Restaurants Introduction
Vientiane doesn't look like a capital, but more like a provincial town. Streets are only partly paved, so in dry season it can get very dusty, after rain it can become pretty muddy.
Arriving at the airport
A tuk tuk from the airport into town costs 20 Baht.
Accommodation
In general, hotels in Vientiane are more expensive then in the rest of the country. It is difficult to find a budget place under 6 US$ pp.
We stayed first in the Vannasinh guesthouse at 51 Phnom Penh road. It's a very nice colonial hotel run by a friendly family who speaks English and French. A double room (with high ceiling) + fan + bathroom costs 5 US* pp. They also give good general info.
Our second hotel was the Siry guesthouse near the national football stadium. It's an old, little bit run down guesthouse. we had no contact with the owners, but the room was clean and had AC and bathroom for 5 US$ pp.
The cheapest option is a dorm bed in a nameless guesthouse on Thanon Sethathira, next to the Planet cybercafe. It costs 2 US$ for a bed.
You'll find a lot of different restaurants in all price ranges. In general the food is pretty good.
Breakfast
For a cheap breakfast, you can buy a French baguette at the market. Here, you can also find bananas or other fruits, or cheese etc..., and you can have yourself a cheap meal. A bread is 1000 Kipp, a banana the same and cheese 12.000 Kipp. Phiniphone minimarket is good for selfcatering (over Hotel Metropole on Thanon Samsenthai). There are 2 very good bakeries where you can buy breakfast:
- Healthy & fresh (Thanaon Setthathirat)
- Scandinavian bakery (Fountain circle)
- They are a bit more expensive, but they offer anything from yogurt to donuts and muffins. Expect to pay around 20.000 for breakfast.
Near the market you can find a lot of food stalls selling French paté baguettes, noodle soups and Lao style coffee.
Most of the hotels and guesthouses also serve breakfast (eggs, toast & coffee). Expect to pay around 10.000 to 15.000 Kipp pp.
A good and cheap option is also steamed rice in cocosmilk in Bombai. It's very good and sweet and costs 1000 kipp.
Lunch / Dinner
You have different options: Lao style food, Thai food, Vietnamese food, Thai food, Vegetarian food, Western food etc.... We went to:
- PVO food: Vietnamese food. It's a garage style restaurant on Thanon Samsenthai. It's good, basic and cheap. You pay around 10.000 Kipp + 6000 Kipp for a beer.
- Khop Chai Deu (Near Fountain Circle): a Lao style BBQ. It's a very good restaurant with all kinds of meat and rice. You pay around 20.000 to 25.000 Kipp pp.
- On the fountain circle there are some French-Italian restaurants where you can find pizza and pasta's. They are more expensive around 40.000 Kipp pp.
- Vegetarian food: The Taj = an Indian veggie food restaurant costing around 25.000 kipp pp.
Changing money There are different banks or official money changers, you can find some in Talaat Sao.
Changing money on the black market is best in your hotel or guesthouse. In the open air market around Talaat Sao, you can also find moneychangers, but take care.
What to do Walking tour
In a lot of guidebooks, they advise a walking tour in Vientiane. you pass some of the city's most historic attractions and pagodas. You'll see French colonial architecture and Buddhist temples.
Some of the sights are: presidential palace, Wat Si Sahet etc... You start at the Lane Xang Hotel, walk down the promenade, return through Thanon Setthathirat and end near Wat In Paeng.
Pha That Luang
This si one of the most important national monuments in Laos. It's a symbol of Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty. It's on the NE part of town, entrance is 500 Kipp, camera an extra 500 Kipp.
Patuxai
This is a large monument which looks like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. If you are stuck in Vientiane, it's worth a visit You can have a view of Vientiane from the rooftop.
Soccer game
We went to see a soccer game in the national stadium. It's quite an experience with lots of singing and dancing. Entrance is free.
Talaat Sao
Morning Market: inside you can find all kinds of different shops. It's well known for jewelry (silver), clothes etc... This is also a good place to change money officially. Outside there's a food market with cheap road restaurants. Here you can change your money on the black market, but take care while changing.
Xieng Khuan (Buddha Park)
This is a very nice park. Here you can find a couple of hundred Buddha images in all kinds off different shapes. It's a mixture between Hindu and Buddhist philosophy and mythology. Don't forget to go into the large pumpkin shaped monument. Price is 1000 Kipp, camera 500 Kipp.
You can find a bus to Xieng Khuan near the bus terminal behind Talaat Sao, but these buses fill up quickly (and in Laos full is really full !!!), so you can rent a Tuk Tuk. We payed a hefty 15.000 Kipp for the return trip. The trip takes about 30 minutes.
Getting away To the East/South (Paksan, Tha Khaek, Savannakhet, Pakse)
By plane
There are flights to Savannakhet everyday at 7.30 am. There are also flights to Pakse, see the transportation chapter for details.
By bus
You can find buses to the South on the busstation behind Talaat Sao.
The buses going to Savannakhet and Pakse are also stopping in Phoksan and Khaek.
The bustrip to Savannakhet is OK, but from there on to Pakse it gets pretty dusty and bad, but construction is going on for the moment (10/99).
Prices to Savannakhet are 20.000 Kipp and the trip takes 7 hours. Check out whether you have to purchase the tickets in advance.There's also a private buscompany to the South. You can find them near Talaat Laeng (evening market).
To the North
By plane
There are frequent flights to Luang Prabang and Xieng Khuang, and 2 flights a week to Udomxai (Muang Xai).
For further details, have a look at the "transportation" chapter.
By boat
Since the improvements on road 13, there are no longer boats between Vientiane and Luang Prabang. However, there are still cargo ships doing this trip, it takes 5 days. Prices are negotiable.
By bus to Vang Vieng/Luang Prabang
We took the bus to Vang Vieng in the busstation behind Talaat Sao. We payed 5000 Kipp pp for the 2 hour trip. The road is very good. We payed for the ticket on the bus itself. You can also take the bus to LP and then get out on road 13 near Vang Vieng.
To Luang Prabang it takes about 10 hours. The price is around 30.000. The first part of the journey is very good (same as Vang Vieng), then you have to pass some mountains. It also depends a bit on what kind of bus you have. Most of the buses to LP leave from the evening market (Thalaat Laeng).
UPDATE 2001
Transportation
Bus from / to Friendship Bridge (border with Thailand) : 1.000 Kip / person, 1 uur. Coming from Thailand, just wait for the bus !
Lodging, food and drinking
· Heuan Lao GH, beside Simuang Minimart (ask de tuktukdriver to bring you to Wat Simuang) is recommended ! 50.000 Kip for a room with bathroom and fan, 8$ voor room with airco. Elsewhere in Vientianne, they ask 40.000 Kip and more for a dirty room !
· Xayoh Café & Restaurant (see Vang Vieng).
· Around the central fountain there are a lot of possibilities to go to eat (f.i. Scandinavian Bakery en "L’Opera"). But very very very expensive ! Just buy the delicious baguettes and La Vache qui Rit in the supermarket !
Sights
Follow your travelguide ! Vientianne is very small, it,s easy to do everything in one day. I you also want to go to Xieng Khuan (park of the Boeddha’s, near Friendship Bridge and / or Pha That Luang, think about renting a motorcycle (8 $/day)…
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