Vientiane, Laos

The Vientiane Night Market is aimed primarily towards tourists, with clean, orderly stalls, and all manner of merchandise that make great souvenirs or mementos. It all begins around sunset when a small army of sellers begin setting up their red-roofed stalls directly on the riverside promenade. You can’t fail to see it. The whole riverside area is alive at this time with joggers and dog-walkers taking advantage of the cooling breezes and stunning backdrop of the sun lazily sinking into the Mekong river.The one noticeable absence from the market is the lack of food stalls, but with Vientiane being so small there is pretty much every kind of food imaginable only a stone’s throw away. Opening Hours: 18:00-22:00 Location: Riverside promenade, upstream from the Chao Anouvong statue.

Ho Phrakeo Museum, also known as the Royal Palace Museum, is a museum in Vientiane, Laos. It is located in the grounds of the Royal Palace and houses a collection of religious and historical artifacts, including the Emerald Buddha. The museum was founded in 1936 by King Sisavang Vong. The collection was originally housed in the That Luang Stupa, but it was moved to the museum in 1954. The museum was renovated in 2006. The museum also houses a collection of religious paintings, sculptures, and manuscripts. The museum is open to the public and admission is free.

The Presidential Palace is not to be confused with the official home of the Lao president, which is located in the Vientiane suburb of Ban Phonthan. This magnificent building is lit up in the evening and offers a great opportunity for night photography although a long lens may be needed.

Wat Si Saket located in Vientiane is famous for its cloister wall housing thousands of tiny Buddha images and rows with hundreds of seated Buddhas. These images mainly date from the 16th and 19th centuries and come in all sizes and are made from wood, stone and bronze – more than 6,800 Buddhas in total. Opening Hours: Daily from 08:00 – 16:00 Location: On Lan Xang Road (across the street from the Presidential Palace), Vientiane

That Dam, or black stupa, is located on a quiet roundabout not far from Talat Sao (the morning market) and the American Embassy. That in Laotian refers to an inverted bell shape (or unopened lotus flower) structure that usually contains relics of the Buddha. Location: Chantha Khoumane Road, Vientiane

With its crenellated upper level topped with five ornate towers in the traditional Laos style, the Patuxai Victory Monument cuts a distinctive figure on the Vientiane skyline. It forms the centrepiece of Patuxai Park, and is dedicated to the Laos who were killed in the fight to gain independence from France, as well as from the nation’s earlier occupiers, Siam and Japan. Situated at the end of one of the capital’s grand avenues, the large, square arch is reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Opening Hours: From 08:00 to 16:30 on Mondays to Fridays, and 08:00 to 17:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. Location: Patuxai is situated at the far end of Thanon Lane Xang in the government and diplomatic district. The monument sits on the large ‘island’ formed where the avenue splits into two, opposite the Ministry of Justice to the south and the Prime Minister’s office to the north. How to get there: Vientiane is such a small city that it is easy to get around on foot, by bicycle, or by tuk-tuk. To get to Patuxai, head north-east from the Presidential Palace near the river and follow Thanon Lane Xang for five blocks until you see the imposing sight of the Patuxai arch.

It was a very large place. Like there’s a main temple – That Luang, then there’s another temple across the street, then beside it was a huge house – I don’t know who lives there or what its purpose is – but it’s super beautiful. And then across the open plaza, there’s another temple where there’s a reclining Buddha.

I just love this place! They had welcome drinks, which is like gulaman here in the Philippines. After a while, they gave us a whole pitcher so we didn’t have to order drinks. When we finished that pitcher, they gave us another one. Seriously, we only had to pay for food. Their food is also really affordable. We all ordered different kinds of fried rice and it only costs LAK15,000 per plate. I asked for fried egg which only cost me an extra LAK2,000. The owner also speaks English so it was easy to ask for things. We also met her very cute pug, Puki. Definitely had a satisfying first meal in Laos.

Avalon B&B is a charming and cozy bed and breakfast located in the heart of Vientiane, Laos. The property is just a short walk from many of the city's top attractions, including the Royal Palace, Wat Si Saket, and the Night Market.