Is Vientiane boring? Ultimate Review for 48 hours in Vientiane
Is Vientiane boring? Well, it depends on which city you compare to.
If you are visiting ASEAN, there are a lot of options including Bangkok in Thailand, Hanoi in Vietnam, and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Comparatively speaking, Laos is less popular.
For people visiting Laos, they would aim for the tranquility, landscape, culture, and rural life.
In contrast, Vientiane as the capital of Laos is too urbanized compared to other cities like Luang Prabang.
So it can be boring.
Is Vientiane worth visiting?
So Vientiane is urbanized but may not have the variety that other Asian tourist cities do. It may not be a worth visiting place as a single trip destination.
If you are planning to spend a week purely in Vientiane for your annual leave, I recommend you NOT to do so. If you are to pick a place to visit in Laos i.e. Vientiane or Luang Prabang, trust me go straight for Luang Prabang.
An interesting fact about Vientiane is, that Luang Prabang used to be Laos’ capital but it had to be moved to Vientiane in the 16th Century due to geographic reasons.
However, if you are having a grand trip to Laos, Vientiane on the other hand is a good transit point for most international airlines.
So you are likely to stay in Vientiane for around 48 hours.
Then you will find our 48-hour Vientiane review useful.
What to do in Vientiane in 48 hours
Essentially, there are four categories for your two days in Vientiane. They are:
1. Icon visit
It includes different icons located near the City center such as “That Dam Stupa”, “Patuxay Victory Monument”, “COPE Visitor Center” and “Lao National Cultural Hall”. These Vientiane Laos attractions are all within walking distance. Thus, you shall be able to visit them within 2 hours.
2. Wats
Unlike Luang Prabang, you are not likely to find a daily Almsgiving ceremony in Vientiane. Moreover, you cannot even notice signs about Almsgiving in Vientiane there. However, there are still several ways worth going to near the city center such as “Ho Phrakeo Monumental Museum” (which is a wat), “Wat Sisaket”, “Wat Inpeng”, “Wat Ong Teu” and “Wat Nixai”. Most wats are free of charge except for more popular ones such as the Ho Phrakeo Monumental Museum and Wat Sisaket requiring an entrance fee of 30,000 Kip (~ 1.5 USD) pp.
3. Shopping malls & markets
There are several shopping malls in Vientiane like Talat Sao Shopping Mall and Vientiane Center Lao. They are pretty big but not much of an attraction to tourists like us. So, you may skip them for time-saving.
However, you must visit the night market in Vientiane. The size is almost triple that of the one in Luang Prabang. Although they do not focus solely on tourists, you can indulge yourself in the local life. Plus, there is another hidden gem there other than eating and shopping. I will cover a bit more later.
4. Vientiane Buddha Park
Buddha Park is probably the most unique icon in Vientiane. Frankly, I have not seen other attractions like this on my world travel journey. Although it takes a 50-minute bus to go there, it is worth it. No worries I will show you the Vientiane Buddha Park bus schedule and guide you just right in the next session.
See there is still a lot to do in Vientiane. Now I will break down the 1 day Vientiane itinerary into morning, afternoon, and night sessions. Feel free to fill in to match them with your schedule.
What to do in Vientiane in 48 hours – Morning visit to Vientiane Buddha Park
Traveling back from Luang Prabang via the China-Laos railway, I had a morning there before flying to Bangkok. I hesitated a lot about whether to rush to Buddha Park.
Choosing the greedy option, I took the 7:00 am bus (Buddha Park opens at 8:00 am) and spent two hours there. I did not have much expectation but the park amazed me with the astounding statues, the gigantic reclining Buddha, and a big pumpkin-like statue with 4 layers.
It impressed me so much that I had to introduce this unique icon of Vientiane to you here.
What is Buddha Park
Buddha Park was created in 1958 by a monk named Bunleua Sulilat. Inspired by both Buddhist and Hindu mythology, he created the park depicting various deities, characters, and religious figures. Located about 25 kilometers southeast of Vientiane, the Buddha Park is famous for its multiple sculptures including the giant reclining Buddha statue with 40 meters in length. There are over 50 sculptures in the Park with an audio guide available.
How to get to Buddha Park Vientiane Laos
Getting from Vientiane to Buddha Park is surprisingly easy if you have the necessary information on hand. First, let’s take a look at the Buddha Park bus schedule. There are also other private tours or taxis taking you from Vientiane to Buddha Park for ~ 20 USD which I think is quite overpriced.
The bus to Buddha Park from the city center is number 14. The schedule is very transparent with the first bus at 6:00 am every 30 minutes. The earliest bus you should get on is the 7:00 AM one and the 2nd stop is the Buddha Park. The opening hour for Vientiane Buddha Park is at 8:00 AM and the bus ride is around 50 minutes. So the best time to take the bus is 7:00 am from Vientiane Central Bus Station. The bus fee to Buddha Park is 18,000 Kip (~ 2 USD) per person.
The departure point is at “CBS (Central Bus Station)”. You can easily find the platform for the number 14 Vientiane Buddha Park bus inside below.
What to expect in Buddha Park Vientiane Laos
For the Buddha Park Vientiane dress code, there is no specific requirement but you should avoid shorts or sleeveless dressings. Surprisingly, the Buddha Park entrance fee is very cheap at 40,000 Kip (~ 2 USD).
If you walk fast, you could complete visiting the whole park in around 1.5 hours. While the audio guide is available at extra cost, there is no narrative for the sculpture. If you are opting for the audio guide, it would take 3 hours or more to complete the over 50 checkpoints.
There are also toilets and food vendors inside the park in case you need them.
My recommendation is to quickly browse the whole park and then spend time on the key sculptures such as the reclining Buddha and the big pumpkin. Inside the pumpkin, there are 4 layers of sculptures and you can climb to the talk for the holistic view of the Buddha Park.
