Vientiane

Unlike other capital cities in ASEAN, Vientiane has a lovely sparse urban planning that avoids traffic jams and metropolitan noises. This city feels like your grandparents’ countryside, with warm smiles and idyllic local dishes that reflect an orchestra of multiple French colonial architecture and Lao old-fashioned temples, as well as some state-of-the-art buildings in the heart of the city.

The capital of Laos is considered an attractive spiritual tourist destination, making it popular with many people. Therefore, when visiting Laos, tourists should not miss the opportunity to visit ancient temples and unique Buddha statues.

Famous temples

Wat Si Muang

This Khmer temple is named after a young woman who sacrificed herself to protect the city from a disastrous deluge. The temple is famous for bringing luck and fortune, and many people from near and far come to pray and receive blessings from the monks.

The gold covered Buddha statue inside Wat That Luang Tai temple in Vientiane.

People at a ceremony at the Wat Si Muang Temple on the That Luang Festival in the city of Vientiane.

That Luang—the heart of the land of a million elephants

The large golden stupa in Vientiane is believed to enshrine a breastbone of the Buddha. It is the most important monument in Laos and a symbol of Buddhist religion.

Pha That Luang in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. “The Golden Stupa” is the national symbol of Laos.

Buddha Park 

This place is an outdoor sculpture park with giant sculptures of Buddha and Hindu gods, demons, and mythological creatures like a three-headed elephant that are pretty weathered, giving them the impression of being old. The sculpture garden is housed in a park-like setting with lots of trees and good views of the Mekong River.

The perfect weather makes statues at Buddha Park Xieng Khuan becoming more ancient.

Wat Sisaket

The only temple in Vientiane that still exists in its original form Its location marks the center of the old city and houses the oldest monastery in the country.

The bright Wat Sisaket to this day still embodies its ancient beauty which is surely surprising. As the French explorers when they arrived in the city in the 1860s and found Wat Sisaket standing alone, surrounded by jungle and the rubble of the old palace and temples.

Local Markets

Morning Market (Talat Sao) often focuses on classic Lao souvenirs like affordable silk scarves, healing snake whiskey, and jewelry, but it’s also a great place to enjoy a part of life in Vientiane.

People at the Talat Sao market in Vientiane.

You can easily combine a visit to Vientiane Night Market with the opportunity to try some authentic Laos food at very cheap prices. The food stalls near the market are very cheap and sell Laotian food, making this a popular place for local people to come and eat in the evening.

Crowds shops on a Temple Gate at the market at the Pha That Luang Festival.

The lively night market by night blends with the dawn create a great scene of the upbeat city and peacefulness of nature.

Vientiane Cuisine

Not only known as the country of a million elephants, Laos also conquers tourists with its unique festivals, the gentleness of the people, and a very unique culinary culture with rustic ingredients, aromatic flavors, and unforgettable taste.

Lap: Food of Peace 

This is a dish made with simple ingredients, mainly pork, beef, and chicken, chopped into small pieces. After that, they will be mixed and marinated with spices such as galangal, chili, and lemon juice in appropriate proportions. When it is done, the sausage will be stir-fried until cooked with a sweet, fragrant aroma that will fill the nose.

Savannakhet grilled chicken: mesmerizing people’s hearts

Instead of grilling the chicken in the oven, the chickens are clamped with bamboo sticks and grilled until the chicken meat is scorched and the skin is shiny and golden, emitting a fragrant aroma. They are often eaten with white sticky rice.

Klao niaw sticky rice

This is made from sticky rice with a beautiful ivory-white color. Sticky rice is often stored in bamboo and rattan baskets. When eating, visitors can hold it into small balls to eat without fear of it sticking to their hands.

Klao niaw sticky rice eaten with Lap – traditional dish of Laotian.