Things to do in Vientiane

The Lao National Museum

This two-storey colonial mansion became the Lao National Museum in 1985 and houses an interesting view of the history of Laos. The display is divided into separate departments such as culture, archaeology, history and politics, with the latter two taking up the bulk of the display.

The first rooms on the ground floor contain some Khmer sculptures, dinosaur bones, old jars, as well as dirt and rocks from Savannakhet and numerous maps indicating the mineral and natural wealth of Laos. Though the information presented is interesting, many of the displays are reminiscent of high school presentations in both scope and sophistication.

Upstairs, a newer exhibit outlines the Dutch exploration of Laos in the 17th century. Information is very detailed here and professionally presented, though it entails a lot of reading and little else. The rest of the second floor is dedicated to the struggle for Lao independence from 1893 through to 1975, although the display is very one sided. The English translations do not cover all of the Lao texts, and are more like slogans than descriptions. Note the picture of the prison labelled "One of the jail (sic) that the French colonists used to imprison the Lao people". The prison is in Luang Prabang and is used by the Lao people today to lock up other Lao people. Nevertheless the display is very interesting with some stunning photographs.

The final room on the second floor is a shrine to Kaysone, with all manner of his personal items including a spoon, a coconut he drank out of and a chest expander. There is also a section with Lao musical instruments, and a token display depicting life and dress for the ethnic minorities. The second half of the lower floor has a small display of handicrafts, a model of Nam Ngum reservoir and a hodge podge of other pieces of history. There is a small selection of booklets and souvenirs for sale in the gift shop.

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Samsenthai Rd, Vientiane
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 08:00-12:00 & 13:00-16:00

Patuxai

Not unlike the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, this large concrete monolith sits at the end of Lane Xang Ave at the centre of a large roundabout. Completed at the end of the 1960s, it was finished with a consignment of US financed cement that was supposed to be used to construct a new airport -- hence it's also referred to as the vertical runway. The views from the top are worth the climb although Vientiane does not have much of a skyline. Unfortunately it is locked up in the late afternoon which means you cannot be up there for sunset. At the top of the monument is a souvenir stall, and at the base a drink stand. The park immediately around the Patuxai is a popular place for Lao students to relax and is a good place to meet some locals.

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Lane Xang Ave, Vientiane
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 08:00-16:30, Sat-Sun 8:00-17:00

Wat Ong Theu

Built in the late 16th century, and like just about all of Vientiane trashed by the Thais, Wat Ong Theu was rebuilt at the turn of the 20th century. The wat is surrounded by coconut palms and is quite impressive from the outside, aided by its bright yellow and red colour schemes. It's very simple inside and contains a large bronze seated Buddha surrounded by smaller ones. The massive bronze Buddha was the only object to survive the Thai razing and it is the laregst cast Buddha in Vientiane. The nameWat Ong Theu (Temple of the Heavy Buddha) reflects this. Teak window shutters have recent but quite pretty carvings on them. Temple grounds contain an important Sangha school where monks come from all over Laos to learn Buddhist doctrine. Wat Ong Theu is a hive of activity during the That Luang Festival.

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Setthathilath Rd, Vientiane

Wat Haw Phra Kaew

Originally constructed in 1565, destroyed by the Thais, then renovated in the 1940s, Wat Phra Kaew was once the personal temple of the Lao king, but is now a museum of art and antiquities containing one of the finest collections of Lao art in the country. The wat is named after the famous emerald Buddha which was stolen from here by the Thais in the 18th century and is now housed in the temple of the same name in the Grand Palace complex in Bangkok. The temple is encircled by a gallery containing 18th century bronze statues of the Buddha in various poses and while the rest of the articles on display might not be particularly interesting, it's worth a look-in.

