Vientiane 2024

A New Dawn!

Our travelling adventure began in February 2024. Quit teaching and pet-sitting, sold off most of our earthly possessions. It's surreal to think that we are doing this homeless tourist thing for 2 years. Thrilled to explore the world and wonderful things. Allows us to become more confident in stepping out of our comfort zone.

Our 1st destination is Vientiane in Laos (Vientiane –> Vang Vieng –> Luang Prabang).

Vientiane is a modest and sleepy capital. There aren't many attractions to visit. Is it worth going? The answer is YES. We felt relaxed when visiting the riverside along the famed Mekong River and enjoying Beer Lao at sunset. Can you imagine Thailand is just across The Mekong!?

The best time to visit Laos is from November to February. During these months, one can enjoy pleasant weather with cooler temperature and lower humidity.

Transportation

Wattay International Airport: is just 5.5km from the heart of Vientiane. Airport shuttle bus to town is just right outside of the airport. One way: 40k kips

From Vientiane Railway Station: Van charged 100k kips per pax in Mar 2024 to bring us to Vientiane town some 16km away.

Renting a motorbike: Riding motorbike was a thrilling experience for us. It offers the freedom to explore the country's scenic landscapes. Note that when renting a motorbike in Laos, it's a norm that the rental company keeps your original passport as deposit.

Kips Are King

Having enough cash is important in Laos as credit card use is limited to high-end hotels, restaurants and shops.

Gone are the days of bringing a lot of USD and then looking for money changers overseas with less unfavourable rates to exchange local currencies. Although we've brought along some USD for emergency use, the real life savers are our 2 multi-currency debit cards: YouTrip and Wise. Using Wise at a BCEL ATM to draw 2 mil kips was a breeze. Wise charged a percentage of conversion fee as usual and BCEL charged 30k kips for the transaction (Feb 2024). Even taking these fees into account, the exchange rate was still far better than most money changers.

Favourite restaurants:

• PVO Vietnamese Food:
  • This shop is tucked in a small street. Great selections of Vietnamese food such as banh mi, spring rolls and noodle soup. Very good food and modest price.
• Mrs. Kai Vermicelli Restaurant:
  • A noodle restaurant at a corner outside of a busy market. A variety of broths to choose from. The price is inexpensive.
• Vadee Saiykhong:
  • The restaurant is located right by the Mekong River and there is even a small beach. Its view is priceless. A delightful place to relax and have a great lunch.
• Nemsihom:
  • Nice local food, spring rolls are really good. Patronised by a lot of local people and the price is cheap.
• Tomou BBQ:
  • All-you-can-eat Laos BBQ style. We like the outdoor seating. Many locals dine there and it's cost effective and worth eating. Only 79k kips per person (no drinks included).
• Ms Pouy's Lao Grilled Meat:
  • Located in a narrow alley opposite Osaka Sushi Ramen. 35k kips per set which consists of 10 sticks of grilled meat/tendon and some veggies, rice noodle and sauce. You can make this a meal by wrapping the food together or just eat the meat to go with beer.

Cafes:

• Cafe Sinouk:
  • Nice coffee and food but a bit on a pricey side. It feels luxurious.
• Hard Rock Cafe Vientiane:
  • The atmosphere is good. 1-for-1 beer (happy hour 3pm-5pm) 25k kips for 2 beers.

Places worth visiting:

• Patuxay – Victory Monument:
  • Must see if you are in Vientiane. Worth a visit, 30k kips for foreigner or 5k kips for locals to go to the top. Visiting the surrounding area is free of charge.
• Buddha Park:
  • Motorbike ride 40mins from town. Entrance fee 40k kips per person. A beautiful and peaceful park. There are 60 statues representing Buddhist and Hindu philosophy, beliefs and stories.
• Wat Sisaket:
  • A Buddhist temple known for its unique architecture and cultural significance.
• Vientiane Night Market:
  • The night market is located in the center of Vientiane capital, next to the riverbank. Plenty of local street foods, clothes, handicrafts and even an amusement park.

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