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Region: Vientiane And Surrounds> Province: Vientiane>Location: Vientiane

Vientiane sights and attractions

The Lao National Museum - Well worth a look

Samsenthai Rd, Vientiane

Description
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 last 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.

Almost the entire 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.

Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 08:00-12:00 & 13:00-16:00

Patuxai - The vertical runway

Lane Xang Ave, Vientiane

Description
Not unlike the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, this large concrete monolith sits at the end of Lane Xang Avenue at the centre of a large roundabout. Completed at the end of the 1960s, it was a consignment of US financed cement that was supposed to be used to construct a new airport that was used to polish off the original -- 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.

Opening Hours: Daily 08:00-16:30

Wat Ong Theu - Temple of the Heavy Buddha

Setthathilath Rd, Vientiane

Description
Built in ate 16th century, and, like just about all of Vientiane, trashed by the Thais, Wat Ong Theu was rebuilt at the turn of the 19th/20th century. The recently-restored 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.

Wat Haw Phra Kaew - Nice grounds, interesting history

Beside the Presidential Palace, Setthathilath Rd, Vientiane

Description
Originally contructed in 1565, destroyed by the Thais, then renovated in the 1940’s, 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 -- don’t hold your breath for its return. The temple is encircled by a gallery containing 18th century bronze statues of the Buddha in various poses and whilst the rest of the articles on display might not be particularly interesting, it's worth a look-in.

Opening Hours: Daily 08:00-12:00 & 13:00-16:00

Wat Si Muang - A lovely temple

Between Setthathilath and Samsenthai Roads, Vientiane

Description
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 above story and the remains of the pillar that was 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.

Lao Traditional Performance - Worth a look

Manthatoulat Rd, Vientiane

Description
The Lao National Theatre on Manthatoulat Road, (021) 242 978, 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. Starting at 20:30 daily, except the third Sunday of each month. 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 offer a special deal, which gets you a meal and entrance to the performance for $7.

Wat Sisaket - Vientiane's oldest temple

Lane Xang Ave, Vientiane

Description
On Lane Xang Avenue 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. 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.

Opening Hours: Daily 08:00-12:00 & 13:00-16:00

That Luang - The national symbol of Laos

Lane Xang Ave, Vientiane

Description
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 the pride of Laos, its national symbol, and the biggest and most beautiful. 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 the reconstruction was undertaken by the French and today's stupa rises 45m into the sky, dazzling visitors with its tapering golden spire, and 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. While all four sides of That Luang were once flanked by temples, only Wat Luang Nua and Wat Luang Tai remain. This is the epicentre of the annual That Luang Festival.

Opening Hours: Daily: 08:00-12:00 & 13:00-16:00

Massage - Rest those aching limbs

Description
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 an hour and a half. 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, right near the Mekong. They also offer foot massages for $3, facial care at $2 for 30 minutes and 'body care' for $3.50 an hour. 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 3 hour luxury pampering for $30.

Papaya Spa - T:(021) 216 550 contact@papayaspa.com http://www. papayaspa.com.
Mixay Massage - Fa Ngum Road. T:(021) 215 576.
Oasis - T:(021) 243 579. Open daily 09:00-22:00.
The Mandarina Spa - Pangkham Road T:(021) 223 857.

Aerobics - Watch or participate

On the banks of the Mekong, Vientiane

Description
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 aerobic gear beside the exercisers.

Swimming Pools - Escape the heat

Scattered across Vientiane

Description
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 up 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 $8 and $10 respectively.

However, the best value in Vientiane is the large public pool on Ky Houng Road (leading up between the National Museum and the Lao Plaza Hotel). It is open every day from 08:00 to 19:00 and costs only 10,000 kip per person (children 5000 kip). It's clean, has a small upstairs terrace and sells drinks and snacks.

Ten Pin Bowling - Take a break from being a tourist

Various locations across Vientiane

Description
There are currently two places in Vientiane to go bowling, with the sport really taking off here. The Lao Bowling Centre is on the corner of Khou Boulom and Ky Houng Roads, (just carry on up past the swimming pool). The Alley is very professional, and exactly what you would expect to find at home. 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 provided. The centre is open from Monday to Saturday 09:00 till midnight. They are closed on Sunday. Another bowling alley has opened at 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 only 6,000 kip a game till 6pm (10,000 kip after that). Opening hours are 13:00 to midnight Monday to Thursday and 12:00 to midnight 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.

Shooting range - Go ahead, make my day

National Stadium, Vientiane

Description
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 5 .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!). They are open every day from 09:00 till 17:00.

Cinema - Not quite state of the art

Lao-ITECC centre and French Language Centre, Vientiane

Description
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. You can 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 only, of course) for 3000 kip. The notice board outside displays the titles and times.

French language centre - Learn to speak Lao!

Lane Xang Ave, Vientiane

Description
Primarily aimed at residents or long term visitors, the French Language Centre on Lane Xang Avenue 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.

Adventure Treks and Tours - Discover the real Laos

Description
The boom in the tourist industry in Laos has provided excellent opportunities to take advantage of some of the wonderful natural formations to be found around the country. Adventure trekking and other activities are really taking off and there are several tour operators who 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 1 day gentle cycling trips around Vientiane to 3 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 1 to 3 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 - Absolutely worth a look

Around 30km from Vientiane

Description
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 of the pieces make them difficult to catch. 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

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 2 hours and come back. Cheapest way is to catch the number 45 bus for 2000 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.