Thread: Vientiane. RIP tourism?

Originally Posted by 2Prick

It's been bad for local businesses there since the recession hit, but the last year has been the worst. Now it's almost totally dead. Loads of places shut down. Whole areas ghost towns. Is this the end for SE Asia's sleepiest and once most endearing capital city? __________________

I think that is the main attraction

a capital city that is quiet

nice and calm, cheap and pleasant

good breads and coffee, wines and all sorts of things you don't have to do

I have to admit I'm not sure what the op means by it being a 'Ghost town' It's getting busier and busier!

There's plenty and plenty and plenty of bars and restaurants!!!! Really a massive selection!!! The prices....Some things are expensive yes as they are imported but on the whole it's not too bad really.

I had a great Indian meal for two with a beer, lamb curry, veg curry, rice and Naan bread (Too much to eat!) And it cost 62,000 Kip which in my eyes is pretty fair! Nice French restaurant near where I work does a two course lunch for 25,000 Kip, I get a great sandwich in the morning packed with pork, veg etc in french bread for 8,000 Kip... Hardly a rip off hey?

Buildings are shooting up everywhere! Roads are constantly being built, everything is changing fast!

Many people seem to think there is nothing to do here and if you arrive and don't explore a bit then it may seem the case but is very much not the truth!

The river front isn't amazing no however I think given some time it will most certainly improve! There are still many places near the river to sit back and relax.

So yeh all in all I must admit that in my personal opinion things are very much on the up and cannot see your sentiment that it is dying and has nothing to do...

I have not seen it but isnt a Mega Mall now in operation? . Not That its what I call progress. I'd rather go fishing.

Originally Posted by Fluke

I had Baht and paid for everything in Baht

Originally Posted by Fluke

things were 20-50 % more expensive

Life, simply time and experience itself, teaches us many things.

Originally Posted by supernovadw

I have to admit I'm not sure what the op means by it being a 'Ghost town' It's getting busier and busier!

There's plenty and plenty and plenty of bars and restaurants!!!! Really a massive selection!!!

Where exactly, supernovadqw? I know Vientiane very well.

Certainly not on the Mekong or the immediate area laying behind it that used to be the big backpackers area.

That's the ghost town I'm referring to.

Originally Posted by 2Prick

Originally Posted by supernovadw

I have to admit I'm not sure what the op means by it being a 'Ghost town' It's getting busier and busier!

There's plenty and plenty and plenty of bars and restaurants!!!! Really a massive selection!!!

Where exactly, supernovadqw? I know Vientiane very well.

Certainly not on the Mekong or the immediate area laying behind it that used to be the big backpackers area.

That's the ghost town I'm referring to.

Well last night I was actually on the Mekong river front road at 8:30pm and it was really busy! Went out for dinner with my wife and some friends and it was really busy so perhaps it was just a short blip when you were there? In general it is getting busier as the days move on wards in my opinion, not quieter.

Also went in 'At home' Disco a few Wednesdays back and it was rammed! However admittedly mainly with Lao people and not many farangs.

Oh and regarding the back packers yes I would agree that there are not as many as there used to be as everything is moving a bit more up market, after all the rent is quite high around the main area so to be able to make money most places are appealing to a higher end market, main group of people at the moment are 40's to 50's I'd say, people coming to see the heritage and history etc...

Been going there on and off for 10 years. Have to agree, Vientienne is kicking off.

Originally Posted by supernovadw

Oh and regarding the back packers yes I would agree that there are not as many as there used to be as everything is moving a bit more up market, after all the rent is quite high around the main area so to be able to make money most places are appealing to a higher end market, main group of people at the moment are 40's to 50's I'd say, people coming to see the heritage and history etc...

That market never really arrived.

Places like the Best Western Hotel are dead.

Originally Posted by Albert Shagnastier

Been going there on and off for 10 years. Have to agree, Vientienne is kicking off.

As in going down hill?

i think up north has some of the most stunning scenery I have seen in Asia
and very friendly people, greta food and hundreds of temples in Luang Prabang to visit

True if ur looking for pattya in laos u will not find it THANK GOD

Originally Posted by 2Prick

That market never really arrived.On the contrary

Places like the Best Western Hotel are dead.

Mainly because the best western is no longer regarded as the best hotel in town , There are loads more options

his view seems to be rather blinkered

and giving the Best Western as an example !!

Originally Posted by Albert Shagnastier

Originally Posted by Fluke

I had Baht and paid for everything in Baht

Originally Posted by Fluke

things were 20-50 % more expensive

Life, simply time and experience itself, teaches us many things.

