Upon arriving in Vientiane, travellers can already sense the relaxed pace of life permeating throughout the entire country of Laos. As such, this itinerary will have a balance between some of the most intriguing, exciting spots that this capital city has to offer and some of the less visited hideaways to just unwind and get rejuvenated before possibly heading to other regions of the country.

Wat Si Saket was one of the very few temples to have survived the massive destruction caused by the Siamese invasion in 1828 which ravaged numerous other wats in the capital city.

Wat Si Saket basking proudly in the afternoon sun

Instead, the intruders actually harnessed this temple as their headquarters during the conflict to administer the region, thereby explaining the minimal damage dealt to it as compared to its counterparts which were not that fortunate.

The temple which fortunately emerged from the Siamese invasion unscathed

This not only makes the temple the oldest in Vientiane but also the oldest Buddhist monastery in the entire country of Laos.

Enjoy the peaceful, tranquil atmosphere which seems to be emanate from the wat!

Many believe that Wat Si Saket was spared from destruction by the aggressors from the south due to the fact that it was constructed in early Bangkok-styled architectural design instead of being built in the traditional Lao Buddhist style.

The simple design of the cloister starkly contrasts against the architecture of many other temples we've seen here in Vientiane.

Nevertheless, numerous travellers oftentimes flock to this temple not only to admire its magnificent architecture but also to admire more than 10,000 Buddha images housed in Wat Si Saket. 

Buddha images adorn the cloister running along the perimeter of Wat Si Saket

Upon arriving in the wat, visitors will immediately be attracted to the walls of the cloister which are home to almost 7,000 miniature Buddha images in uncountable niches, oftentimes in pairs.

My favourite statues are always the ones donning the bright saffron robes!

Seated peacefully in front of the walls are the larger Buddha statues carved from various materials such as wood, stone and bronze.

Slowing down my footsteps to admire the beauty of these skilfully carved sculptures...

Some of these statues date back as early as the 16th century, thereby reflecting the deeply-rooted influence Buddhism has had in this country since the olden days.

A massive stone statue of the Buddha which has been preserved since ages ago

Walking along the sheltered cloister, visitors will stumble upon hundreds of damaged Buddha statues that were uncovered during excavation works in the area as well.

One can only wonder how old these statues which were excavated are!

The majestic prayer hall in the temple houses a massive Buddha statue seated high above on a pedestal.

Entering the prayer hall allows visitors to admire the gigantic Buddha statue.

Visitors will be surrounded by walls emblazoned with gorgeous murals reflecting religious symbols and hundreds of niches containing even more Buddha statues.

Check out this aged wooden drum with religious inscriptions and scripture!

Please note that photography in the hall is prohibited like in many other temples in the area in order to preserve these ancient relics.

Religious relics (like this miniature altar carved in gold) can be found outside the prayer hall.

As such, visitors can just indulge in the peaceful ambience of the temple and observe various Buddhist practices and traditions as locals do their prayers before the deities.

Golden Buddha statues which are more vibrant than the relics in the temple

Having visited the wat, visitors can relax in the courtyard which is adorned with myriad stupas and a drum tower as well as plenty of greenery offering shade from the scorching sun.

The beautiful drum tower flanked by stupas which act as tombs as well

Alternatively, they can choose to walk along the area behind the temple where they can view the monks’ living quarters before concluding their visit here.

Travellers can admire the magnificent architecture of the monk's living quarters in Wat Si Saket too.

The construction of the Presidential Palace was originally commissioned by the Royal Lao government on the area which previously housed the royal residence. However, due to the fact that the communist Pathet Lao overthrew the royalist government and forced the emperor to abdicate in 1975, the palace was only completed much later than expected in the 1980s.

The Presidential Palace immediately stands out with its unique architecture unlike any other.

The official residence of the President of Laos, the Presidential Palace is known for its French-inspired architectural design modelled after the Beaux art style. 

Laos is certainly at the cultural crossroads of East and West!

Possibly the most Western-looking building in the entire of Laos, the building not only has well-kept gardens but also boasts imposing colonnades and shaded balconies.

A fountain located in the garden near the rear entrance to the Presidential Palace

If not for the stupa structures erected on the roof of the building, travellers may even think that they have been whisked to the West for a moment.

This could definitely pass off as a palace in Europe!

