Vientiane

Vientiane is the charming and laid-back capital of Laos.

Nestled along the banks of the Mekong River, it’s only a 20-minute ride away from Laos – Thailand border. With its mix of French colonial architecture, Buddhist temples, and outdoor markets, Vientiane offers visitors a unique blend of history, culture, and natural beauty. In comparison to nearby Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore, Vientiane is a much more quiet city.

This travel guide gives you all the crucial information you need to make your journey to Vientiane unforgettable. Get set to discover one of Southeast Asia’s most delightful cities!

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Vientiane for Digital Nomads

Vientiane is not big, but it’s the biggest city in Laos.

Located right next to the border with Thailand, it’s very easily accessible from Thailand. You can take a train all the way from Bangkok to Nong Khai, and then walk to the border checkpoint. In January 2023, we visited Vientiane for the first time, and we loved it (same like Luang Prabang). First, because of the food and its availability – the quality and the value for money is amazing. Second, because of the overall vibe.

However, unlike with Luang Prabang, we wouldn’t stay in Vientiane for more than 2 weeks. It’s just not that interesting for us. And because most of the city “goes to sleep” very early, before 20:00.

Getting to Vientiane, Laos

Here are three best ways to get to Vientiane, Laos.

• Direct flights from Bangkok, Singapore, Seoul, Hanoi;
• High-speed railway from Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng;
• Train + bus or taxi from Thailand to Laos.

In 2023, I wouldn’t recommend traveling overland in Laos. The road quality in Laos is one of the worst in Southeast Asia. The newly-built high-speed railway is a much better option for traveling in Laos. Alternatively, you can always fly – both from other countries and within Laos.

Getting From Bangkok to Laos the Cheapest Way

There are frequent trains from Bangkok to Nong Khai.

In 2023, the cheapest ticket costs around 250 THB / 7 EUR. Nong Khai is right on the border between Thailand and Laos. From the train station it’s only a short walk – around 1 kilometer – until the border crossing. You can walk until there. Go through Thai immigration. Then you have to take a bus to cross the bridge into Laos. In 2023, it cost me 30 THB / 0.8 EUR. And from there you can take a public bus to Vientiane.

Vientiane is less than 20 kilometers away from the border.

There is a public bus, which can take you all the way until the city center of Vientiane. If you need cash, you can get it either on the Thai side of the border or on the Lao side of the border — there are money exchange offices. Most likely, it will be possible to pay also in dollars or Thai bahts.

• Book a train in Laos in advance. You may not get a ticket otherwise. You can book it on https://12go.asia/en. Or from a tour agent or your hotel / guest house / hostel. In 2023, it wasn’t possible to do it yourself, as a foreigner; unless you have a Lao bank account.
• Udon Thani is a nice place for a week or two. It’s a city in Thailand, near the border between Thailand and Laos. The whole region of Isan (Northeast Thailand) is very little explored by tourists.

Vientiane Digital Nomad Basics

Is it suitable for long stay? Top season? Highlights?

Short-Stay Destination

Vientiane is great city for short stays. We recommend you to stay for 1-2 weeks. There are some beautiful historical buildings, a few impressive temples (different from ones in Thailand) and lots of good cafes and restaurants.

Highlights

The availability of quality food. And beautiful cafes. Pleasant weather during the winter months. Pha That Luang, Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan) and Patuxai.

Top Season

The best time to visit Vientiane, Laos is from November to February, when the weather is dry and cool. During this time, temperatures range from a low of around 15°C (59°F) to a high of around 28°C (82°F). This is also the peak tourist season in Laos.

Cost of living – $

Vientiane is cheaper than most of the popular cities in Thailand. A coffee or a pot of tea in a nice place starts at 1 EUR, a meal – 2 EUR, double room – 15 EUR, massage – 4-5 EUR.

Food

There are a few grocery stores, some simple local eateries and quite a lot of stylish cafes and small restaurants. Many of the latter offer food at prices like the cheapest food stalls in Thailand, Malaysia or Indonesia (starting from 1-2 EUR per meal).

Getting Around

Vientiane is a rather spread out city. Take this into account and pay attention to the area, where you are booking your hotel. Rental bicycles are the cheapest mode of transportation in Vientiane. You can rent a bicycle in Vientiane starting from 2 EUR/day. There are also “tuk-tuk taxis” and regular taxis on the streets. For cheaper taxi rides in Vientiane, use “LOCA – Lao Taxi & Super App“.

Internet in Vientiane

In 2023, internet quality in Vientiane is not great, but it’s okay.

I could upload a 5-10 GB video to Youtube in 30 – 120 minutes.

It is not hard to find internet that works, but the speeds may vary a lot. If internet speed matters to you greatly, get in touch with the owners of the place you plan to stay in advance, to learn more of the internet speeds in that place. You can ask them to send you a screenshot of a speed test.

Mobile internet quality is about the same.

See the average mobile internet and fixed broadband speeds here (by country). Don’t assume that you’ll be getting the same speed everywhere in the country.

Where to Stay in Vientiane?

