Discover Vientiane - Charming Laos

Vientiane

When I arrived in Vientiane, I immediately got the feeling that the pace here was completely different compared to many other capitals I had visited in Southeast Asia. I had expected more traffic, more people and a much faster pace, but Vientiane felt surprisingly calm. The first thing I noticed was the heat. The air was warm and humid, and after only a short walk I could feel my clothes starting to stick to my body. At the same time, the heat almost made the city feel even more relaxed. It was not a city where I felt like I had to rush from one attraction to another.

It was actually quite a nice feeling to simply arrive, leave my things at the accommodation and then go out and start exploring the city on foot. I often think that walking around without a specific destination is one of the best ways to get a feeling for a new place. In Vientiane, I walked through smaller streets, past old buildings, temples, small shops and cafés. It was quite a contrast to the more hectic cities in the region. There was definitely traffic, but it did not feel nearly as stressful. It was much easier to walk around and I did not constantly have to think about cars and scooters coming from every direction.

Something I really appreciated was the mix between the old and the new. On one side, I could walk past a Buddhist building or an older house with clear French influences, and a few minutes later sit at a modern café with a cold drink in front of me. Vientiane has a special combination of Lao culture and French colonial history that is quite noticeable when walking around the city. It is not necessarily a city where every street is spectacular, but it was the small details and the atmosphere that made me enjoy walking around.

One of the things I really wanted to see was Patuxai. I went there during the day and it was quite hot, but it was definitely worth the walk. The building is impressive when you stand in front of it, and from the top you get a good view over the city. What struck me when I stood up there was how low and spread out Vientiane actually is. You do not see a huge skyline or lots of tall buildings, but rather a city that spreads out quite calmly. It fit very well with the impression I had formed of Vientiane after walking around for a while.

I also visited Pha That Luang, which is one of the places I definitely think you should see when visiting Vientiane. It has a completely different feeling compared to Patuxai, and it was interesting to see how much religious culture is part of the city. Personally, I think visiting places like this becomes much more enjoyable when you do not simply go there, take a picture and leave, but actually take the time to walk around, look at the details and experience the atmosphere.

The walks along the Mekong River also became one of my favourite parts of Vientiane. During the day, the heat can make longer walks quite difficult, but towards the evening it becomes much more comfortable. When the sun starts to set, the whole area changes. More people come outside, small food stalls open and there is more activity along the river. I enjoyed simply walking around without really having a particular destination. It felt more like I was seeing part of everyday life in the city instead of just visiting another tourist attraction.

Food was also a big part of the experience. I ate at several smaller restaurants and food places while I was there and really appreciated that it was possible to find good food without spending much money. What I liked most were the smaller places where it did not feel like everything was designed for tourists. It was nice to sit down, order something local and simply watch life happening around me. After spending a few hours outside in the heat, it was also very nice to find somewhere with a fan or air conditioning and sit down for a while.

The cafés became almost as important to me as the attractions. Vientiane has many small and cosy cafés and I enjoyed taking breaks during the days. Instead of trying to see everything at once, I could walk around for a while, find a café, order a coffee or something cold to drink and then continue later. This meant that the days never felt stressful. At the same time, these breaks were almost necessary because the heat could become quite intense, especially around midday.

The traffic was something I had to get used to, however. Even though Vientiane felt much calmer than many other Asian metropolises, there were still plenty of scooters and cars on some roads. I definitely preferred walking on the smaller streets where the pace was calmer. When I needed to travel longer distances, it was easier to use transport instead of trying to walk the entire way in the heat. But for discovering the city centre itself, I thought walking was the best way.

What I mainly take away from Vientiane is the feeling of the city. It is not a place that I think you need to rush through in one day. On the contrary, I think the city is best experienced when you give it some time. Walk around in the morning or later in the afternoon, have a long lunch, sit down at a café when the heat becomes too much and then go out again when the sun starts to set. It was this relaxed pace that made Vientiane special to me.

After a few days, I felt that I had got a good impression of the city. I had seen the most important places, eaten good food, walked along the Mekong River and, most importantly, simply relaxed. Vientiane may not be the destination for someone who wants a packed schedule from morning until evening, but for me that was exactly what made the city so enjoyable. It became a place where I could slow down a little, enjoy the heat and really take in the surroundings before it was time to continue travelling through Laos.