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ANDREW BURKE REVEALS THE TOP TEN MUST-SEES AND MUST-DOS IN VIENTIANE – BANGKOK AIRWAYS’ FUTURE DESTINATION IN LAOS
LAID OUT LIKE A SLUMBERING TIGER along the banks of the mighty Mekong River, Vientiane in Laos can simultaneously lay claim to being one of Asia’s fastest-growing cities and one of the most laid-back capitals on earth. That might sound odd, but it is the result of a relatively booming economy blending with a traditional and refreshingly unhurried way of life.
Forget traffic, pollution and vast urban cities full of concrete skyscrapers. Instead, Vientiane is a surprisingly accessible and pleasant place. Most main attractions are scattered through a few central tree-lined streets, where centuries-old Buddhist monasteries share space with a serendipitous array of restaurants and cuisines. Indeed, you can walk or ride a bike to just about anywhere. Th ink of another capital city you could say that about. It all adds up to the sort of exotic South-East Asian charm that is increasingly hard to find – get here while it lasts.
1 PHA THAT LUANG
The tall, lotus-bud-shaped golden stupa that is Pha Th at Luang represents both Lao Buddhism and national sovereignty.
As local resident, Suthep Phonphanh says, “It is the most important and revered monument for the Lao people.”
Built when the Lan Xang Kingdom moved its capital to Vientiane in the mid-16th century, the different levels of the 45m-tall stupa symbolise Buddhist doctrine. The central spire itself represents a lotus seed growing to bloom over a lake’s surface, a Buddhist metaphor for growth from ignorance to enlightenment.
In the same way as Laos, Pha That Luang has a varied history. In 1641, Dutchman Gerrit van Wuystoff described an enormous pyramid “covered with gold leaf weighing about 1,000 pounds”.
Unfortunately, this reputation meant that by the late 1800s, the stupa had been dismantled by treasure-seekers. The French then restored it in the 1930s.
Pha That Luang is about four kilometres from central Vientiane and opens from 8am to noon, and 1 to 4pm, Tuesday to Sunday.
2 WAT SI SAKET AND HAW PHA KAEW
Central Vientiane has been home to colourful Buddhist wats (temples) since its earliest days and two of these have been converted into national museums. Wat Si Saket was the only one of Vientiane’s wats to be spared when the Siamese invaded and razed the city in 1828, although today, it could do with a facelift . It is famous for the more than 7,000 Buddha images throughout the temple, the European-style ceilings in the ordination hall and European-style murals. Look also for the pile of half-melted, broken Buddha images, collected after the 1828 war.
Across the road, Haw Pha Kaew was originally built in 1565 to house the Emerald Buddha, which now resides in Bangkok. After being burnt down in 1828, it was rebuilt and today, houses some of the best examples of Buddhist sculpture in Laos. The tall, lithe-looking 17th-century bronze “Calling for Rain” image is peculiarly Lao and particularly impressive.
Both are near the corner of Th Lan Xang and Th Setthathirat, and open daily from 8am to noon and 1 to 4pm.
3 XIENG KHUAN (BUDDHA PARK)
If you thought Bangkok’s Reclining Buddha was big, wait until you see this. Laid out on the banks of the Mekong River 24km south of central Vientiane, Xieng Khuan mixes two religions and concrete into one bizarre and photogenic whole. Meaning “Spirit City’” but known more generally as Buddha Park after the massive reclining Buddha image at its heart, Xieng Khuan’s dozens of concrete sculptures depict Hindu and Buddhist iconography.
The park was built in 1958 by Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat and his followers, all of whom were said to be novice sculptors. Legend has it that Bunleua’s unique blend of philosophy, mythology and iconography was influenced by a Hindu sage, a man Bunleua met after falling through a sinkhole and landing in the sage’s lap.
Xieng Khuan is open daily from 8am to 4.30pm.
4 PATUXAI
Laos’ answer to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, Patuxai (Th Lan Xang) is a four-arched victory monument dominating a park at the end of Vientiane’s main boulevard. The rooft op terrace affords awesome panoramic views across Vientiane’s low-rise skyline.
Patuxai was built during the 1960s using US-supplied cement that was meant for the new airport; today, some people still call it “the vertical runway”. The exterior bas reliefs and temple-like ornamentation are in Lao style, though the outside and the interior were never fully completed.
The lift well remains empty, so you’ll need to climb the steep stairways, through interior levels selling countless souvenir T-shirts, to the top. The surrounding park, with its musical fountain, is a good place to watch locals relaxing.
Patuxai is open from 8am to 4.30pm on weekdays, or 8am to 5pm on weekends.
5 LAO SILK
The ancient art of silk weaving is alive and well in Laos and Vientiane is the best place to buy. Silks and other weavings come in a wide range of designs reflecting regional and ethnic influences – ask the vendor to explain the background.
Th Nokeo Khumman is the street to start looking, with several shops catering to all budgets. Hand-woven silks are the most attractive and distinctive, and by buying these, you are ensuring that some of your money goes into the pockets of the weavers. Prices start at about US$20 and go much higher.
At the top end, Carol Cassidy Lao Textiles sells original-design fabrics inspired by older Lao weaving patterns, motifs and techniques. “Lao weaving is unique because of the diversity of techniques and complexity of designs used by the varying ethnic groups,” says Cassidy, an American designer.
