Buddha Park, Vientiane
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The most outstanding ones include Indra, the king of Hindu gods riding the three-headed elephant (aka Erawan and Airavata), a four-armed deity sitting on a horse and an artistic deity with 12 faces and many hands, each holding interesting objects.
Highlights – This explains why his park is full not only of Buddha images but also of Hindu gods as well as demons and animals from both beliefs.
Location – Vientiane Capital
Opening Hours- 8am to 4pm
Rent a bicycle and explore the country side
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All can be configured for luggage and 2-up riding. With hundreds of kilometers of mountains, coastline, jungle, rice paddies and history, the Ho Chi Minh Highway is one of the world’s great motorcycle adventures. Rent A Bike Vietnam has rental shops in Hanoi and Danang. Work with our specialist to arrange drop off in any city with a train station. 24/7 roadside assistance in English. Genuine Honda and Yamaha motorbikes maintained with authentic manufacturers’ parts. Full range of motorbike equipment and gear for your comfort
Highlights – Biking, Tandem, Electric Golf Cart, Electric Scooter
Black Stupa (That Dam)
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During the Siamese-Laotian war in the 1820s, the gold was pillaged and taken to Siam, now Thailand, leaving the legacy that is the black stupa today. Known as the ‘Black Stupa', many locals believe this mythological structure was once inhabited by a seven-headed dragon (now dormant) that stood to protect the city from the threat of the Siamese.
Highlights : Known as the ‘Black Stupa', many locals believe this mythological structure was once inhabited by a seven-headed dragon (now dormant) that stood to protect the city from the threat of the Siamese.
Location: Chantha Khoumane Road, Vientiane
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- 8H
- Vientiane
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- 1D
- Vientiane
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- 3H
- Vientiane
Patuxai Victory Monument
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Highlights: Patuxai was built between 1957 and 1968 using funds from the U.S. government.
Opening Hours: From 08:00 to 16:30 on Mondays to Fridays, and 08:00 to 17:00 on Saturdays and Sundays.
Location: Patuxai is situated at the far end of Thanon Lane Xang in the government and diplomatic district. The monument sits on the large ‘island’ formed where the avenue splits into two, opposite the Ministry of Justice to the south and the Prime Minister’s office to the north.
Vientiane - Pha That Luang
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Despite looking like a shopping mall in a provincial town rather than the flagship shopping destination of a capital city, Talat Sao mall is still a breath of fresh, air-conditioned air to many tourists battling with the tropical heat outside. There are a range of shops and services for tourists to enjoy over five floors, including a Big C supermarket, a three-screen cinema, a children’s play area with plenty of arcade games and flashing lights, and a food court on the fourth floor.
Location: Vientiane , Laos
Opening hours: 8am-noon & 1-4pm Tue-Sun
Wat Ho Phra Kaew
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Highlights – The interior of the temple is now a museum that houses many Lao treasures such as a gilded throne, Khmer Buddhist stone tablets, wooden carvings, bronze frog drums and palm-leaf manuscripts.
Opening Hours: The temple is open from 08:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 16:00 every day.
Location: Wat Ho Phra Keo is situated on the corner of Thanon Setthathilath and Thanon Mahosot. It is next to the Presidential Palace and across the road from Wat Si Saket. Mahosot Hospital is on the opposite side of Thanon Mahosot.
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- Vientiane
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- 3H
- Vientiane
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- 7H
- Vientiane
Wat Sisaket
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If visiting the temple early in the morning, visitors will come across the many locals that go to pray and make merit as well as to offer food to the monks. It is a charming daily ceremony to witness. The temple is quite shady as it is surrounded by tropical fruit trees.
Highlights – Wat Si Saket is not only famous for the interior walls of the cloister but it also has beautiful architecture and layout with history dated back to 1818.
Opening Hours: Daily from 08:00 – 16:00
Location: On Lan Xang Road (across the street from the Presidential Palace), Vientiane
Houey Hong Vocational Training Centre for Women
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Together with the job placement programme, it hopes to help generate income for people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Situated seven km from Vientiane city centre in a Houey Hong Village, Chanthabury District, the centre is surrounded by a pleasant garden.
Highlights: The sporadic nature of its funding means that the centre has to support itself and it does so by selling crafts made on the premises and offering tailoring services.
Opening Hours: Monday through Saturday 08:30 – 12:00, 13:30 - 16:30
Location: Houey Hong Village, Chanthabury District
Go Shopping in the Night Market
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Newer and larger night markets are opening in Vientiane every year, and there's none bigger than the original Rot Fai Market in the east of the city, although the old classics still prove popular, such as Patpong Night Market. A handful of local night markets have been popping up around the city too, great for vintage fashion fanatics or anyone looking to mix in some cheap eats or some evening drinks with their after dark retail therapy.
