Laos is a country that is culturally very similar to Thailand, but poorer... Same predominant Buddhist religion, almost the same language (generally a Thai and a Laotian understand each other) the big difference is in the general and "political" standard of living since Thailand is a constitutional monarchy while Laos, like its neighbor Vietnam is a communist country. So here we are, embarked at the airport towards Nong Khai, the border town with Laos.
A short taxi ride took us to the border, open until 22pm and here we are in Vientiane! Well not quite, we still have to cross the bridge, in our case by taking another taxi, this time Laotian.
A little tip, prepare your money, dollars for the visa in particular (cheaper than paying the equivalent in Bahts if you come from Thailand), bahts (because it is also possible to pay in bahts, it is sometimes more practical) and the local currency, the kip. Change a little before leaving so as not to find yourself short once you cross the border and change a little money once in the country, the rate will be better.
1. Travel cheaply
And speaking of money, yes, Laos remains a cheap country, even if overall it remains proportionally more expensive than in Thailand, it is relatively common to eat for less than 40.000 Kip or less than 4 euros, for example the sandwiches that you find on every street corner are between 15.000 and 20.000 Kip.
Paid visits are also at fairly low prices, generally between 10.000 and 50.000 Kip (i.e. barely between 10 and 50 cents...)
For hotels, same observation, a decent accommodation costs less than 150.000 Kip (less than 15 euros), our guesthouse in Vientiane for example, the Heuan Lao Guest House cost us 90.000 Kip per night. By the way I point out that the guesthouse in question is quiet, the owner is super nice, speaks French and the rooms although relatively small are clean.
The only downside is the location, there is nothing to do or see in the surrounding area, if you are walkers it is quite possible to reach the city "center" on foot for 20 minutes, which is what we will do.
As there was no restaurant open in the area at the time we arrived (after 21pm) we were able to count on a small supermarket to fill our bellies after drooling in front of a window offering cold meats and cheese (the French in me suddenly woke up!).
2. Food
And speaking of shop window and "French", yes, in Laos the influence of the colonial era is felt, in terms of food, bread for example is an integral part of their daily life (while in Thailand it's a no-go...). The opportunity to be able to taste good French dishes or in any spirit in terms of taste and style and all for a reasonable price.
I was relatively unable to resist eating almost only that, the typical Laotian dishes being closer to the style of Issan in Thailand, saltier and generally blander perhaps, for that the Thais are excellent when it comes to mixing different types of tastes.
3. Easy visa run for tourists from Thailand
Many travelers arriving in Thailand with the 30-day visa exemption ultimately want to stay longer. Reapplying for a visa tends to be annoying, but I see it as an opportunity to visit the area a bit. After having been to Cambodia several times (right on the border) we had been to Malaysia for a change of scenery. This time I thought why not Laos!
Vientiane is easily accessible from Thailand, whether from Bangkok you can land with regular flights to Udon Thani or Nong Khai (our case, on the way there), you then arrive safely in a few hours.
The Laotian visa is done directly at the border post, you just have to present your passport with the form provided, and pay. As I mentioned above, it is preferable to pay in dollars. Be careful, the visa takes up a full page in your passport, make sure it is not already full.
If from Vientiane you want to make or renew a visa for Thailand, you just have to go to the embassy, taking care to present all the required documents, for that I invite you to look at here.
Please note that since November 1, 2013, you are entitled to 30 days when crossing the border into Thailand (compared to only 15 days previously), this is valid for British, American, Japanese, German, French, Canadian and Italian nationals.
4. A capital that doesn't seem like one
With its unpaved roads that look like wild tracks, walking in Laos is like going on an adventure. Vientiane is a bit the same thing… on a smaller scale. When you compare Bangkok to Vientiane, it’s true that the city has more of the feel of a large village and that the change of scenery remains total even in the city center.
Overall, Laos is widely described as more "authentic" even if that doesn't mean anything, because in some way it's as if we were criticizing our neighbor for being too "modern." But Laos, like Vientiane, has an atmosphere that is a bit out of time.
5. Cultural and historical visits
Vientiane contains several temples and places worth a look, not to mention the remains of colonial buildings. The city is particularly famous for its "triumphal arch", the Patuxai, as well as the Chedi Pha That Luang, the very symbol of the country since it is present on all the banknotes. It is also the most sacred monument in the country since it contains a relic, a hair of Buddha.
There are also some temples worth a look like the Vat Phra Kèo (also spelled Vat Ho Phra Keo), not to be confused with the Wat Phra Kaeo in Bangkok even if the name has the same origin since the temple in Vientiane is said to have housed the Emerald Buddha, today at the temple in Bangkok. Kèo means both glass, and green the color (in reference to the emerald therefore).
Wat Phra Kaew has now become a religious museum. Wat Si Saket also has a museum and, above all, more than 2000 Buddha images and murals. If the name sounds familiar, that's normal, it's a reference to Wat Saket ("the golden mountain") in Bangkok.
Note that not far from the guesthouse where we were there was the Wat Si Muang which is also worth a look. And to finish, a photo gallery to have an overall overview of the points of interest of the capital:
