Laos Cities | Towns
Vientiane
Compared to the other hectic, bustling capitals in Southeast Asia, Vientiane's deliciously relaxing atmosphere makes it feel like the small town it is. After you're done the round of temples, the best thing to do here is wander down to one of the riverside beer gardens, kick back with a cold Beerlao - the Lao national beer - and watch the sun set over the Mekong. Settled since at least 1000 AD, Vientiane became the capital of Lan Xang in 1545. Ransacked in 1828 by the Siamese, Vientiane sprung back in time to be again named the capital of the protectorate of Laos by the French, a position it kept under communist rule. Today Vientiane is the largest city in Laos, with an estimated population of 200,000 in the city itself and some 700,000 in Vientiane Prefecture. Vientiane is stretched out on the eastern bank of the Mekong River. From shore inland, the main roads are Thanon Fa Ngum, Thanon Setthatilat and Thanon Samsenthai. The central district, Chantabuli, contains most of Vientiane's government offices, hotels and restaurants. Vientiane's widest boulevard, Thanon Lan Xang, leads from here to the northeast through Patuxai, the Victory Gate, towards Pha That Luang, the most important temple in Laos.
Probably the oldest standing temple in Vientiane and among the most atmospheric is Wat Si Saket. Built in 1818 by Chao Anou in the Bangkok style and hence left unsacked when much of Vientiane was razed in a Siamese raid. Within the cloister walls are thousands of niches (6840, according to one count) housing Buddha images large and small, made of wood, stone, silver and bronze. In the center of the courtyard is a five-tier-roofed sim (ordination hall) housing yet more Buddha niches and beautiful but fading murals of the Buddha's past lives. Haw Pha Kaew is King Setthatilat's former royal temple, which housed the magical Emerald Buddha (pha kaew) after it was taken from Lanna (Chiang Mai). The Siamese took it back in 1779 - the image is now housed in Bangkok's Wat Phra Kaew - and came back in 1828 to raze the temple for good measure. The present structure is a 1942 reconstruction of dubious provenance. Today, the temple no longer operates and the interior has been turned into a small jumbled museum housing Buddha images; look out for the beautiful tall, lithe, long-armed Buddha in the hands-down "calling for rain" pose. Black Stupa (That Dam) is the mythical abode of a seven-headed dragon that protects Vientiane. Renovated in 1995 but still has an attractive patina of age. Pha That Luang. Th That Luang is the national symbol and most important religious monument, That Luang is a three-layered gilded stupa that bears more than little resemblance to a missile silo. The current version dates from 1566, although it has been ransacked and renovated numerous times since then. Closed Mondays. Vientiane's most important festival, Bun That Luang, is held here in November on the night of the full moon. There are two temples beside That Luang: Wat That Luang Neua to the north and Wat That Luang Tai to the south, both presently being renovated. Despite its small size, Wat Si Muang is very active and houses the city pillar. Followers believe that lifting the small buddha statue 3 times from its cushion means that your prayers or questions will be answered. Buddha Park (Wat Xieng Khuan) is a bizarre outdoor collection of huge concrete sculptures of Buddhist and Hindu deities and real and imaginary beasts. The reclining Buddha is especially impressive. Originally built in 1958 by mystic Luang Pa Bunleua Sulilat, who was more or less kicked out the country in 1978 and went on to establish a nearly identical park (Sala Kaew Ku) across the river in Nong Khai, Thailand. Located some 24 km from the city, it's about 6 km to the east of the Friendship Bridge - hences it's well worth visiting on the way into or out of Laos if you're crossing the Friendship Bridge, thereby saving you an extra 48 km round trip if you visit from and return to Vientiane.
A local rendition of Paris' Arc de Triomphe is Patuxai (Victory Gate). Besides the elaborate Buddhist embellishment, it differs from the original in having four gates instead of two and being just a bit higher (to spite the French). Reasonably impressive from afar, a surprisingly frank English sign inside the monument labels it a "monster of concrete" when seen up close - and the concrete in question was donated by the US, although it was supposed to go towards a new airport instead. The monument itself aside, the palm tree-lined park around it complete with fountains is quite pleasant, and you can climb up to the 7th story (stairs only) for a view of downtown Vientiane. Formerly the Lao Revolutionary Museum by name, the Lao National Museum has historical exhibits on the first floor which are fairly pathetic. The second floor, however, builds up to a fervently revolutionary pitch as it documents the heroic struggle of the Lao against the Siamese, French and American imperialists, including exhibits such as socks worn by Politburo members when they escaped from prison and Kaysone Phomvihane's chest expander. The final rooms, on post-revolutionary Laos, are mostly a photo gallery of pressing topics such as the comrades of the 7th Plenary Session of the Laos People's Congress inspecting fertilizer production processes. A guestbook regularly features amusing arguments between young western visitors on the subject of communism. Most exhibits patchily labeled in English and/or French. Open daily from 08:00 to 16:00. Bags must be checked at the front desk.