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Beside the Presidential Palace, Setthathilath Rd, Vientiane
Opening Hours: Daily 08:00-12:00, 13:00-16:00

Wat Si Muang

Wat Si Muang is a fascinating example of the way the Lao people have managed to adapt their Buddhist beliefs to fit in with the animism that they once practised exclusively. Many variations of the story behind the temple abound, but it is clear that approximately 300 years ago, Si Muang was a young pregnant woman in the local village. According to animist beliefs at the time it was necessary to appease the local spirits with a human sacrifice. Si Muang jumped down a hole in the ground and was pounded to death by the rocks thrown on top of her and a temple was built on the spot. To this day, Si Muang is still worshipped, and the Buddhist temple that stands on the spot carries her name in honour, as does the village. The temple is lovely, but not particularly interesting except for the story and the remains of the pillar built over her body -- the 'foundation stone' of the village. There is no signage to tell the story, just a pile of old bricks next to a small statue of Si Muang at the back of the temple. Entrance is free, but you have to pay for parking motorbikes and bicycles inside the grounds.

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Between Setthathilath and Samsenthai Roads, Vientiane
Opening Hours: Open daily 6:00-19:00

Lao Traditional Performance

The Lao National Theatre, presents daily performances of Lao traditional dancing. The performance runs for just over an hour, and includes Lao Loum, or traditional lowland Lao dancing, as well as representations of some of the many ethnic groups living in Laos. Tickets cost $7 per person ($4 for children) and are available at the theatre from 17:30 as well as in most guesthouses and travel agencies. Garden Fresh and Sabaidee restaurants no longer offer dinner and the show as a package deal but are close enough to grab a bite before or after.

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Manthatoulat Rd, Vientiane
Opening Hours: Mon-Sat at 20:30

Wat Sisaket

On Lane Xang Ave, just up from the Presidential Palace, is the oldest building in Vientiane, Wat Sisaket. Built in 1818 by King Chao Anou and the only temple in Vientiane to have survived the Thai invasion, it is surrounded by a roofed cloister containing thousands of Buddha statues. The temple itself has some interesting murals and some fine examples of 19th century craftsmanship. The temple complex also houses an ancient library which once held sacred documents.

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Lane Xang Ave, Vientiane
Opening Hours: Daily 08:00-12:00, 13:00-16:00

That Luang

No town in Laos is complete without a stupa or two and That Luang, found at the top of the road that runs up past the right of the Patuxai monument, is Laos' national symbol. Built in 1566 and said to contain a hair from the Buddha, it was left in ruins after repeated attacks and lootings. It wasn't until the 1930s that reconstruction was undertaken by the French, and today's stupa rises 45m into the sky, dazzling visitors with its tapering golden spire which becomes quite striking when the sun sets at the end of the day. The statue at the front is of King Setthathilath, who is reputed to have built the original stupa. All four sides of That Luang were once flanked by temples, but only Wat Luang Nua and Wat Luang Tai remain. This is the epicentre of the annual That Luang Festival.

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Lane Xang Ave, Vientiane
Opening Hours: Daily: 08:00-12:00, 13:00-16:00

Massage

A great way to relax after tramping the streets sightseeing is to pop into one of the massage houses all over Vientiane. Lao-style massage is a blend of Thai acupressure and Swedish oil massage. Traveller friendly massage places include Papaya Spa and Mixay Massage. The former is a luxurious, elegant experience where lovely staff pamper you with a variety of services in a stunning renovated colonial house. They offer Lao-style massages for 60,000 kip an hour, and Swedish oil massages for 120,000 kip for 90 minutes. They also have a sauna, facials, foot massages and leg waxing. Not as luxurious or atmospheric, Mixay massage nevertheless offers good, cheap Lao massages for 30,000 kip an hour, not too far up from the Mekong. They also offer foot massages for $3 and facial care at $2 for 30 minutes''. A couple of other places worth considering are Oasis, right across from the Tai-Pan Hotel and next to the Full Moon Cafe, and The Mandarina Spa on Pangkham Road, across from the Mali Namphu guesthouse, where you can get a three-hour luxury pampering for $30.

