Review of Vientiane
Attractions

Last updated on Dec 16, 2013
All information below is subject to change

Did you say attractions in Vientiane?

During my visit in Vientiane, I did my own sightseeing. That's your best bet - it's free, a good exercise and you're the one who decides the pace!

Even better...

Rent a bike from a guesthouse/shop (10,000 kip per day) and enjoy the sightseeing by your own!!

I can tell you that ...

... I got lost twice, and found a good cafe (I like getting lost, I sometimes end up at great places)!

I stopped by Vientiane to get a Cambodian visa. I thought that I would save time at the border... and surprisingly, I did! ...Ehhm..yeah... back to Vientiane.

I told the motorcycle driver to wait for me outside the Cambodian embassy in Vientiane, so I could get a ride back to town. But guess what... he didn't wait! (well I can't blame him. The stupid visa took me over an hour to get.

So, I had to walk all the way back. And it wasn't actually that bad!

I used 3-4 hours to get to Saysouly Guesthouse (included the time I got lost of course).

I stopped by a beauty parlor near the Black Stupa (That Dam). The fascinating part about the Black Stupa is the legend of a seven-headed dragon resting here. The dragon (Naga) was supposed to protect the locals in Vientiane during the Thai invasion in the early 1800's.

Then I stopped by a large Wat garden with plenty of Buddhas sculptures, naga sculptures and statues.

Take a look at this!

After a while, I passed the Patouxai Moument which reminded me of Arc de Triomphe. It didn't give me any wow-feeling, but it was nice. I thought I was in Paris for only one second.

A quick look into its history!

Patouxai meaning "Victory Monument", is one of the most important landmarks in Vientiane.

It was built as the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, but the ornamentation is Laotian.

If you want to take a closer look, I can tell you that beneath the arc there's a doorway with staircase which leads up to the top of the monument.

And on the way up, you'll see a bazaar selling cheap clothing. I didn't buy anything there - so I can't comment on it.

The Patouxai is open from 8.00 am - 17.00 pm.

The weather and temperature was nice, so I kept strolling around.

I stopped by the Lao National Culture Hall. Or well, to be more accurate, the sight of the Culture Hall stopped me!

Your first impression will likely be: "Damn, it's tall!"

I like this type of architecture and was personally impressed by the height, the pillars and the woodcarving. It looked so elegant! I just kept taking pictures from every angle.

Lao National Cultural Hall was a gift from the Chinese to the Lao people.

The hall is apparently being used for political meetings, concerts, art exhibitions, French cinema and Lao classical dance performances.

Maximum 1500 people can get seats here and business people can occupy the conference rooms.