Sunset on the Mekong in Vientiane

The Mekong riverfront is important gathering place at the end of the workday, and a stroll along here at sunset is a must for all travellers -- have a drink and some snacks as well!

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Look at photos of Vientiane’s Mekong riverside from only a few decades ago and you may be surprised to see that it was a tree-lined dirt road, home to little more than rustic shacks, outdoor patios and simple eateries. The river was higher back then, as the Chinese had yet to start their many damming projects upstream, and during wet season the businesses along Fa Ngum would flood.

Locals take to the boulevard at the end of the day. Photo taken in or around Mekong riverfront at sunset, Vientiane, Laos by Samantha Brown.

Locals take to the boulevard at the end of the day. Photo: Samantha Brown

Fast forward to 2012, when the city completed a massive redevelopment project along the riverside, literally paving the way for the future. Today, all of the vegetation has been cleared, the patios and restaurants lining the embankment are gone and the dirt road has been expanded into a two-way ... Travelfish members only (Full text is around 700 words.)

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