The full process of dying and weaving can be seen at the shop (84-86 Th Nokeo Khumman, tel +856 (0)21-212123, www.laotextiles.com). Open Monday to Friday from 8am to noon, and 2 to 5pm; Saturday from 8am to noon.
6 ALFRESCO EATING
Some of Vientiane’s best and most authentically Lao eating can be found in two informal outdoor markets – one along the Mekong riverfront and the second on a nameless street in Ban Anou, both a short walk from the centre of town. They swing into action before sunset each evening.
“Watching the sunset and eating barbecued fish by the riverfront is the typical Vientiane experience,” says local resident Andrew Williamson. Most food served here reflects the Lao love of anything ping (barbecued) – chicken, pork, beef, and the sep lai fish (delicious!) and other seafood. All washed down with a Beer Lao or two, of course.
Ban Anou night market is set up on a small street off the norThend of Th Chao Anou and offers a dizzying array of delicious street food. Sure, there are dishes that will be a little too exotic for some, but there are plenty of deliciously edible curries, fresh vegetables and ping meat. Even if you don’t eat, it is worth the fascinating photo opportunities alone.
7 WAT SI MUANG
The best place to witness Buddhism in action in Vientiane is at the city’s oldest and busiest temple, Wat Si Muang. The temple was built around 1563 and is home to a large stone pillar known as the lak meuang, or city pillar.
Wat Si Muang was destroyed by the Siamese in 1828 and rebuilt by the French in 1915. A small stone Buddha image that survived the inferno is today considered both wise and lucky. You can watch people kneeling before the city pillar, lift ing the damaged image from a cushion three times as they mentally phrase their question or request. If their wishes are granted, they return to leave an offering of fruit and flowers.
Located at the corner of Th Samsenthai and Th Setthathirat. Open daily from 6am to 7pm.
8 FINE DINING
It’s at mealtime that Vientiane really surprises. “There are so many new places opening and the variety is fantastic,” says restaurateur Sophie Steller of Sticky Fingers. “You could eat at a different place every meal and not be disappointed.”
Another resident claims that Vientiane’s dining is “dollar for dollar the best in the world”. Eat your way around the following recommendations (or those in the Destination Guide on page 124) and you will soon discover the range of what’s on offer.
Steller’s Sticky Fingers Cafe and Bar (10/3 Th Francois Nginn, tel +856 (0)21 215972) is a chilled-out cafe by day and a busy restaurant at night. Whether you are there for a quiet drink or one of the innovative Asian international dishes, you surely will not be disappointed.
Makphet (Th Setthathirat, tel +856 (0)21 260587) serves Lao lunches with an inventive, unexpected twist. It is run by Friends International and the Ministry of Labour, and provides training for street kids to become chefs and waiters.
Cosy and convivial Douang Deuane Restaurant and Wine Bar (Th Francois Nginn, tel +856 (0)21 241154) is on two floors of a Lao wooden house. The mainly Lao and Vietnamese cuisine sticks to classic recipes, and does it well.
If foie gras and creme brulee sound more appealing than sticky rice, head to romantic little Le Silapa (17/1 Th Sihom, tel +856 (0)21 219689). The fine French cuisine and wine are remarkably good value and worth every cent.
9 LAO MASSAGE
Logic might suggest Vientiane is so stress-free that getting a massage would be unnecessary. But we think such logic is deeply flawed and, mercifully, the Lao do too. Lao massage has long been practiced at Buddhist temples and in recent years, has spread across the capital.
For the traditional experience, Wat Sok Pa Luang (on Sok Pa Luang Road) – a Buddhist monastery in the semi-forested suburbs of Vientiane – is famous for its herbal saunas and massage. The masseurs are lay people living at the monastery. The sauna and massage operate from 1 to 7pm daily and cost only a few dollars.
For more conventional pampering, “the Papaya Spa (tel +856 (0)21 216550, www.papayaspa.com) is definitely the top of the line,” says Sophie Steller. Housed in a French-era villa just west of the centre, this established, quality operation offers treatments including Lao massage (similar to Thai massage), Swedish oil massage, facials, waxing, body scrubs, reflexology and sauna – all for very reasonable prices.
10 WATCHING WILD ELEPHANTS
Just one hour’s drive east of Vientiane is Ban Na, an eco-tourism programme that gives you the chance to see some of Laos’ last remaining wild elephants in their natural habitat. Trekking with local guides from Ban Na, on the edge of the Phu Khao Khuay National Protected Area, you can sleep in a simple but secure observation tower overlooking a favourite elephant salt lick.
“This is not a manufactured kind of eco-experience,” says Andrew Williamson, who has been on this trip twice. “It’s the real deal. At any minute, you could come face to face with wild elephants – as we did.”
Being wild, there are no guarantees of sightings. Either way, it is a fun experience, and your money goes to both the local villagers and the elephant conservation fund.
For more information, visit www.trekkingcentrallaos.com. Tours can be booked in Vientiane through local operator Green Discovery (tel +856 (0)21 251564, www.greendiscoverylaos.com) or directly through Ban Na villagers, though you’ll need to find a Lao speaker to translate (try Mr Bounthanom, tel +856 (0)20 220-8286).
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