Things to do in VIENTIANE
Below are a few places we visited when in Vientiane:
Patuxay Monument, Chanthabuly
Patuxay Monument is an arch monument built to celebrate independence from France in 1949 as well as commemorate the lives lost in World War II. Resembling the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, this monument is slightly taller with a Laotian twist. Funded by the USA, the idea was for Laos to expand the airport to be used as a US fighter base for the American/Vietnam war, but the Laotian government had other ideas to create this beautiful bit of history in the centre of the city.
Wat Si Saket - Temple/Museum, Chanthabuly
8am-12pm & 1pm-4pm
Dress Code: Must have covered shoulders and knees. Remove shoes before entering the temple and place them on a shoe rack.
Wat Si Saket is one of Vientiane’s oldest surviving temples and monasteries. Working primarily as a monastery, it also works as a museum. We did not go into the museum itself, but it is said to house a large collection of Buddha statues and images. If you take a stroll around the grounds, you will also be able to see rows of stupas or grave stump for the deceased who were devoted belivers.
COPE Visitor Center - Museum, Chanthabuly
8:30am-4pm
COPE Visitor Center is a museum displaying the repercussions of the America/Vietnam. The organisation aims to support people with mobility and loss of limbs due to unexploded ordnance (UXO) exploding. The museum exhibits an array of retrieved bombs, prosthetic limbs and images of the trauma caused. It is a super informative and eye-opening insight into the daily dangers for the majority of Laotian people. This most definitely is a must see!
Haw Phra Kaew/Ho Phra Keo - Temple/Museum, Chanthabuly
8am-12pm & 1pm-4pm
30,000LAK
Dress Code: Must have covered shoulders and knees. Remove shoes before entering the temple and place them on a shoe rack.
Haw Phra Kaew is another beautiful temple with a golden exterior and an entourage of statues. Originally built for Lao royals and to protect the famous Emerald Buddha, its current purpose is to preserve and display religious artefacts.
While you are visiting, take some time to walk around the garden to view the artwork on display.
Vientiane Night Market, Sikhottabong
6pm-10pm
Vientiane Night Market is a huge local market on the bank of the Mekong River looking out to Thailand. Stalls of all types can be found; from football tops to electronic accessories to trainers. As this market is aimed at locals you may not be able to find many souvenirs but you can buy the odd art print and key chain. If you want to stop off for a bite of food, behind the market is a small food area where you can buy cheap dinner or a little further up you can get a selection of great restaurants.
Pha Tich Temple, Chanthabuly
Dress Code: Must have covered shoulders and knees. Remove shoes before entering the temple and place them on a shoe rack.
Pha Tich Temple is a Vietnamese Buddhist temple designed for the large Vietnamese population in Vientiane. It is a very serene and beautiful temple with an obvious difference in architecture - one being that it is actually a pagoda. On entrance, you will see two statues guarding a gateway, a trio of white Buddha statues and banners decorating the area. If you are lucky you may even hear monks and novices practising their prayers.
SUGGESTIONS
Below are more activities to look forward to while in Vientiane:
Buddha Park, Hadxayfong 8am-5pm 15,000LAK per person
Buddha Park is a park, as the name states and houses a wide variety of statues – both Buddhist and Hindu. Some are sculptures that protect a collection of statues while others sit open to view. For locals, the park is referred to as ‘Spirit City’ and is a holy area to come and pray. For tourists, it is an area to appreciate the religious beliefs of the locals as well as posing as an art installation. Do know that this is quite a bit outside of the main city, so some mode of transport needs to be considered.
Pha That Luang - Pagoda, Xaysetha 8am-12pm & 1pm-5pm Price Unknown Dress Code: Must have covered shoulders and knees. Remove shoes before entering the temple and place them on a shoe rack.
Pha That Luang is a golden-covered monument built to signify Vientiane becoming the capital in the 16th century. Translating to ‘The Great Stupa’, this impressive site is said to enshrine a sacred relic of Buddha in addition to housing a vibrant interior design. This stupa, central to the large complex, is surrounded by three levels of stoned walls, gates and multiple smaller stupas forming a pyramid-type shape.
Wat Sok Pa Luang, Sisattanak
3pm - Saturday
Dress Code: Must have covered shoulders and knees. Remove shoes before entering the temple and place them on a shoe rack.
Wat Sok Pa Luang is a small temple that interacts with tourists slightly differently than most other temples. It offers weekly meditation sessions run by monks and novices as a way of connecting with tourists and providing insight into the religion. Prior to any meditation, they will spend at least an hour talking and answering any questions, while giving them the opportunity to learn English and improve their language skills.
Patuxay Monument
Accommodation in VIENTIANE
Below are three different accommodations we had the pleasure of staying in during our time in Vientiane:
Patuxay Place, Chanthabuly - GREAT
Pros:
- Cheap as chips
- Great location
Cons:
- Rubbish view
- No elevator
= £21.98 per night
Viryla Boutique Hotel, Sikhottabong - GOOD
Pros:
- Spacious room
- Close to river and night market
Cons:
- Breakfast noise heard from room
- No vibe
= £20.10 per night
SYRI Guesthouse, Chanthabuly – Good
Pros:
- Spacious room
- Good faciltities
Cons:
- Poor wifi
- Open bathroom so no privacy
= £19 per night
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