
That Luang, Vientiane © www.bigfoto.com
Life in Vientiane, modest capital of Laos, flows along as
languidly as does the Mekong River on the banks of which the city
is situated. Resembling more a sprawling series of villages than an
inter-connected urban metropolis, Vientiane is a sleepy place
dotted with a mix of Laotian temples and French colonial buildings,
most of them crumbling into decay. Paddy fields still dot the
outlying suburbs and even intrude into the city centre in places.
Downtown is characterised by narrow lanes that run off the main
streets, where bakeries sell croissants alongside vendors touting
noodle soup and sticky rice.
Most of the city's places of interest are concentrated in a
small area in the commercial district, easy to explore on foot,
between the bamboo and thatched beer gardens on the riverbank and
Talaat Sao, the morning market. There are some fine Wats (temples)
to visit, like Wat Si Saket, one of the city's oldest, surrounded
by a lush tranquil garden. Other grand buildings are the unfinished
Patuxai monument, resembling the Arc de Triomphe, and the new
Chinese-financed cultural centre. The Lao Revolutionary Museum is
worth a visit simply because it is a now rare example of a
communist propaganda collection, while the Kaysone Phomvihane
Museum is dedicated to Laos' post-war leader.
Attractions

Royal Stupa at sunset © Oliver Spalt
That Luang (Royal Stupa)
The Royal Stupa is a symbol of Buddhism and Lao rule and is
Laos' most important religious building. The dazzling golden temple
and its spire are visible from afar and locals claim that if you
have not visited That Luang, you have not...
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Xiang Khouan (Buddha Park)
The site known as Buddha Park is a bizarre collection of
Buddhist and Hindu statues scattered around a riverside meadow,
dominated by a gigantic reclining Buddha. Hundreds of huge concrete
structures that combine Buddhist and Hindu philosophies are spread
around representing a variety of...
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