For a different massage experience, the forested temple of Wat Sok Pa Luang offers traditional herbal sauna and massage. A tree-house-like enclave houses both the sauna and massage tables and creates an ethereal setting in which to doze off. While being outdoors is a definite plus, it can get hot and buggy -- a pair of thin pants would serve you well. Masseurs are competent and friendly but be advised that this particular variety of massage is a bit more touchy than others. Massages are 30,000 kip per hour and the sauna is 10,000 kip for unlimited use or "buffet style", as the sociable manager Noi puts it.

Papaya Spa - Opposite Wat Xieng Veh, T:(021) 216 550; (020) 5610 565. contact@papayaspa.com http://www. papayaspa.com.
Mixay Massage - 011 Francois Nginn Rd, upstairs from Vista Wi-Fi Cafe. T:(021) 215 576.
Oasis - T:(021) 243 579. Open daily 09:00-22:00.
The Mandarina Spa - Pangkham Rd. T:(021) 223 857.
Wat Sok Pa Luang - Sok Pa Luang Rd. Open daily 13:00-20:00

Aerobics

Every sunrise and sunset a huge outdoor aerobics class pounds the banks of the Mekong. Under a high tin-roofed pavilion, the women of Vientiane work out to a highly camp collection of songs -- think Petula Clark with a techno beat. It's a pretty bizarre sight to watch 100 people grapevining and knee lifting almost in unison. If you're so inclined, you can join the class. There's nowhere to change so come prepared -- tracksuit pants and a T-shirt is fine, skimpy gear is not. Cost is 2,000 kip per person and the class runs for about an hour. Drinks are on sale along with a rack of very small-sized aerobic gear.

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On the banks of the Mekong, Vientiane

Swimming Pools and Nong Chan Water Park

There's actually quite a decent selection of places to go swimming in Vientiane. The best are undoubtedly the pools at some of the top hotels, which are open to the public for a modest fee. The Settha Palace pool is gorgeous, has beautiful surroundings and costs $7 per person. They also offer a Sunday brunch which includes a big buffet and use of the pool. The Tai-Pan swimming pool and fitness centre is open to the public for $6 a day. (They also offer longer term membership if you're planning to stay for while and want to tone up.) The latest addition is the pool at the Don Chan Palace, which is actually very reasonable at only $5 per person till 6pm, or $8 for the swimming pool and fitness centre. These are also included in their very reasonable breakfast and lunch deals which go for $10.

The best value dip in Vientiane is the large public pool on Ky Houng Road (leading up between the National Museum and the Lao Plaza Hotel). Open daily from 08:00 to 19:00, it costs only 10,000 kip per person (children 5000 kip) and is 'clean and has a small upstairs terrace.Drinks and snacks are on sale.

Newly opened Nong Chan Water Park is sure to be a great place to cool off. With huge slides -- the likes of which were previously unheard of in Laos -- it is an impressive sight on Khouvieng Blvd, near the central bus station. Joma has opened a cafe in the park to ensure good eats between the slides.

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Scattered across Vientiane

Ten Pin Bowling

Vientiane offers two places to go bowling, with the sport really taking off here. The Lao Bowling Centre is on the corner of Khou Boulom and Ky Houng Rds, (just carry on up past the swimming pool). The Alley is very professional, and exactly what you would expect to find anywhere in the West. Games cost 10,000 kip per person up till 19:00, 12,000 kip after that, shoes are supplied, and socks can be bought for 8,000 kip. Beer and snacks are also on sale. The centre is open from Monday to Saturday, 09:00-24:00. The second alley is the massive Lao-ITECC centre (about 4km out of town on the northern ring road). It's a bit smarter than the one in town, and costs only 6,000 kip a game till 6pm and 10,000 kip after that. Opening hours are 13:00-24:00, Monday to Thursday, and 12:00-24:00, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It's next to the two cinema screens in this complex, so if there's a movie on you want to see, you could combine both activities in a single trip.


