Here’s a movie about Vientiane. This movie will give you a quick impression of the destination. The movie is produced for IFLYtheworld.com by bluepig.nl.
IFLY tips
Kualao Restaurant (2 hrs)
In the heart of historic Vientiane is a great restaurant where you can eat great Lao food. The food they serve in Kualao restaurant is real traditional food.
They are open for lunch from 11 am to 1:30 pm. Dinner is served from 6 to 9:30 pm. During the dinner there’s a Lao music and dance show as well.
The address is 141 Samsenthai Road. More information about the restaurant can be found here.
Patuxai arc de triomphe (1 hr)
One of the most prominent landmarks of Vientiane is the building called Patuxai. Here you can really see the French influence in this city. Although bearing a general resemblance to the Arc de Triomphe, in Paris, it is typically Laotian, decorated with many Kinnari figures.
This memorial monument was completed in 1968. It is dedicated to those who fought in the struggle for independence from France. Sad thing is they don't really maintain the building, like most buildings and monuments in Vientiane.
Energetic visitors can climb to the top of the monument, which reveals an excellent panoramic view of the city. Inside the building is, surprisingly, a tourist market. The entrance fee is 3000 Kip. It is open daily from 8 am to 4:30 pm.
Buddha Park (½ day)
Buddha Park was built in 1958 by Luang Pou Bounlua Soulilat and contains a collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures, scattered amongst gardens and trees. The park was built about 28 kilometres south of Vientiane at the edge of the Mekong River.
Many tuktuk drivers will offer you a ride to this park. This will cost you approximately 200000 Kip for one to three passengers. The drive will take about 1 hour. The entrance fee to the park is 3000 Kip.
It’s fun to do by tuktuk, nevertheless we advise to make this tour by car. During the ride to the park you will pass the Thai-Lao friendship bridge as well, where you can enter or leave the country.
Night Bazaar
During daytime, Fa Ngum Road, the Mekong River promenade is a bit dull place. At night this is a great place to go, while there’s a wonderful night bazaar.
This is the place to buy your souvenirs. Make sure you get a great bargain. You will find a lot of nice food stalls here as well, so before or after shopping you can enjoy a cold Beer Lao and delicious and cheap food in the street.
Talat Sao Morning market
Talat Sao is a market in Vientiane, which is often called morning market. This name is wrong, as it is open from 9 am to 4 pm. But tell your tuktuk or taxi driver to bring you to ‘morning market’ and they know where to go.
You will find a large collection of indoor stalls selling pretty much anything. There are two floors: the first floor sells mostly textiles, electronics, and watches; the second floor has clothing, gold, and jewellery. Of course you have to bargain here as well.
It is located at the corner of Thanon Lane Xang and Thanon Khu Vieng.
Cho Noong Chan Market
If you like to see a real local market in Vientiane, you have to go to Cho Noong Chan Market, nearby Vientiane bus station. This is a crazy place where you will find everything the Lao people need for their daily life.
There are hundreds of small shops and stalls selling food, household stuff, flip-flops, well, about anything. It’s not really hygienic, but great to see.
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Language of the world
Of course you like to speak a few words of the local language onboard the plane or at your destination. Here you find some simple basics of the main language spoken in Vientiane.