#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > Laos Forum >  >  Vientiane visit

## roamer

This is from a couple of years ago, yep I`m a bit slow  :Poke: 

I consider myself lucky that of the places I`ve visited, enjoyed virtually all of them.

I had travellled BKK to Udon Thani on Air Asia, stayed there a couple of nights then on to Vientiane for 5 / 6 days.

I stayed in a rather  old/tired hotel called Asia Pavillion but service seemed OK so fair enough, was out most of the time.


No idea why this pic is first, name of the bar escapes me for now, on 2 floors, inside and outside areas, liked it here and liked the Beer Lao


















Steak, chips and not forgetting the wine, at a Belgian bar/restaurant near the Riverfront



















Some sightseeing














































Quite impressive

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## roamer

Some great architecture

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## Necron99

A lot of plastic pools.

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## terry57

Nice clear pics there mate, what sort of Camera you using ?

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## roamer

> Nice clear pics there mate, what sort of Camera you using ?


Hi terry, Thanks those pics taken with an old Fuji F11, still have it but almost expired, won`t hold a charge for long and it uses the very old fashioned XD memory cards.

Bought a Samsung S 66 to replace it but think I`m going to buy another new better camera sometime later this year.

Maybe one of the new Fujis, undecided.

Cheers

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## terry57

^

Interesting,    that old Fuji takes a very nice clear pic.  I tend to stick with a Camera if its performing. 

Just buy a new battery and up the memory card.

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## prawnograph

as in Roamers 3rd/4th pics, this is Ho Pra Keo - Emerald Buddha Hall in Vientiane, Dec 2012



 


Presidential Palace,  opposite the Mekong Riverside Park, built to house the French colonial governors, also served as a royal residence during the brief reign of the monarchy after independence. It is now mainly used for formal ceremonies - not open to the public.

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## prawnograph

Border crossing from Nong Khai, May 2013 
Struck a busy morning, having arrived before crossing opened, 5.30am, took till 9.20am to get to Vientiane.  Quicker on return, 2hrs.


    


Wat Ong Teu

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## prawnograph

Mekong River at Vientiane, Dec 2012

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## beerlaodrinker

Nice thread roamer , ive been living in vientiane 8 years and havent seen half the places you went, but i recognised the first picture , Kop chai der bar 

No idea why this pic is first, name of the bar escapes me for now, on 2 floors, inside and outside areas, liked it here and liked the Beer Lao









This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 900x675 and weights 88KB.

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## beerlaodrinker

Not trying to hijack your thread but i will throw in a few as well


Follow that beerlao truck

The texmex bar was responsible for more than a few hangovers but now seems to be closed and boarded up , rumour has it it will become another pizza company

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## katie23

Thanks roamer for starting the thread and to prawnograph & BLD for adding their own pics. Great pics all.

Questions: 
1) Where is it better to stay in Vientiane, near the river (Francois Ngin road) or in Central Vientiane? Which has more sightseeing options - just walking tours? Is there an area which is the equivalent of Khao San Road - many backpacker places and near the sights? I don't care much about bars and nightlife, but I want somewhere near the sights and fairly safe & central, as I might be travelling alone or with a female friend.
2) What's the mode of public transport for short distances? Tuktuk, songthaew, motorcycle taxi, tricycle, bus, etc? 

I've googled some, but I'd like personal opinions too. Thanks.  :Smile:

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## Necron99

> Thanks roamer for starting the thread and to prawnograph & BLD for adding their own pics. Great pics all.
> 
> Questions: 
> 1) Where is it better to stay in Vientiane, near the river (Francois Ngin road) or in Central Vientiane? Which has more sightseeing options - just walking tours? Is there an area which is the equivalent of Khao San Road - many backpacker places and near the sights? I don't care much about bars and nightlife, but I want somewhere near the sights and fairly safe & central, as I might be travelling alone or with a female friend.
> 2) What's the mode of public transport for short distances? Tuktuk, songthaew, motorcycle taxi, tricycle, bus, etc? 
> 
> I've googled some, but I'd like personal opinions too. Thanks.


The city is not that big, easy to get around on tuk tuks.
The river road and next parallel road (as well as the connecting Rue's) seem to have most of the small hotels.
There is not really that much to see in Vt, so where you stay is not that important imho.

Some pics of the river road here.

https://teakdoor.com/the-teakdoor-lou...ientienne.html (Kicking around Vientienne.)