I knew what the exchange rate was, I didnt get ripped off .
I got quoted prices in Kip, converted that to Baht and paid in Baht .
I did mean that as I paid for things in Baht , it was clearer for me to see the price difference .
For example : Fuji restaurant has branches in Thailand and Laos . The meal that I usually have in Fuji Thailand is 140Baht , same restaurant , same mean in Laos was priced in Kip and it worked out to be about 220 Baht

I work for a travel agents and the majority of our market is the older generation, most who spend only 3 to 4 days in Vientiane and probably spend the big bulk of their time in the hotel and a do a couple of day trips however they are usually spending $200 USD Plus per day on the hotel room so of course bringing in a lot of revenue in a different way that you used to see when there were hordes of backpackers drinking 7000 Kip bottles of beer along the river front (Me included!) And staying at a 50,000 Kip per night guesthouse.

The best western hotel really isn't that great compared to what is on offer now for the higher market and therefore has been superseded by the competition which will explain why it is not really busy.

The Fuji restaurant and the majority of Sushi are of course sea food which is of course more expensive than in Thailand due to the fact that 100% Of it must be imported as Lao is land locked.

Food in general is admittedly slightly more expensive than Thailand due to many facts. The only thing which is actually cheaper are locally grown Vegetables which are really for next to nothing at the market! Also needless to say Beer and drinking out in general is a lot cheaper than Thailand!

As for paying with Baht I am sorry but what ever you say you would have been paying more, not a great deal more but certainly more! After all do you expect that everyone works the exchange rate out in relation to each day...No they just round it up.

Riding home from work this evening at 6pm along the Mekong river road (Quai Fa Ngum) there were loads of people walking up and down and very busy with traffic! In all honesty I'll be glad when they get the new road open along the river and divert some traffic away from there!

Sorry for my punctuation in the above post by the way lol, got a little carried away with my typing...

I rent a nice house for $180 per month and Mrs Wanger does all the shopping at the market. Can be expensive if your out on the piss every night though

Originally Posted by beerlaodrinker

Originally Posted by 2Prick

That market never really arrived.On the contrary

Places like the Best Western Hotel are dead.

Mainly because the best western is no longer regarded as the best hotel in town , There are loads more options

It never was regarded as the best hotel. Even when it was the Tai-Pan!

The other quality hotels are also struggling. I made a point of looking.

Originally Posted by Phuketrichard

i think up north has some of the most stunning scenery I have seen in Asia
and very friendly people, greta food and hundreds of temples in Luang Prabang to visit

True if ur looking for pattya in laos u will not find it THANK GOD

Couldn't agree more!

Originally Posted by 2Prick

Originally Posted by Phuketrichard

i think up north has some of the most stunning scenery I have seen in Asia
and very friendly people, greta food and hundreds of temples in Luang Prabang to visit

True if ur looking for pattya in laos u will not find it THANK GOD

Couldn't agree more!

That's right! Pattaya is refreshing because it's in Pattaya.

Luang Prabang is just dandy because of the artificial reverence for the old Monarchy and the faux Buddhism. But hey but they've allowed some nice coffee shops and the riverfront is still nice, just don't look too closely and you might not see the plethora of "big brothers" looking over the place.
I spent several days there and observed the veneer is thin.

^ Would those big brothers happen to be from China?

Originally Posted by boatboy

Originally Posted by Necron99

^ Expensive to get to?
3000 baht return on nok air. With a meal and free drinks.
Bus to Nong Kai from BKK..

To get from BKK on the dates I want shows as $269 return with Bankok air and $418 with air lao
From Saigon $269 is the cheapest one way I can get (skyscanner)

Not interested in a bus

Relative to what?

The saigon to bkk flight for $50 I have booked with AA
The bkk to CM flight for $50 I have booked with AA
The Oz to Singapore flight for $200 I have booked with scoot

Did you look at Bangkok airways?

Originally Posted by terry57

Originally Posted by reddog

i really liked sinking a few beer lao's along the old riverside, not the same now

Real bummer when they fuk up a perfectly good area. Shits me no end.

agree its just too boring now even for a visa run

Originally Posted by 2Prick

....

Keener observers will have also noticed that the US has moved its new embassy well out of the way of the forthcoming action (it's half way to the Friendship Bridge, FFS!) and that the construction looks like it's going to be a bomb-proof bunker.

And its huge... why would they need a huge complex?