Unfortunately, the building is off limits to the public since it opened its doors more than 30 years ago and remains as an exclusive venue for government events, functions and ceremonies.

Peeking through these massive gates with beautiful designs carved in gold!

Nevertheless, as the building is just a stone’s throw away from Wat Si Saket, it is very convenient for visitors to simply stroll along the boulevard and stop by to peer through the iron fences to admire the magnificent architecture and grab a couple of shots before heading off to their next destination.

Not only does the architecture seem inspired by the French, its name is also written in Français!

Chao Anouvong Park

In commemoration of Vientiane’s 450th anniversary, this park was constructed in 2010 to recognise the massive contributions made to the country by King Chao Anouvong who was the last emperor of the Kingdom of Vientiane before being annexed by Siam.

Beautiful architecture of the stairs leading into Chao Anouvong Park

The king is widely revered by the locals for his valiant, persistent efforts in rebelling against Siam in a bid to free Vientiane from being a vassal state and to recreate the former empire of Lan Xang, albeit unsuccessfully. The most prominent feature of the Chao Anouvong Park is undoubtedly the majestic bronze statue of the king which towers above the entire park standing at a height of 6 metres. 

The majestic statue of King Chao Anouvong erected in the park (Hmm... Hanoi also had a statue of Vladimir Lenin in Lenin Park!)

Adorned in his military uniform and royal hat, visitors can almost visualise how powerful the emperor must have been back in the olden days. Interestingly, the statue glances across the Mekong in the direction of Thailand (Siam) and holds a sword in one hand while offering a handshake in the other that has been explained to be a greeting to the Siamese.

King Chao Anouvong extending a handshake to the Siamese people

In my opinion, it is almost reminiscent of his efforts to fight against Siam’s suzerainty where he exhausted both options of peaceful diplomacy and physical rebellion to try to regain sovereignty for Vientiane. Widely revered as a courageous hero who fought to his death, the King’s statue has an altar where locals visit to make their offerings and do their prayers as a sign of respect as well.

The number of offerings at the altar under the king's statue prove his popularity with his people!

Definitely more of a local hangout than a tourist attraction, Chao Anouvong Park attracts quite a number of locals who practise their tai-chi here in the morning and even enjoy a picnic or just take a nap in the shade of the trees in the afternoon.

The signboards are even designed to be consistent with the architecture of temples here.

Visitors can also grab a huge, chilled bottle of Beer Lao for 5,000 LAK (USD 0.60) from one of the few stalls in the park and enjoy the occasional breezes or bask in the sun here.

Sit back and relax or simply stroll along the green fields in the park!

However, the park is certainly not one of those beautiful, well-kept ones we see in other parts of the world. Visitors will stumble upon a tiled fountain adorned with numerous dragon structures gilded in gold when walking back from the statue of Chao Anouvong. The metal pipes are rusty, the water is dirty and the entire fountain is no longer functioning – let’s just say that it has probably seen better days! 

An abandoned fountain sitting in the middle of Chao Anouvong Park

The inability to sustain these fancy installations in this park which was only constructed less than a decade ago brings us back to reality and sheds light on the true economic situation of the country. With a nominal GDP per capita of US$1,709, Laos is currently one of the poorest countries in the Southeast Asian region, only slightly above Myanmar and Cambodia. Nevertheless, having said that, it is certainly heartening to see how tourism is picking up in the country and how various nations are offering their assistance in facilitating Laos’s infrastructural and economic development. 

As numerous attractions in this sleepy capital city close rather early, travellers oftentimes find themselves gravitating towards the Mekong riverside to indulge in the vibrant atmosphere of the night Market that seems to be the centre of all activity here in Vientiane during the evening.

Vendors sweep up wholesale items at the Morning Market and set up their stalls here!

Even though the night market boasting long stretches of stalls pitched under red tentage which seem to go on forever are touted to be aimed at tourists, the merchandise available is far from touristy.

There are more stalls at the riverfront promenade so don't forget to check them out too!

Apart from spotting a few stalls with souvenirs such as keychains and T-shirts, visitors will realise that most stalls are actually selling daily necessities including electronic gadgets, accessories, knockoff goods and especially clothes like the backpackers’ favourite – elephant pants.

Beautiful handmade cloth can also be purchased at the Night Market!

