From the exit of the Thai embassy in Vientiane we took a tuk tuk to the city center to go as quickly as possible, otherwise we could have walked, Vientiane is not a very big city for a capital. Without remembering the price you should get by for 30.000 to 40.000 kip (between $4 and $5) depending on your ability to negotiate We were going to take a ride on the banks of the Mekong, the river that acts as a border, the village opposite, in Thailand, is called Si Chiang Mai not to be confused with the "other" Chiang Mai of course.
King Anouvong Park, a historic turning point in the destiny of Vientiane
The park on the banks of the Mekong is named after a king of Laos, whose huge statue stands there, looking towards Thailand. For those interested in history, it is Anouvong. He reached the gates of Bangkok with his army but due to poor tactical choices, he was pushed back to Vientiane where he was defeated. He took refuge in Hue in Vietnam from where he brought back additional Vietnamese soldiers, but despite this, was still defeated…
The Siamese king of the time, Rama III, wanted to teach a lesson and razed the city of Vientiane (except for one temple, the Vat Sisaket). Anouvong tried to escape to China but was captured and died in Bangkok, a prisoner in an iron cage...
A Glimpse of Vientiane's Temples
After this stop in Anouvong Park, while the heat rages we join the main avenue (nicknamed the "Champs-Elysées" of Vientiane) of Lane Xang, time to see the Presidential Palace, a glimpse of the temples in the surrounding area (Wat Sisaket, Wat Phra Keo) and not much more because we already had to reach our hotel to collect our bags and reach the bus station.
Walking towards the hotel we will pass in front of the French Embassy but also in front of a city pillar shrine (see the photo above) and especially the Wat Si Muang. Not devoid of charm, the temple does not really show its "age", its construction dating back to 1563. The remains of the old Hindu Khmer temple are visible behind the main building (which we will not know at the time of the visit ...)
While the young students were leaving school we were already at our hotel, located only 150 m from Wat Si Muang. Back at our hotel we met the owner, super nice, we asked him to book us a tuk tuk to go to the bus station, located behind the morning market (the Talat Sao, which overlooks Lan Xang Avenue)
3 Comments
Nice presentation!! Thank you
You're welcome
Hi Romain,
Vientiane is a very small capital that I really liked. However, there is not much to do there, except to see the Pha That Luang, the Patuxai, the pleasant promenade along the Mekong and the few temples that you mentioned in your article. But it is a pleasant and peaceful city (perhaps too much, especially in the evening). I visited it by bike and I found it great. Moreover, it is interesting to find bakeries and restaurants serving French cuisine among the cheapest in the world (a result of the French presence in Laos). That said, I would not go so far as to recommend Vientiane at all costs, but it can be interesting to make a brief stop there. In the end, I hope you liked it too!