Huay Xai
Huay Xai (also Houayxay) is the capital of the Laos province of Bokčo. It lies on the banks of the Mekong river, which forms the border to Thailand. More or less a transport stop-over, there is not much to see in the small town. The immigration office is just a few metres from the ferry on the right and issues 15-day Visa-on-Arrival (a passport-sized photo needed). There's a small bank office offering change for cash and travellers' cheques just right of the immigration. Most guesthouses and restaurants in town deal in baht, kip and US dollars at decent rates. There is no way to get a cash advance in this town. There are now numerous (slow) "high-speed" Internet cafés in town. See sunset over the Mekong River from a riverside restaurant. See the view from the temple tower at the top of the hill on the main street, near the border crossing.
Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang (pronounced LOH proh-BAHNG, also spelt "Luang Phabang", "Luang Phrabang", "Louang Phrabang", etc) is the former capital of Laos and a UNESCO World Heritage city. The main road, Xiang Thong, of Luang Prabang is a wonderful patchwork of traditional Lao wooden houses and hints of European architecture - reminders of when Laos was part of the French colony of Indochine. Golden-roofed wats (temples), decorated with mosaics and murals of the life of Buddha sit under the gaze of wrap-around balconies and 19th century shuttered windows. A tourist trail is forming between the capital city of Vientiane, the small riverside village of Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, and Huay Xai at the Thai border to the west. This loop can easily be covered by combination of road and river in a week, but 10-15 days is best to fully appreciate the lush countryside, magnificent temples, and friendly people. Opinion seems divided about the boat ride between Luang Prabang and Huay Xai. Some consider it the high point of their tour of South-East Asia, but given the potentially cramped conditions for the two day slowboat ride (see below) others consider it over-hyped and worth skipping.
Haw Kham is the former royal palace. There's also sometimes local drama or dance performances in the adjacent theatre. Phou Si is the main hill, from which you have a good view of the whole area. It's quite a steep climb from the bottom, so i wouldn't recommend going up in the heat of the day - sunrise and sunset probably make both the most sensible and the most rewarding times to go up, as there is a pretty much panoramic view from the top. Vat Xieng Toung is the oldest monastery in town and one of the most beautiful. Kuang Si Falls, 29 km south of Luang Prabang is a large multi-stage waterfall system, accessible by boat or truck hire. There are food and touristy stalls outside the waterfalls. It is worth putting a whole day aside (or more) for seeing these because they are a great place just to chill out and meet other travellers. There are multiple pools at different levels, all of which seem safe to bathe in, and are extremely picturesque. Bear Rescue Center is located on the way to the Kuang Si Waterfalls, and has a bear enclosure where lots of endangered Asiatic Black Bears were rescued from poachers. There is also an Indo-Chinese tiger that was rescued from poachers and nearly died. You can also buy shirts of the Center too. Pak Ou Caves - the famous "Buddha caves" are some km north of town on the Mekong and can be reached by boat or road. Alternatively, you could hire canoes and a guide for the day. This means you both get to see the beautiful scenery and visit the caves without throngs of other tourists. It's also possible to finish the trip at the 'whisky village' where the local Laolao (lao rice spirits) is made.
Rent a bicycle (and cycle around the countryside (motorcycles can no longer be rented). It's quite easy to cycle to Kuang Si Falls on a decent bicycle, but more difficult on a single-speed bike. Check the general condition of rented bikes before setting out. There is a 'night-market' selling all the typical lao arts and crafts, some more touristy than others, every day all the main street parallel to the river. This is very pretty and worth a visit, but be warned that it packs up by about 9pm, unlike the similar markets in thailand that go on well into the early hours. The local market, on the other hand, sells all kinds of fresh (and live!) food.
Luang Namtha is the largest city in Luang Namtha Province, Laos. It lies on the banks of the Namtha river, and the meaning of the name is "The area (luang) around Namtha river". The city all tho has sites in within is generally used to go trekking in the hill tribe villages in the area. There are at least 3 Internet shops in the city all offering the same prices while K.N.T Internet offers 20% discount for more than 30 minutes. Luang Nam Tha is not a party town, Manychan guesthouse have the most action when it comes to drinking, it seems to be the most visited restaurant and many people pass by it. Seems to want to close before 23 PM, but you'll be able to overstay a bit longer. You will have to wake your guesthouse up though, as they probably have shut down already.
