Vientiane Trips & Tours

If Asian capitals are anything to go by, you might expect Vientiane to be stuffed full of glimmering skyscrapers, powerhouse companies and an air of the chaotic. Well, not quite… Everything about Vientiane is chilled-out, calm, and as cool as several cucumbers, from its languid location on the banks of the Mekong River to the boulevards of French architecture and relaxed cafes. Markets take precedence over shopping malls (although there are a few more to be found in recent years) and you’re more likely to spot a vegetable patch than a high-rise in the city centre. History-wise, it was made the capital of Laos in 1563, but war and invasions were never far away and the following centuries were largely beset with trouble until the French appeared in 1899. Today, visitors can learn a little of the country’s history and culture at the National Museum, the Pha That Luang, a glimmering golden temple and the most important national monument in the country, and at the Wat Si Saket, the only temple to survive the Siamese occupation – and home to a mere 2000 Buddhas!