Attractive tourist destinations in Vientiane

Vientiane is the capital and largest city of Laos, on the banks of the Mekong River near the border with Thailand. Vientiane attracts tourists with natural landscape, religious temples and pagodas, as well as rich history and culture. Indeed, night market on the bank of the Mekong River, Wat Sisaket or Buddha statue gardens are attractive attractions that tourists cannot miss when visiting Vientiane, Laos.

Wat Sisaket: Wat Sisaket is the oldest temple in Vientiane, first built by King Phothisararat in 1551 and rebuilt by King Anouvong in 1818. The design of the temple is influenced by Thai architecture with 5-floor roof which makes a difference with other temples of Laos. Besides, this temple is also considered a museum with more than 6,800 Buddha statues and thousands of books. Visiting Wat Sisaket, tourists should wear discreet clothes and leave sandals outside before entering the temple. Photo: Visitlaos.

Buddha Statue Garden: The Buddha Statue Garden, also known as Xieng Khuan, is located about 25 km away from Vientiane, with more than 200 statues as Buddhist and Hindu sculptures. Bunleua Sulilat built the Buddha Statue Garden in 1958, and in 1978, he fled to Thailand and built Sala Keoku park with the same theme. The outstanding works at the Buddha Statue Garden can be mentioned such as 40m long reclining Buddha statue, Indra riding 3-head elephant statue or pumpkin tower. Photo: Tripsavvy.

Pha That Luang: Pha That Luang, located in the east of Vientiane, is a Buddhist worship tower, built in 1566, on the ruins of a Khmer temple built in the 13th century. As a myth, Pha That Luang keeps the relics of the Buddha as a hair and lots of jewels. Today, Pha That Luang is the national symbol of Laos, which image is printed on money, the national emblem, and the seals. Pha That Luang is the venue for the Bun That Luang festival. Photo: Tripsavvy.

Patuxai: Patuxai is a monument built in the 1960s to commemorate those who sacrificed during the anti-French resistance war in Laos. Located in the center of Vientiane, at the end of Lan Xang Boulevard built by France, Patuxai is 55 m high, and each of 4 sides has a width of 24 m, including 7 tiers and 2 auxiliary floors. Patuxai is modeled according to the architecture of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, combined with decorative details reflecting Lao cultural style. Photo: Tripsavvy.

Vientiane Night Market: Every day, after sunset, the walkway parallel to the Mekong River in the center of Vientiane turns into a huge night market, featuring with red-roofed stalls. Visiting this market, tourists can find many different items such as electronics, clothing, accessories, souvenirs and many delicious food. Photo: The culture trip.

COPE Visitor Center: COPE is a local-based charity that helps victims of bombs and mines by providing them with artificial parts and necessary support so that they can reintegrate into life. Coming to COPE, visitors can learn about UXO, the damage caused by bombs and mines in Laos, and COPE's assistance to victims. Besides, visitors can also choose to buy items at the souvenir shop to help the victims. Photo: The culture trip.

Wat Si Muang: Wat Si Muang, built in 1566, is the most sacred temple in Vientiane capital. It is associated with the legend of a young pregnant woman who volunteered to sacrifice herself to ease the anger of the gods when the temple was built. Today, Wat Si Muang is considered the soul of the city and a place where local people come to pray for peace and good luck. Photo: Agoda.

Talaat Sao: Talaat Sao consists of a shopping mall that sells electronics, sports equipment, jewelry and traditional morning market which sells local silk, cheap clothes, souvenirs. handicrafts and many other items. The market is open from 7am to 4pm. Photo: Travelrightway.
 

Ho Phra Keo: Ho Phra Keo, built in 1565, is a Buddhist temple located near the center of Vientiane city. Previously, the temple was a place where the royal family often prayed, so it was called Royal pagoda. The temple used to be a showcase for many rare objects, including a jade Buddha statue. Today, Ho Phra Keo is transformed into a museum of Buddhist monuments. Photo: Naphavonghotel.

To book a tour to Vientiane or any destination in Laos, you can contact Travel Authentic Asia via email: [email protected] or WhatApp: +84 912221442. Travel Authentic Asia is the tailor made tour operator based in Vietnam since 2011, which has delivered excellent travel experiences up to 4000 travellers over the world.