Itchy Toes Adventures: vientiane

Showing posts with label vientiane. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Living the Life in Laos! (Part 2): Colors of Vientiane!

- November 23, 2025, Sunday.

- Even as a "sleepy capital", Vientiane is bursting with colors! Like neighboring Thailand, much detail is always present in many buildings, old or new.

- My first agenda for the early morning was visit to Pha That Luang, one of Vientiane's must-sees and one of the city's most significant religious landmarks. Known for its bright golden color, it traces it roots possibly to the 3rd century BC when the Buddhist missionaries sent by India's Ashoka the Great brought a Buddhist relic that is believed to be in this stupa. It has been destroyed and rebuilt many times since then, but it remains to be an emblem not only of Vientiane, but also of Laos.

I would only read about his in books, or see in photos and videos. Never thought I'd get to see this eventually.

I was there really early, around 20 minutes before opening time haha.

I'm finally here!! Can you see how golden it is!!

Took all the photos I could.

I was about to leave when I decided to take this not-too-common angle.

With the sun.

- I returned to the hotel to have my breakfast before going to the newly-opened Lao Art Museum. Opened in January 2025, this is Vientiane's newest art and tourist hub. It boasts Lao wood carvings, mostly Hindu-Buddhist in nature. Located in Nonsa-at Village, it is roughly 20 kilometers from the city center. More than a museum, it is currently expanding to have a hotel, more restaurants, and other recreational areas.

View of the museum....which you can only reach after riding a shuttle or walking some distance from the ticket office. The museum appears "floating" on water.

The main atrium with stunning pillars and ceiling.

Gallery for Buddha sculptures.

Another look at the atrium before moving to the next hall.

Screens, wall decors, and other Buddha statues.

The basement level has the biggest group of galleries.

Most of these wood sculptures are life-sized. Some have information explaining the sculpture, others not much.

I love this giant wooden peacock.

- I took my lunch at the museum's restaurant as it was noon, and I wasn't sure if it would be easy to find a ride back to the city center (thankfully it was!) Once I arrived back in the city, I visited Wat Inpeng. Wat Inpeng, attributed to the Hindu god Indra, is actually a Buddhist temple. Although built in the 1500s, its location has been a religious site since the 3rd century AD. It is recognizable for its bright green facade bearing a blend of Lao, Thai, and Khmer architectural influences.

Wat Inpeng. The temple wasn't open so I couldn't go inside. I think it's closed most of the time since I don't see other tourists being able to go inside too. It does look stunning from outside!

- A few steps away from Wat Inpeng is Wat Ong Teu. Built in the 1500s, it houses Vientiane's biggest Buddha. The Buddha is made of bronze.

Wat Ong Teu.

Vientiane's biggest statue.

I passed by the Mekong River on the way back to the hotel. I just want to show how unique this part of the river is: the river is shared by two countries. The buildings on the other side of the river belong to Thailand's Nong Khai province.

- After having some time to rest and cool off at the hotel, I met my friend Kim for a sumptuous traditional Lao dinner! I specifically asked her to bring me to a Lao restaurant because I wanted to taste proper Lao food. Lao food has lots of vegetables too, which is good! We had dinner at a local restaurant called Han Sam Eauy Nong - Three Sisters, which was close to Wat Ong Teu.

We had chicken larb, som tam (papaya salad), Luang Prabang salad, sticky rice, and a seemingly lifetime supply of vegetables!!

Can we please not wait for ten++ years before meeting again?

Walked back to the hotel, passed by Ho Kang Temple again, and they had another Teochew opera show that night.

- My two-day stay in Vientiane might be more than enough for some people who treat Vientiane more as a stopover before heading towards the provincial cities of Laos. However, Vientiane has a lot of fun and interesting things to explore, tucked in its sometimes-disturbing quietness. It would be nice to have a day or two explore more of Vientiane!

** Check out my other adventures in Thailand and Laos here!

THAILAND:

Part 1: Wat Saket and Dog Cafe - here

Part 2: Kanchanaburi - here

Part 3: Maeklong Railway Market, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market - here

Part 4: Phetchaburi and Hua Hin - here

Part 5: Wat Paknam, Capybara Cafe, B Story Cafe, Madame Tussauds - here

Part 6: Chulalongkorn University - here

LAOS:

Part 1 (Vientiane): Patuxai, Buddha Park, and Vientiane's Temples - here

Part 3 (Luang Prabang): Royal Palace, Phousi Hill, Night Market - here

Part 4 (Luang Prabang): Kuang Si Waterfalls, Pak Ou caves - here

Part 5 (Luang Prabang): Sai Bat, Wat Xieng Thong, and Other Temples - here

Part 6 (Luang Prabang / Bangkok): Sai Bat Again, Some Temples, Bangkok Jodd Fairs - here

Living the Life in Laos! (Part 1): Vientiane Basics!

