
Where To Stay in Vientiane: NEIGHBORHOODS
Choosing a neighborhood is an important part of trip-planning that should not be overlooked! But in Vientiane, it’s difficult to go wrong. Nearly all hotels, hostels, and Airbnb’s are right where the action is, along the river. When in Vientiane, stay riverside!
Vientiane Travel tips
Vientiane travel tips: Visa
The Laos Tourist Visa fee is $35 and is payable on arrival. There’s an additional fee of $3 for the visa photo, unless you bring a passport size photo with you. Don’t have cash? No worries, there is an ATM accessible just before the immigration line.
Vientiane travel tips: Tipping
Most western style restaurants charge a 5-10% service charge, but tip bartenders $1 per drink. Tip tour guides $3-$5 per day per traveller, and drivers should get $1-$2. Tip taxi drivers by rounding up.
Vientiane travel tips: Money
The Laos national currency is the kip, and is currently exchanging at just over 8,000kip to $1USD. Although most establishments accept credit cards, they typically charge a 3% bank fee that is not negotiable. ATM machines are readily available, so when possible use cash to avoid bank fees.
Vientiane travel tips: Insurance
Traveling through Vientiane is exciting and safe, but you never know when some good travel insurance could come in handy. World Nomads offers the best coverage in the business, is affordable, and is quick to act should something go wrong. For more info, check out our recent World Nomads blog post.