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Various locations across Vientiane

Shooting range

Through a small doorway into the National Stadium opposite the swimming pool is Vientiane's shooting range. Though not as legendary as the one in Phnom Penh, you can still hone your skills with a range of pistols and rifles from Russia, Germany and the US. Prices start at 12,000 kip for a set of five .22 calibre bullets, and rise to 25,000 kip per shot for bigger calibre weapons (you can take your targets with you to show how good a shot you are).


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National Stadium, Vientiane
Opening Hours: Daily 09:00-17:00

Cinema

The two screens at the Lao-ITECC centre show predominantly Thai-language movies, but big Hollywood movies do make an appearance and at only 10,000 kip per person, it's excellent value, though the screens aren't exactly state of the art. Screenings start at 13:00 and the last one is usually around 21:00. Call the cinema on (021) 415 657 to find out what's showing and whether the movies have an English or Thai soundtrack. The French Language Centre on Lane Xang Avenue (opposite the tourist office) also has regular movie showings (French language with English subtitles) for 3,000 kip. Screenings are every Tuesday and Thursday at 18:30 and on Saturdays at 17:45.

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Lao-ITECC centre and French Language Centre, Vientiane

French language centre

Primarily aimed at residents or long-term visitors, the French Language Centre on Lane Xang Ave is still open to the public for private tuition in French or Lao. Students have access to a library and multimedia centre which has free internet and a reasonable collection of DVDs and CDs.


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Lane Xang Ave, Vientiane

Adventure Treks and Tours

The boom in the tourist industry in Laos has provided excellent opportunities to take advantage of some of the wonderful natural attractions found around the country. Adventure trekking and other activities are really taking off and several tour operators can organise kayaking, walking tours, cycling, rafting, caving and climbing.

One of the best is Green Discovery, whose office is next door to Khop Chai Deu. Prices vary according to the length of tour and the complexity of the activity but they are able to organise just about everything from 1one-day gentle cycling trips around Vientiane to three-day off-road adventures that can include rafting, caving and trekking through some really unexplored parts of the country. They can also arrange climbing courses from one to three days.

Exotissimo are another well established company specialising in adventure tours well off the beaten track. Check out their websites for the latest expeditions and special offers.

Green Discovery, T:(021) 215 564.
http://www.greendiscoverylaos.com
Exotissimo, 044 Pangkham Rd, T:(021) 241 861.
http://www.exotissimo.com

Buddha Park

For those who have seen Wat Khaek in Nong Khai, this sculpture garden may be a little disappointing due to its smaller size but it is certainly still worth a visit. Built in the late 1950s by Luang Pu Bunleae Sulilat, the garden represents a concrete meld of Buddhist and Hindu mythology on a scale only surpassed by Wat Khaek. The grounds are peaceful and there are ample photo opportunities, although the size of some pieces make them difficult to do justice to. The large reclining Buddha is one of the more impressive pieces and often a couple of monks hang around waiting to be asked to climb the sculpture to be photographed in a meditative pose. Another interesting sculpture is "Phra Rahou eating the sun and moon", but the most interactive is the giant pumpkin at the back, which has three levels said to represent hell, earth and heaven. You can climb all three levels and the view from the top of the pumpkin is worth the climb.

Most of the sculptures face away from the Mekong, hence early morning offers better light than the afternoon, although in late afternoon the trip out here is beautiful.

A handful of vendors on site sell cold drinks and fresh coconuts.

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Around 30km from Vientiane
Opening Hours: Open 08:00 - 17:00
How to get there: Most visit the park by tuk tuk, which costs about $8-10 to take you there, wait about two hours and come back. The cheapest way is to catch the number 14 bus for 4,000 kip. It is scheduled to leave the station near the morning market every 20-40 minutes, but actually waits until it is full. You could cycle to the park as the road is flat and sealed the entire way but it is about a 60km round trip. To reach the park by motorbike, follow the road out of Vientiane to the border crossing and continue along past it for another 6km. The scenery along this stretch of the river is lovely.