Vientiane holidays

Home to almost a million people, Vientiane is packed with sights and experiences. Witness the magnificent arch of Patuxai, the nation’s monument to independence with panoramic cityscape views from its rooftop platform. Find the grand golden stupa of Pha That Luang, rumoured to be the burial place of a fragment from Buddha’s breast bone. Head toward the banks of the Mekong to see the black stupa of That Dam and the gates of the Presidential Palace.

Explore the colourful complex of Wat Si Muang and the ceramic and silver sculptures beside the living monastery of Wat Si Saket. Discover the temple museum of Ho Phra Keo, or the history of Laos at the National Museum. Tour the city by bike, pamper yourself with a spa and sauna, take a cooking class, play a round of golf, or wake early to witness a Tak Bat alms-giving ceremony.

Get your bearings with a city tour then dive in and experience life like a local. Start early and bargain for the perfect souvenirs among the traditional open-air stalls of Vientiane Morning Market, or wait until sunset and jostle your way through the riverfront Night Market for artworks, handicrafts, clothes, and electronics. Wander beneath the festoon lights of Walking Street where clothing stalls sit beside street food vendors while music pumps out as you skate or spectate at the rollerblade rink.

For more relaxed evenings, find your spot among the lights, bars, and cafés of the Mekong waterfront or climb aboard a floating restaurant for a moonlight meal and a cooling drink. From November to March, river levels retreat to leave a city beach that is quickly filled with temporary bars and live music.

Discover some of Laos’ most popular attractions on a day trip or tour from your city base in Vientiane. Head to the beautiful Xieng Khuan, or Buddha Park, where the guru Luang Phu Bounleua Soulila spent 20 years filling the meadow with over 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues  Step into the National Ethnic Cultural Park to explore the traditional homes of the varied populations who have made Laos their home.

Take the kids to enjoy adventures at the mini zoo and onsite playground. Cruise, swim, or fish among the 300 islets of Nam Ngum Reservoir. On dry days, head to Nam Pien Yorla Pa for treetop adventures and quad bike tours in the protected forest along the Nam Pien River. When the rainy season comes, take a bike ride or tuk-tuk to the rapids of Tad Moun Waterfall for kayaking and inflatable rides on the quickly flowing water.

The best time to visit Vientiane is the dry season of October to March. Rainfall in these months is rare and temperatures average a pleasantly hot 25°C to 30°C. Late March to late April is the hottest time of year with afternoons regularly climbing over 35°C and days beginning to feel sticky as the rainy season approaches.

Rainfall increases throughout May and June to reach a peak in July and August before beginning to ease off again in September. Festival and event lovers will enjoy the Lao New Year festival in April, the Boun Bang Fai Rocket Festival in May or June, and the candlelight processions and fireworks of the three-day Boun That Luang Festival in November.