The bus from Budda Park to Vientiane is at the opposite side of the Buddha Park entrance. You can refer to the bus schedule for your return trip after the visit.
If you are impressed with the gigantic infrastructure of the park, you shouldn’t miss Angkor Wat in Cambodia if you on long Asia trip.
48 hour Itinerary in Vientiane – Afternoon attractions hunting
There are a lot of attractions in Vientiane city center. You can follow our recommendations below to spend a good two afternoons of your stay exploring them. Most of the attractions below are walkable in Vientiane.
Before walking to each of the attractions, you should take a Laos spa in Vientiane to relax first. While the price is more expensive than the massage in Luang Prabang, it is still very cheap. I recommend you take an oil massage for 180,000 Kip (~ 9 USD).
That Dam Stupa
If you are ready, let’s start with the first Vientiane attraction – That Dam Stupa (aka the Black Stupa). It is an ancient Buddhist monument in the heart of Vientiane in the middle of a roundabout. According to local legend, it used to be a gold stupa but the gold cover was taken away by the Siamese army in the 19th century.
No entrance fee is required for this attraction. Feel free to take as many photos as you want.
Wat Sisaket, Ho Phrakeo Monumental Museum and Presidential Palace
Walking south for around 7 minutes, you will find Wat Sisaket one of the oldest temples in Vientiane built in 1818. From there you will find the signature wall of a collection of over a thousand small Buddha statues. Apart from that, there is another main temple there.
The entrance fee for Wat Sisaket is 30,000 Kip (~ 1.5 USD) per person.
On the opposite side of Wat Sisaket, you will find the Ho Phrakeo Monumental Museum.
Ho Phra Keo, also known as the Ho Phra Keo Museum, is a former temple turned museum located in Vientiane. It was originally built in the 16th century to house the Emerald Buddha, which now resides in Bangkok, Thailand. The temple was later converted into a museum to showcase a collection of religious art and artifacts. Similar to Wat Sisaket, it also requires an entrance fee of 30,000 Kip ( ~ 1.5 USD).
Next to the Ho Phra Keo Museum, you will find the Presidential Palace. It is not open to tourists, so just taking photos from outside is enough.
Patuxay Victory Monument
Walking at the main boulevard from the President’s Palace, you will reach the Patuxay Victory Monument. Built between 1957 and 1968, it resembles the Arc De Triomphe in Paris featuring a blend of traditional Lao and French colonial styles. Other than going around or taking photos from the bottom, you can also get inside after paying an entrance fee of around 30,000 Kip (~ 1.5 USD).
It is the most iconic attraction in Vientiane serving as a reminder of Lao’s fight for independence. On your way to the monument, you will also pass by the National University of Lao and Vientiane Library. You can take a quick look inside for the local lives if you have time.
Other attractions in Vientiane
If you follow my 1 day Vientiane itinerary, you should have covered most of the main attractions in the city center. On your way back to the main areas, you can also pay a visit to the COPE visitor center (a free visitor center for education about the bombing period in Laos), the Lao National Cultural Hall, or other Wats.
However, most of them are only worth a short visit, so you may choose to go or not depending on your time.
What to do at night for 48 hours in Vientiane – Night shopping, eating, experiencing local life and FUN
Although not as busy as the nightlife in Bangkok, there are also some activities here in Vientiane for your 48 hours stay. There are a lot of walking streets in Vientiane. Every day after around 5 PM they are packed with night markets.
Largest night market in Laos
Unlike the Luang Prabang night market which is only 2 or 3 blocks long, the night market in Vientiane is a larger, more vibrant, and bustling market stretching from Chao Anouvong Park to the King Fa Ngum statue.
In addition to souvenirs, it offers a wide array of goods, including handicrafts, textiles, clothing, accessories, artwork, souvenirs, and traditional Lao products. Thus, the night market is a popular gathering place for locals and tourists alike.
As you wander through the market, you’ll be immersed in a local atmosphere. The stalls are brightly lit with colorful lights, creating a festive ambiance. Vendors are more enthusiastic than the ones in Luang Prabang but still share the common trait of introvert.
Vientiane night market food
Vientiane Night Market is not only a shopping destination but also a haven for food lovers. The Vientiane night market food is another big part of it.
You can find all typical Laos street food here such as grilled meat skewer, sticky rice, sweet roti, and Laos sausages. Want to know more about the lovely street food to be expected? Again I will be posting a post about Laos street food soon.
Hidden gem – Amusement Park at Mekong Riverside Vientiane
As you walk along the Vientiane night market, you will find a shining amusement park located just near the Mekong riverside. Probably this is the only blog to put this item in the 1 day Vientiane itinerary.
This lesser-known amusement park provides a charming and fun-filled environment with a stunning backdrop of the Mekong River. The attractions inside are relatively old-school with some carnival games like balloon shooting, basketball shootout, and ring toss. There are also amusement rides like big inflatable slides, mini-carousels, bumper cars, and even a small Wheel of Fortune.
The fee is also very reasonable. Each play at the game booth is around 5,000 Kip (~ 0.2 USD) and 20,000 Kip (~ 1 USD) for amusement rides like the bumper car. I highly recommend the bumper car to you.
What is the best currency to take to Laos?
The best currency to take is USD in Laos. The best exchange is the exchange shop at airport (surprise!).
Although, some tourist souvenir shop would also accept USD, you should exchange some Kip (the local currency of Laos) at Vientiane international airport.
Kip has denominations of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 & 100,000 Kip notes. The exchange rate between USD and Kip is around 1 : ~22,000.
Depending on your itinerary but ~20 USD in Vientiane is very abundant given the local price level.
Please leave me a comment for an inquiry or share your journey in Vientiane!
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