Vientiane sits placidly in the bank of the celebrated Mekong River. Austere, bucolic and lethargic, this capital city of Laos is very unlike the fidgety and circuitous waterway that gave birth to it. It’s even sometimes called an island in the wrong water, as other urban areas and country capitals touched by the lengthy Mekong are vivacious and bustling, like Kampuchea’s Phnom Penh and Vietnam’s Ho Chin Minh. The atypical character of Vientiane, its charm and village-like ambiance are the raison d’être why travelers in search of salving locales in the indochinese peninsula are coming.
Veritably, there are few traces of modernity in Vientiane. Only the essentials in tourism and communications and a handful of new buildings make up its version of a present-day city. There are still huge tracts of rice fields and vegetable farms in the heart of downtown. Domestic fowls and animals grass the grassland, encasing its French-built, tree-lined boulevards. It was referred to as Asia’s largest village. But for the Lao people, this “City of the Moon” is an ideal representation of their way of life–quaint, serene and gratified.
Besides unsubtle aura of somnolence, which some people prefer to have in their journeys, there are other absorbing impetuses to visit Vientiane. For most part, it’s because of their history. The city has an efficacious civilization dating to the middle of the first millennium, when it became the seat of Chandapuri’s Mon Kingdom.
It was also there where Fa Ngum, the first king of the Lao Kingdom of Lan Xang, was crowned in 1354. In 1563, Lan Xang monarch Xentthathirat permanently moved the Lao capital from Luang Prabang to Vientiane, due to better defense against the Burmese marauders and it being more central to Lao settlers. In 1827, the Thais invaded it. In 1899 the French declared it as capital of their Laos colony. Hence, for more than 1000 years, Vientiane has been a center for governance, religion and trade.
Many of Vientiane’s great structures today were built or initiated by King Xentthathirat after settling in his new capital. Like others during that time, the ruler constructed elaborate Buddhist temples and images to complement his palaces.
In 1565, Xentthathirat built a royal place of worship to house a contested Buddha image, the revered Emerald Buddha. The temple was called Wat Pra Keo, in reference to the bejeweled Buddha icon it shelters. The image ( made of jade) was said to be a gift from the king of Ceylon to serve as a talisman for the new kingdom. Another version of its origin says it belonged to Chiang Mai and was seized by the Lao people during their brief annexation of the northern Thai kingdom of Lan Na in the mid-16th century and transferred it to Laos. As a consequence, the Thais recaptured it in 1778 and brought it to Bangkok. Wat Pra Keo was razed by the Thais during the Siamese invasion of 1827. It was rebuilt a century later, but ceased as a place of worship. Instead, it was converted int a museum and is now known as Haw Pha Kaew. Today, it holds some of Laos’ finest pieces of antiquated Buddhis and Khmer sculptures, carvings, leaf-manuscripts, stone slabs and pillars, and royal paraphernalia.
Another notable Xentthathirat structure with great significance is Pha That Luang (The Royal Stupa), Lao’s most famous landmark and undisputed symbol of national sovereignty. Erected in 1566 on a hilltop site of an earlier Khmer temple, the gilded stupa is a sacred Buddhist shrine and an important place of worship for Buddhists around the world. Its design signifies the Buddhist search for perfection.
The 148-foot tall central stupa is hemmed by smaller stupas before being enclosed by a walled courtyard. Inside this fortified cloister are several Buddha images and representations of Buddhist teachings. There are temples established around the stupa. One of which is Wat that Luang Neua, a monastery serving as residence to Pha Sangkharat, the surpreme leader in Lao’s Buddhist hierarchy. A statue of King Xentthathirat stands guard in one of the entrances.
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Exploring Vientiane
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A tour around Vientiane is a breeze, to say the least. Largely because there is no traffic to speak of. The city streets amazingly exempted from motorcycles. Going about the sites is like walking in a park.
Namphou Garden and its Fountain Circle at the confluence of Setthathirat and Pangkham Avenues is right within the city’s tourist belt. The park is a familiar sight sitting next to the Ministry of information and Culture office, where tourism details come in handy. From here, a good number of hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops sit side-by-side, and most of Vientiane’s attractions are just around the corners.
Wat Chan temple houses a huge seated bronze Buddha and a remnant of an ancient stupa with a Buddha image asking for rain. Near Thanon Setthathirat are three splendid Buddhist temples, all of which look different from each other. Wat Paeng impresses visitors with its rich border bas-relief, while Wat Hai Sok shows off its tiered ceramic roof. Wat On Teu showcases an inimitanle blend of Lao and Thai Buddhist architecture.
Less than a kilometer east ward leads to Haw Kham, the modest Lao Presidential Palace, and to Haw Pha Kaew, the former royal temple now a museum. Across the street is Vientiane;s oldest surviving temple, Wat Si Saket. Built by King Anouvong in 1818, it presently has in its possession an overwhelming collection of  close to 700 Buddha images, which are all diligently polished during Lao New Year.
Two blocks away north is That Dam ( black Stupa), a unique religious shrine made legendary by a Vientiane folklore recounting how a seven-headed dragon from the stupa woke from eternal slumber to protect the locals during the 1828 Thai incursion. Nearby is Talat Sao (Morning Market), a market place selling reasonably priced indigenous Laotian products and souvenirs, like woven silk fabrics, phaa sin (traditional wrap-around skirt) and silver crafts. For seasoned jewelry buyers, there are stalls upstairs selling 24K gold per gram. Lao gold is 99.99 percent pure, but is very cheap when compared to Thailand’s gold prices.