Muang Xay
Muang Xay also known as Oudomxay, the capital of the multiethnic province of Oudomxay, located in the Nam Ko River Basin and surrounded by scenic mountains. The town is formed by small villages at an important intersection between china and Vietnam, and the city has a get a unique multicultural atmosphere. Unfortunately the multiethnic culture of the city , made some businesses have different prices and menu for western tourist, the best thing to do when you get to a place like this (when you get a menu with amazingly high prices , though not as high as in Vang Vieng ) is to nicely walk away since the price might not really be a problem but the quality of the food you'll get probably will be (Make sure the carrot your eating is not a Chili Pepper since some places might throw whole ones into your food). Free city maps can be obtained in the bus station, with basic information and "things to do". There are three banks offices and one post office offering change for cash and travellers' cheques, BECL , about 1 km north of the bus station change travellers for 3% commission. It might be worth checking Lao Development Bank (which might offer a better value). There are 2 internet shops in the city (one located in the bus station), both offering internet for the same price per minute. Though laundry service is available in the city both laundromats in the city (one just a few meters south of the bus station) charge per item which makes the service highly expensive.
Pakbeng
Pakbeng is in Bakeo Province, Laos. This small village lies half-way between Huay Xai and Luang Prabang on the banks of the Mekong river. You will likely be in Pakbeng because the two-day boat between Huay Xai and Luang Prabang has to stop for the night. It`s also the eastern end of Road 2, originating in Udom Xai. To call Pakbeng sleepy is an understatment. It's quiet to the point of being dead. Electricity goes out at 10.30pm, when the generator is shut down for the night. Pakbeng is in the Golden Triangle, and in the midst of one of the world's drugs production areas. From the moment you set your foot in Pakbeng, you will be offered weed and opium, plus cocaine and amphetamines, the latter usually Burmese in origin. If you are stupid enough to buy anything, you are highly likely to soon be approached by a different guy with a more or less fake police badge, who apparently will give you in to the police if you don't pay. It cannot be said often enough; when in Asia, stay away from drugs!! There is nothing to see except the mighty Mekong and rural Laos life.
Pakse
Pakse is the capital of Champasak province in Laos. Pakse (pop. 70.000) is one of the biggest towns in Laos and a major transportation hub for southern Laos. If you plan to go to the Bolaven Plateau or Si Phan Don you will probably have to spend some time here.
Savannakhet
Savannakhet is a city in Laos that is a popular border town with Thailand. Worth seeing is Wat Sainyaphum, a 15th century temple located in the city. Just relax in some of the cheap cafe's around (one of which uses real milk as opposed to the ubiquitous sweet milk), maybe rent a bike and explore this little French colonial town. In the evening catch a beer by the river and take some time out from the road. Other places to check out include DinoPark, an amusement park featuring a field with huge, caricaturesque statues of dinosaurs and playground.
Vang Vieng
Vang Vieng (also Vang Viang) is a tiny riverside town located in Laos. Once no more than a bus changing station on the long haul between Vientiane at the Thai border and the World Heritage Site city of Luang Prabang, it has managed to become a destination of its own. There still isn't more to the town than three streets and a bus station, the attractions comprising the nearby river (on which there is a rope swing), laid back countryside and cave-filled rock formations. However, the backpacker scene is so enthusiastic that many people stay for nearly a week and consider it the highlight of their trip. There is one ATM that takes Mastercard and Plus cards. Otherwise you can take money out at one of the banks with a Visa card, make sure you have your passport ready and if it's not a recognized institution they won't let you take money out. There is one government office where you can change traveller’s checks and that's about it. Locals will accept Thai baht or US dollars. There's a Lao Development Bank where you can change money at a good rate and get cash advances.
The newly instituted killer pool competition at the Xaliph cafe bar finishes at about midnight, then the tendency is to migrate down to the Island Bar (really several places on a bridge across the river) offering bonfires and beer. Nearly all bars screen movies during the evening (mostly episodes of friends). Buy dinner, stay for the movie and order a milkshake. Be prepared to listen to a lot of Bob Marley, (It seems someone in the village went and bought the complete Friends box set and Bob Marley Legend and burnt copies of them for the entire town!) Hang out on the river. Play some cards. Some places will build small bonfires. Some bars near the river have DJs or at least loud music and an outdoor dance floor. This is the scene for people looking for a more ruckus time.
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Laos Travel Information has been derived in part from ‘http://wikitravel.org/en/Laos’ and is based on work by Michael Skragge, ruben, Aparna T, Stephen Atkins, John Fremlin, Itamar Berman, yoni y, jan, nang, Ryan Holliday, Mat Connolley, Joey Sheung, Brian Hnatiak, Michele Ann Jenkins, Evan Prodromou, Paul N. Richter, Yann Forget, Colin Jensen and Peter Donaghy, Wikitravel user(s) Episteme, Jake73, Thaihans, Texugo, Tniehoff, WindHorse, InterLangBot, Nzpcmad, Ront, Nikita Borisov, Pjamescowie, Bijee, Nils and CIAWorldFactbook2002 and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel.