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## beerlaodrinker

Necrons hit the nail on the head ,i cant add much more to that , in the downtown area you can pretty much walk everywhere,  its not that big

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## kingwilly

Cracking thread, this one. I havent much to add other than my thanks.

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## prawnograph

Our last trip rented bicycles - US$2 for half day (wait for someone to say we were overcharged!). Several places hire them out and found it to be easy/safe riding, head for the river and there's a walk/cycle road along the city side. 
Otherwise as ^ and ^^ said, comfortable walking. Hotels will have tourist maps and plan your route, one trip we did a sort of loop, along riverside, palace and a couple of temples, then in to the Patuxai/Victory Gate, back to hotel past the Black Stupa - and Swensen's Icecream near here (Pizza Company too if that's what you want) lots of small cafes along the way.

So many hotels to choose from; last time used *Hotel Lao*, in the 'cheap and adequate' category, ok location a few min to river and the small shopping area

Get an inside-facing room with balcony overlooking pond/garden

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## prawnograph

walking . . .

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## prawnograph

1. Black Stupa (_That Dam_) on Chanthakhoumane Road
2. Chao Anouvong statue in Mekong Riverside Park

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## prawnograph

some central city buildings

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## katie23

Lovely pics, prawn. Thanks for the tips and answers, everyone. Noted.  :Smile:

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## ossierob

Thanks for the great pics

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## roamer

Hi

Thanks BLD  & prawnograph for the additional pics, nice.

Yes "Kop chai der" that rings a bell



























These 2 pics from the indoor area where they have ( had ) a band playing.

The 2 guys came in from nowhere it seemed and put on a little comedy act





































Time for another beer pic, I actually preferred the ordinary Beer Lao, GF preferred the dark





















Caught up with the beer truck























Enjoyed my baguette lunches



























Galaxy bar where I had a beer sitting outside, can just see the Tex Mex bar to the left that BLD posted a pic of.

I went in the Tex Mex bar 2or 3 times, liked it in there, shame it has closed.





















I`d been thinking how nice it would be to have a beer by the river, but nope, not possible when I was there

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## roamer

At the river front area






















free outdoor gym



























Another nice looking building




















Riverfront road pic























Another street pic

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## beerlaodrinker

> I went in the Tex Mex bar 2or 3 times, liked it in there, shame it has closed.


 Vientiane could use a few quality bars i reckon, still a couple of places for a bevvy around though
Drop zone bar




i often take the wife for lunch at a place called thangon river only about 45 minutes outside vientiane, hire a boat order some food and cruise up the river drifting back with the motor of while you eat and drink a beer , Brilliant i reckon





Pm me next time you are in town Roamer, be happy to take you out there

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## roamer

Hi

BLD, that river trip looks nice, thanks for the offer I`ll re visit sometime but unlikely in the near future, heading back to UK/Europe in April for a couple of months before returning to Thailand.
Love to sink a beer or few with you, you`ve done some great travel threads, enjoyed them.


On to general comments :

Already answered by a couple of posters but when I was there stayed not far from the riverfront area, mostly walked to get around, used a tuk tuk once or twice and also hired the taxi that had brought us from the Thai/Laos border crossing for an afternoon sightseeing, forgotten how much but think that was reasonably priced.

I never felt unsafe and my Thai girlfriend encountered no problems when she wandered off alone a couple of times, she`s more in to looking for shopping/souvenirs etc than I am.

I never gave renting a bicycle a thought, seems a decent idea, Thks prawnograph.


Couple more pics, first by the riverfront area

























This near the hotel, wine/beer shop

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## prawnograph

> I never felt unsafe and my Thai girlfriend encountered no problems when she wandered off alone a couple of times, she`s more in to looking for shopping/souvenirs etc than I am.
> 
> I never gave renting a bicycle a thought, seems a decent idea


agree on the safety, low-key laid-back sort of place and the always cautious Ms O'Graph was quite happy to wander off alone for handcraft/clothes shops. Never saw much traffic, only risk I found was forgetting about riding on right side of road and needed a few reminders (very polite motorists I'd comment). 

Good range of bikes available, from big-wheel street bikes complete with baskets to 18 and 21-speed mountainbikes with road tyres - ideal cafe hopping and sightseeing.

Did you go to the national museum? Limited for exhibits but I learned a little history, worth the $1 or is it maybe $2 entry fee.

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## helspasco

that seriously does look amazing, your so lucky

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