Highlights – Temple Street Night Market is an enduring example of the theatre and festivity of a Chinese market. And it’s on show nightly.
Location – Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon
Phou Khao Khouay National Park
It is the closest National Park to Vientiane, but ironically it can feel like one of the least accessible to the average traveller. Sights within the park are sprawled out and the tourist heyday has come and gone, with many of the once highly touted activities and accommodation set up to be the next big thing now dead or crumbling. Still, the park remains an amazing swathe of nature less than two hours away from the rapidly developing capital city.
Highlights – Bolikhamxay, Khet Phiset Xaisomboon (Special Zone), Vientian Prefecture, Vientiane Province
Location – Vientiane
Lao Herbal Steam Sauna And Massage
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The traditional massage and herbal sauna experience at Wat Sok Pa Luang isn’t for everyone as the facilities are basic, on the other end of the spectrum to a fancy hotel spa treatment, without the sycophantic staff or exclusiveness. But what you do get is the most authentic experience, with true Laotian hospitality and massage beds so close to the forest you can reach out and touch it.
Highlights – Herbal Steaming, Lao Traditional Massage
Opening Hours: 13:00-20:00 daily
Address: Sok Pa Luang Road
Price Range: Massage - 35,000kip ($US4) Sauna - 15,000kip ($US1.5)
Wat Ong Theu
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Though the temple is not the most spectacular, its central downtown location makes it a convenient place to go for a meditative stroll. The wat is home to Sangha College, which was first established in 1929 by Prince Phetsarath and Somdet Phra Loukeo Outhen Sakda, head of the Lao sangha and Governor of Vientiane.
Highlights – This temple is one of the most important in Laos, Rebuilt in the early 20th century.
Location – Vientiane , Laos
Wat Sokpaluang
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The traditional massage and herbal sauna experience at Wat Sok Pa Luang isn’t for everyone as the facilities are basic, on the other end of the spectrum to a fancy hotel spa treatment, without the sycophantic staff or exclusiveness. But what you do get is the most authentic experience, with true Laotian hospitality and massage beds so close to the forest you can reach out and touch it.
Highlights – Healthy herbal sauna Lao-style, in the leafy grounds of Wat Sok Pa Luang.
Location – Vientiane , Laos Opening
Hours: 1pm to 7pm
Lao Textile Museum
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There is also a studio where they produce silk pieces for their shop and a glossy cultural education centre with professional displays on natural dyes and indigo pots (clearly there has been NGO funding and involvement). The educational centre is largely used as a showroom for large tour groups and it isn’t an active, working, living craft centre you can just drop in on.
Highlights – The museum also offers Lao cooking classes, although these didn't yet appear to be up and running during our visit, and on Saturdays, lessons on traditional Lao mus
Location – Vientiane , Laos
Prices: Admission 30,000K
Opening Hours: 10am to 4pm
Mekong Riverside Park
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Products on offer are fairly typical of night markets throughout the region. You will find a predictable array of Buddhist-inspired paintings and knickknacks, cheap sunglasses, and Beer Lao T-shirts. The clothes stalls tend to be geared towards the backpacker market with fishermen pants and one-size-fits-all dresses and skirts.
Highlights – Built in 1958 by Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat, the three-headed elephant (aka Erawan and Airavata)
Location – Night Market Quai Fa Ngum Vientiane Laos
Best time to visit: 6pm to 7:30pm
COPE Visitor Centre
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As part of the exhibition you can watch a number of excellent documentary films about UXOs and COPE. Inside the COPE Visitor Centre you will find our gift shop where you can purchase t-shirts, postcards, and other items or simply make a donation. You can also enjoy custom made ice cream and hot and cold drinks at our Karma Cafe.
Highlights – Explore the free exhibit, Purchase unique gifts or make a donation Location – Boulevard Khouvieng, Vientiane, Laos
Opening Hours: 9am to 6pm
Wat Si Muang
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During the That Luang Festival every October or November, this temple is one of the focal points of the celebrations, and Si Muang is fêted as a guardian of the city. On a daily basis, Wat Si Muang attracts crowds of local Buddhists who want to benefit from its ‘good luck’ powers.
Highlights – This temple is more interesting for its story than for its architecture.
Location: Wat Si Muang is located at the eastern end of Thanon Setthathirath, in the triangular area formed just before the street merges with Thanon Samsenthai and turns into Thanon Thadeua.
Opening Hours: The temple is open from 06:00 to 19:00 every day