- November 22, 2025, Saturday.

- OMG I'M IN LAOS!! And the reason why I'm so happy to say this is because it has been in my radar for so so so so many years, but it is only now that I had the chance to visit it. It's not too far from Manila, though the lack of direct flights to Laos may have discouraged me to visit the country (if not as a side trip from Thailand or any nearby Southeast-Asian country.) Plane fares and waiting times while on transit in a third country are often long. Options going to a further country like India were often cheaper. However, plane options going to Laos from Manila are better now (price and schedule-wise), at least based on what friends have told me.

- I took an AirAsia flight from Don Mueang International Airport (my first time in this airport too!) going to Laos' capital city of Vientiane (pronounced correctly as "vieng-chan"). It was a short one-hour flight from Bangkok, and one nap later I was already hovering above the endless picturesque mountains of Laos until I reached Vientiane.

- Public transportation isn't the best in Laos, so some ride-hailing mobile apps are available in most major cities such as inDrive (but only with VPN!), Loca (local Lao ride-hailing app), or Kokkok (I didn't use this though). I took an inDrive car from the airport straight to the city center, which wasn't far away. I stayed at Peaceful Hotel, between the downtown area and the Patuxai monument. I think it had a nice location at a slightly quieter (but still central-ish) part of the city.

My room was unusually huge. I love it for what it is, and I also understand that the hotel hasn't been open for a year so they're still expanding (but I had a wonderful stay!!)

I late realized, based on the hotel's buildings....that it used to be a school!! Hahahaha. And my unusually huge room was a classroom!! -- My work follows me everywhere hahahaha. (I asked the hotel staff by the way, and they confirmed my suspicions.)

- I was allowed to check-in really early so I was able to freshen up and walk all the way to the Patuxai Monument. Also called the Victory Monument or Victory Gate, it was finished in 1968 to celebrate Laos' victory from France. (Ironically, it looks like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France.) Visitors may go up the monument and see some exhibits and information about the monument, and the view of Vientiane at the roof top.

That Dam, or Black Stupa, located near my hotel. It is estimated to be 500 years old, and is believed to house a 7-headed naga (mythical serpent) that protects the people of the city.

Saw this nice mural! (And yes, a good way to be welcomed to Laos!!)

Patuxai!

Artwork underneath the monument. It bears mythological figures.

Slightly Zoomed out.

AT the rooftop.

The highest point of the monument.

From the second level.

From the side.

From across the street. (You'll see the Lao flag, but also the communist flag. Laos is a one-party communist state by the way.)

- On the way back to the hotel, I passed by Talat Sao to find myself some Lao scarves and a Lao traditional shirt. Talat Sao is the morning market, which in recent years has taken the appearance of a mall. It doesn't feel too much like a local market anymore, but it does seem more convenient as stores appear more organized (haggling is also permitted!!) The indoor market has souvenirs, Lao traditional clothing, fabric, modern clothes, food, and more!

I was slightly confused because I found photos of Talat Sao as an actual market, only for me to realize that this isn't the case anymore since this mall was built.

The mall looks big but I saw that the upper floors didn't seem to have many stores. So I stayed at the ground floor. There was a basement level but didn't get to check that out.

There are many store like this one, selling Lao traditional fabrics and clothes.

I love traditional Lao woven fabrics because of how colorful and intricate the designs are.

This is how the market/mall looks like.

- I freshened up a second time after walking quite a but, and changed clothes, before going to Buddha Park, which is quite far from the city center. Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan), opened in 1958, was built by Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat who designed the Hindu-Buddhist statues in the park. Though not a proper temple as it is more of a sculpture park, it does inform people about spirituality to some degree. It reminds me of Bahay na Bato in La Union here in the Philippines (see here).

This big reclining Buddha is one of the park's most recognizable statues.

The sphere of life. (Not sure how to call it; other websites call it a pumpkin or turnip haha.)

Inside this sphere (or pumpkin, or turnip) has three levels representing hell, earth, and heaven.