If you are interested to purchase some of these inexpensive goods, be assured that most stall-owners are able to converse in basic English so language barriers should be minimal.

If all else fails, you can always rely on the dependable hand signs (like I did)!

Nevertheless, be prepared to put your bargaining skills to good use as initial prices suggested by the vendors are almost always very much inflated. As with many other night markets in Southeast Asia, the same items are oftentimes vended by numerous stalls, so it pays to walk around to get the best bargains.

There are probably a hundred stalls selling clothes, another hundred selling electronics ... yeah, you get my point!

For tourists who are interested to purchase mementos, the Vientiane Night Market may not be that suitable a place to do your shopping. Nevertheless, do not fret – you will be pleased to know that you will be able to pick up plenty of souvenirs from the night markets in Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang, which are primarily catered to tourists and offer myriad items that you may like to bring home for family and friends – from your typical souvenirs like magnets and postcards to local produce and even handmade accessories made from bombs dropped in the villages.

Vientiane's night market rocking those blue neon lights

Even if you are not interested in purchasing the fake Adidas or Nikes here, the night market certainly offers a great opportunity to observe the Lao way of life reminiscent of communal life where the vendors seem to know one another very well and chatter away gleefully. 

Even though food stalls in the night market are few and far between with an occasional dessert or drink stall, travellers can satiate their appetites by walking along Quai Fa Ngum where numerous makeshift food vendors have set up their stalls selling a wide range of local fare. 

These grilled pork sausages glisten under the light and smell fantastic!

Alternatively, visitors can also walk to the end of the night market where there are sin dad (similar to mookata in Thailand) stalls.

Locals and tourists alike enjoying their dinner at this roadside haunt.

Here, customers will have the opportunity to choose the ingredients they would like to grill on a hotplate or cook in a steamboat.

This essentially feels like a buffet... for really low prices!

However, I would recommend that travellers venture further out to Vangthong Evening Market which is much less touristy than the area along the riverfront promenade. 

You'll smell the aroma of the food before you even see the market!

A hidden gem yet to be uncovered by most travellers, the Vangthong Evening Market offers a wide variety of local delicacies such as main courses including rice with sides but focuses primarily on the local favourite – grilled items served on skewers like the famous ping gai (grilled chicken).

Fried chicken cutlet and Lao sticky rice sealed the deal for me!

Strolling from one end of the market to the other, tourists will be able to pick up scrumptious food items at extremely low prices at this market which is highly popular among locals before heading down to the night market and enjoying your skewered delights along the way.

This seems to be the locals' favourite - sticky rice with a choice of sides!

Whilst strolling along the Vientiane Night Market and traversing the riverbanks of the mighty Mekong, travellers and locals alike are treated to the gentle breezes and will be able to admire the brightly lit skyline in Thailand on the other side of the river.

Enjoying the views as Thailand slowly lights up in the night sky

Sitting along the river bank with a Beer Lao in tow seems to be one of the favourite pastimes of the locals and certainly makes for a romantic getaway from the hustle and bustle of the night market.

Looking for fun? Play with locals and travellers at this 'wet' playground!

During my trip to Vientiane in January, I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to experience the Annual Lao Food Festival along the Mekong riverside just behind the Vientiane Night Market where locals set up numerous food stalls with local produce and delicacies for visitors to sample and purchase.

Check out all those food! (I really shouldn't be editing photos at night...)

What was even more surprising was that the foreign embassies from regional ASEAN nations such as the Thai and Filipino contingents also took the opportunity to share their national dishes with the Vientiane public. The festival not only offered a wide range of cuisines for travellers to sample but also brought about a whirlwind of festivities and events including a concert and a banquet of sorts, attracting large hordes of locals to the riverside promenade as well.

Not sure what these dishes are? Vendors are always excited to let you sample before buying.

If you are in Vientiane during the annual food festival, I would highly recommend taking some time to visit to savour affordable local fare, enjoy the amazing ambience of this ‘expo’ and interact with friendly locals along the way.

Check out those chicken feet! We eat those at home, but I've heard many are afraid to try them.

Now that we are well-versed with the attractions available here in the capital city of Vientiane, let’s check out our next travel destination in this charming country of Laos and escape the hustle and bustle of city life to throw ourselves into the embrace of Mother Nature. Vang Vieng, here we come!

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