Northeast from Talat Sao via Thanon Lan Xang is Patuxai (Victory Monument), Lao’s version of Paris’ Arc de Triomphe. During the day and for a minimal fee, the arch can be climbed. A deck at the top provides an impeded view of the city. Built in 1969, the memorial is dedicated to those who perished during the wars preceding the 1975 communist revolution.
OUT OF VIENTIANE
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The Lao countryside has rugged and lovely backdrops of fascinating mountain ranges, swift streams, laid back villages and exquisite temples. An immersion to these pastoral, yet exotic, destinations is absolutely refreshing. Any inconvenience when going to outlying towns is compensated by the majestic landscapes and people niceties.
Phu Khao Khaoy or Buffalo Mountain is an amazing find in the jagged outback of Annam Highlands northeast of Vientiane. Less than two hours away overland, this mountain, which rises more than 3000 feet, is a wildlife sanctuary for elephants, tigers, black bears and other endangered species. The natural park is declared a National Biodiversity Conservation Area by the government.
Not too far from the hills surrounding Buffalo Mountains is Ang Nam Ngum, a 250-square-kilometer man-made lake. A two- hour ride north leads to Vang Vieng, a small town made famous by picturesque limestone karsts lining the Song River. There are a lot of caves and tunnels on both sides of the river. It’s worth having the earth fissures. Vang Vieng is a popular transit point for those en route to Luang Prabang three hours away. Its also known for being home to the colorful mountain tribes of Hmong and Yao.
ERSTWHILE ROYAL CAPITAL: LUANG PRABANG
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For 200 years since 1353, Luang Prabang has been the royal capital of the ancient kingdom of Lan Xang. From its old township call muong Swa, the newly ascended king Fa Ngum renamed it in honor of Pra Bang, a sacred gold buddha image gifted to him by Khmer royalty for his marriage to a Cambodian princess. This same Buddha was with King Vixun a century later, when he drove the Vietnamese invaders out of the kingdom.
At the height of its glory days, and before it was endlessly sacked by foreign aggressors, Luang Prabang  was an impressive capital of royal palaces and gilded temples. After every pillaging, the city, like a mythological phoenix, rose constantly to the ashes to rebuild itself. In 1995, Luang Prabang was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is nothing much to do in Luang Prabang except to rest. It can easily be toured by foot or bike. It takes you between the Mekong River and its tributary Nam Khan and a hill in the middle of the city called Phu Si.
Between these natural barriers is the old quarter, where a large concentration of sacred architectural masterpieces is located. Near the peninsula’s end is Wat Xieng Thong (Golden City Temple), the most glorious of all places of worship in the city. It stands with panache and fortitude. Built in 1560 by King Xetthathirat, the Buddhist temple is intricately decorated with golden panels and colored glass mosaics. Within the compound is an eerie chapel-cum-royal sepulcher, where a huge funeral carriage is stationed and a number of funeral urns belonging to royalty are ominously present.
Haw Kham (Royal Palace Museum) was a palace built in 1904 by King Sisavangvong to be the official residence of his family. Converted into a museum shortly after the communist takeover in 1975, it contains the regal grandeur of a colonial era, including a mural by renowned French artist Alix de Fautereau in the reception hall and the treasures of a rich civilization.
At the eastern side of the hil is Wat Wisunalat, the oldest functioning temple in Luang Prabang. Frist established in 1513, it was destroyed by a fire in 1887 and rebuilt a decade later. It has a remarkable gathering of wooden Buddha images in a “calling for rain” position, inside the complex is That Pathum (Lotus Stupa), which was erected in 1514. Nearby is Phu Si, a dominating limp of earth with slopes as temples and gold as a spire stupa( That Chomsi). This is where the flamboyant Lao New Year procession commences. Elsewhere in Luang Parabang are limestone caves and cave shrines serving as hallowed keepers of innumerable and priceless small images of Buddha.
HOME OF THE LAO
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When concluding a visit to Vientiane and to other parts of the land of the Lao, there is a feeling of solitude you’ll never want to let go. Laos is one thing very hard to forego. Like the insipid tang and inebriating kick of the ostensibly innocuous Lao Lao, it stays in the system long after the shot is consummated.
Where to Stay
This hotel is designed to impress even the most discerning guests; this charming boutique hotel is centrally located in Vientiane, placing you in the center of all the hustle and bustle the city has to offer. Offering a wide selection of rooms and all the guestrooms are tastefully designed to provide utmost comfort to all guests. Room starts from $80-breakfast included. Book Now!
All 134 rooms at this 5-star hotel are tailored to satisfy guests’ needs. All rooms have desk, ironing board, non smoking rooms, hair dryer as well as other amenities. Other features at the hotel include meeting facilities, laundry service/dry cleaning, coffee shop. Facilities for recreation and leisure available include pool (kids), massage, spa, jacuzzi. Room starts from $111-breakfast included. Book Now!
Centrally located in the historical centre close to Wat Nong and Wat Sensai temples, this property enjoys peaceful and calm views of the stunning Mekong River. Offering spacious rooms, all of which are fully furnished and decorated using the Lhanna and contemporary deign to provide utmost comfort. Room starts from $91 – Breakfast included. Book Now!
In the heart of the UNESCO protected city, this charming hotel is one of the best choices in the city. Located on the banks of the Nam Khan River, the hotel is close to the Xieng Thong Temple Complex. Room starts from $49. Book Now!
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