Luang Prabang is a city with population of around 1 million.

It’s a quite spread out city with most of tourists staying somewhere near the riverfront. 1-2 kilometers from the river – this is where you most likely will want to be. This is also where there are more places open after 19 – 20. You can also stay near the Patuxai. But not further away than Pha That Luang. We have stayed in Central Boutique Hotel (it’s okay, but not great) and loved the area – very local and with several very good restaurants and cafes, and two gyms, all 5 – 10 minute walk away.

Getting Around in Vientiane

Vientiane is a pretty big and spread out city.

Take this into account and pay attention to the area, where you are booking your hotel. Rental bicycles are the cheapest mode of transportation in Vientiane. You can rent a bicycle in Vientiane starting from 2 EUR/day. Ask in your hotel or look for bicycle rental shops. There are also “tuk-tuk taxis” and regular taxis on the streets.

For cheaper taxi rides in Vientiane, use “LOCA – Lao Taxi & Super App“.

Getting From Vientiane Airport to City

Getting from Vientiane Airport to the city center is easy.

There are numerous transportation options available:

1. If you are looking for the cheapest option, use bus. The local bus departs right in front of the airport. The bus ticket costs around 15,000 LAK or less than 1 EUR / USD, and will take you directly into the heart of downtown Vientiane – to the main bus station in Vientiane.
2. You can also opt for a tuk-tuk or taxi. Tuk-tuks are a great option if you want to try different mode of transportation. Prices will vary depending on how far you need to go. Expect to pay something like 50,000 LAK or 3-4 times the bus ticket price. Taxis are also an option, and these will usually cost slightly more than tuk-tuks but they also offer more convenience.
3. You can book a private transfer in advance. From your hotel or agency.

Getting From Thailand Border to Vientiane

There is a public bus from the border to Vientiane. It’s right there on the border, you can’t miss it. And it goes to Vientiane bus station. Alternatively, there are also taxis.

Getting from Vientiane to Thailand Border

You can take a taxi or bus from Vientiane.

When I wanted to go to Thailand at 6 AM in the morning (this is when border crossing opens), I asked in my hotel to book a taxi for me – just to be sure that I’ll have it, and will get to Thailand in time. I had a train to catch from Nong Khai to Bangkok.

Getting to and from Vientiane Train Station

Taxi is the best option to get from Vientiane to Vientiane train station.

For the cheapest rides, use LOCA ride-hailing app.

Stay Connected

For internet abroad we use Airalo eSIM service

Stay Protected

Travel insurance for digital nomads – SafetyWing

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Where to Eat in Vientiane?

Here are some of our recommendations.

1. Naked Espresso SNK. Amazing food. Amazing coffee. Amazing smoothies. They have several locations in Vientiane. We tried only these two.
2. Naked Espresso Lean & Clean. Their smoothies and food are next-level.
3. Swedish Pizza & Bakery. The place may look very basic, but pizza tastes amazing.
4. Berliner Garden. German sausages, potato salad in Laos? Whoa!
5. Mi Mi Mian. Singapore-level Singaporean restaurant. Quality like in Singapore, London or New York, but for Lao prices. We loved everything about this place.
6. Dada Cafe. Coffee shop. They have at least 2 locations in Vientiane.
7. Bacan Cafe Vientiane. Mexican, Chilean food. Tacos in Vientiane!
8. Joma Bakery Café Nam Phou. Very good bakery in Vientiane (and not only).
9. Le Cattitude Cafe. Cat cafe in Vientiane. Their smoothie bowls are very tasty!

Best Things to Do in Vientiane

What to do in Vientiane, Laos?

We spent 1 week in Vientiane mostly eating. And then we spent 3 weeks in Luang Prabang. Eating. And walking. No joking. The month we spent in Laos was one of the best months in 10 years of travel for us, food-wise. There was so much good food, whoa! And coffee. And cakes. But if you want to do something more than just eat good food in Vientiane, here are some of the top things to do in Vientiane:

1. Visit Wat Sisaket temple. It’s an ancient temple with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and a peaceful courtyard. A great place for a relaxed afternoon in Vientiane. It’s located near the riverside.
2. See the Pha That Luang. It’s a towering golden stupa considered to be one of the most important national symbols of Laos. For me, personally, the most beautiful place in Luang Prabang.
3. Check out the Patuxai. Also known as the “Arc de Triomphe of Vientiane”. It’s a war monument locals sometimes call the vertical runway. Yep, the vertical runway.
4. Go to Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan). It’s a unique park filled with surreal sculptures and garden landscapes, displaying Buddhist and Hindu influences.
5. Visit Wat Ho Phra Keo. A former royal temple in the past, now – a museum showcasing traditional Laotian art and culture.
6. Go shopping or sightseeing to Talat Sao (Morning Market). It’s a bustling indoor market with a vast selection of goods ranging from textiles to electronics. I’m not an expert in this, but textiles in Laos seem to be of very good quality and very affordable.

Have you been to Laos? Did you spend some time in Vientiane? What was your experience? Anything you would add to this guide to Vientiane for digital nomads?