Laos forum

"Vientienne, (sic), has nothing to it."

Talat Sao,
The new China Market,
Two of the oldest and most important temples in Laos,
Buddha Park,
Side trips to Thalat and Thanon,
Some of the best restaurants in the region,
Interesting French colonial architecture,
Laos National Museum,
Kaysone Phomivan Museum,
The quaint War Museum.
Better shopping than Luang Prabang.

Yes, "nothing much to it", I guess

Btw. "It's pronounced without the 's'!" Not really....depends.

karimster

On Vientiane, I'm with Rufus on this. Like you, I loved Luang Prabang.

What people enjoy is subjective. Being a grey hair, I like history and learning/experiencing culture. But, that's just me.

There are heaps of younger people who travel that like 'adventure', parties, etc. That's cool too.

I'm sure you'd agree that everyone travels for reasons that are (largely) personal, and they (hopefully) each find enough to make their journey enjoyable.

For me, it's not the journey (though, in part, it is) it's the memories I bring away from the journey.

Cheers

I should also state the noun is frequently pronounced with an "s" by many Lao. I mistyped in the above post.

I've been trying for years to get Lao students to pronounce Laos with the 's' when they speak English - it never seems to stick.

Never heard a Lao person use the 's' when they speak Lao, and it wouldn't be correct anyway. It's only correct in English.

i thought Rufus might step in and correct the comment that Vientiane has nothing to do. and he's right. Vientiane has gotten better and better on each of my visits over the last decade.

in addition to the fun list of worthwhile stuff Rufus mentioned, i remember that on our last trip to the city we also enjoyed bicycling along the river towards the northern end of the city, buying fresh fruit from vendors and stopping for a great authentic lao meal and some delicious ice cold Beer Lao at a wooden pavilion restaurant; enjoying a peaceful Sunday afternoon at the park adjacent to Pratuxai mingling with Lao families and their beautiful children; and enjoying a Lao traditional dance and culture show. good stuff.

sorry to hear that Karimster didn't understand that Lao Kip isn't one of the world's most heavily traded currency, but at least you'll be able to use it on your next trip to Laos. for everyone else, here is the bit of advice on that subject from right here on Travelfish:

Finally, keep in mind that the Vietnamese dong, Cambodian riel, and Lao kip are next to worthless outside of their respective countries, so you'll want to spend what you've got or drop it in a donation box before you leave.

Karimster, where is Ashford? The reason I ask is that this is the first time I have heard of anyone being able to even buy Kip outside of Lao. I know certainly no one outside the country will buy it back. Btw you would no doubt have got a better deal had you bought it in the country itself. If you want to send me your unwanted Kip, I will make sure it goes to a good charity. Alternatively you could have invested it here. Currently a 2 year fixed term deposit brings 14% interest. (Yes, that was not a mistype).

Karimster

"I have around $100 dollars worth of Kip waiting for my next holiday.'

I'm fortunate living in Australia, I can and do visit SE Asia often. When travelling, I usually bring sizeable amounts of SE Asian currency home with me for the start of my next trip.

If you would rather use that $100, advertise locally. Here in Australia, there are many SE Asian expats who want their home currency to send home as presents, etc. I suggest you'd be surprised at the response.

Cheers

Wow, I really should have invested it!

I was going to try to send it to the Kingfisher Eco-lodge to share between the Elephants and the school that Massimo, the owner, helps out. Unfortunately it's proving quite tricky to find a delivery company that'll go beyond Pakse.

Karimster, do they have a PO Box in Vte? Then you could send it to them.

Don't feel bad about inadvertently ending up with Kip ... the best laid plans ...
I knew Dong is inconvertible outside of Vietnam (and have been several times) and we still ended up with some (ok, A LOT) due to the unpredictable nature of life. fortunately I know people who are headed there later this year.

If someone feels tired of Laos traditional dance, you can go to Don Chan Palace, Lao Plaza or Novotel. (Maybe MADMAC know this well :P )

Interesting post and thread. I picked up a few things I didn't know.

As for coming home with foreign money, I've been there and done that too. I've still got a few RMB in my wallet from last year, and various coins from other countries. I've found that some Korean coins work in vending machines here in the US. As soon as I figure out which ones work in the slot machines, I'll let ya know :->

It's always a rush going in when you hand the cashier a $100 bill and get like a bazillion bills in local currency, but it's also a little depressing going back out when you hand in a big wad of cash and get $13.50. I usually try to spend what I have left in the airport, and take the rest home to give as souvenirs.

Thanks for posting your views. I'm looking forward my time in Vientiane and wherever else my feet take me this year.

I'm not to hasty to give at the airport when even the airport staff advises against it. I've been approached by many scammers in the airports. On the airline is another story. I usually fly Asiana. They treat me well and I usually try to contribute to whatever they are promoting. It's a small gift on my part and large for them. Best value for the dollar on "feel goods" and you know it is reputable. Just my 2 cents.