The top level, representing heaven, gives visitors a view of the whole park.

This is another recognizable Buddha statue in the park, with many heads and hands.

This is Inda, on his elephant.

This is Shiva.on his bull, Nandi.

- My InDrive driver, who was kind enough to wait for me since it may be a bit difficult to get a car to back the city, brought me to my next destination, which was the COPE Visitor Centre. COPE (Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise) was established in 1998 to help victims of landmines and explosives in Laos. These explosives have been around since the Lao Civil War from the 1950s to 1975, which was in relation to the neighboring Vietnam War. The visitor centre was opened in 2008 to help spread awareness of COPE's projects and the effects of the war.

COPE Visitor Centre (the centre also has a local restaurant at the gate, where I had a simple lunch.)

Bombs.

COPE has been providing so much help to these people.

They provide prosthetics, physical therapy, and other forms of aid for these victims.

- Just around the corner from the visitor center is Wat Si Muang. Built in the 1500s, making it one of the oldest temples of the city, the temple was named as such because a pregnant lady named Si Muang sacrificed herself to save the city. Back then, workers made a hole in the ground hitting a water source, which led to the city at risk of being flooded. To appease the gods, Si Muang jumped into the hole and the sacred pillar that appeared from the hole held her spirit, now revered as a guardian of the city. Hence, the main prayer hall at the back has a pillar instead of a Buddha statue.

Wat Si Muang.

Front hall, with Buddhist monks talking to devotees. and praying over/with them

Back hall with the sacred pillar.

Temple entrance.

This isn't Wat si Muang anymore, but I passed by this while walking on the way to the city center.

The photo above was from this, and this is called the City Pillar Shrine (Hor Lak Muang). This was completed in 2012.

- Walking back to the center, I stopped over Ho Phra Keo, built in 1565 originally as the home of the Emerald Buddha, now in Bangkok's Royal Palace in Thailand. Since the 1970s, the temple was converted to a small museum dedicated to Buddhist artifacts (photos not allowed inside).

Ho Phra Keo Museum.

- Right beside Ho Phra Keo is Wat Sisaket. It was built in the 1800s by King Anouvong, the last king of the Kingdom of Laos. The temple survived the Lao Rebellion headed by King Anouvong in an attempt to assert Lao identity and sovereignty, even though the Siamese destroyed Vientiane. This makes Wat Sisaket the oldest-standing temple in its original form (there are older temples standing in Vientiane like Wat Si Muang, but they are not in their original appearance anymore). The temple is also recognizable for its cloisters that house a few thousand Buddha statues.

Cloisters.

It was a bit difficult to get a photo with the cloisters because of random pillars and other artifacts.

See the details of Buddhas.

Another photo with the cloisters.

Main hall or "sim".

Passed by the Presidential Palace. It was intended to be a royal residence when it was being built in the 1970s, before the Pathet Lao took over the government and arrested the former royal family. The building, finished years later in 1986, became a government function hall.

The Patuxai seems to look a lot better from afar.

- I had to rest my legs for a while before seeing Vientian's nightlife. I guess I was in a quiet part of town....or it's just that Vientiane was so quiet because many times I felt like I was the only person walking, even during daytime. The quietness can get eerie or unsettling at night. But as I made my way towards the night market in Chao Anouvong Park, I felt comfortable seeing more people even though majority of them were tourists.

- The night market has two parts (?). The main market is in the middle of Chao Anouvong Park, closer to the Quai Fa Ngum Street side. This is where people can find things to buy like souvenirs, traditional clothes, and everyday things like modern clothes, electronics, and toys. The second part of the market is across the street by the river. This is where people can buy food (al fresco dining), with another side being an amusement park.

Chao Anouvong Statue, erected in 2010 in celebration of Vientiane's 450th foundation anniversary.

Love the moon, love my phone camera that can take photos like this of the moon.

Night market.

Food area by the riverside.

I had bitter gourd with egg, squid, rice, and a melon shake.

I passed by Ho Kang Temple on the way back to the hotel. The temple was built in 1963 by the Teochew Chinese community. They were celebrating something (not sure what it was, maybe the birthday of a god) so they hired a traditional Teochew opera troupe to perform for the people, but mainly for the gods. Temple performances like these are free.

- My first day in Laos was more eventful than I had imagined. Most places were within walking distance from each other, making sightseeing so much more convenient. Vientiane might be ASEAN's sleepiest capital, but it is a city that tells many stories for people who wish to understand it.