Must-see shopping in Vientiane

  • T'Shop Lai Gallery

    Vientiane

    Imagine a melange of aromas – coconut, aloe vera, honey, frangipani and magnolia – all of them emanating from body oils, soaps, sprays, perfumes, lip…

  • The First

    Vientiane

    This bright-feeling shop has a broad but well-curated selection of items representing some of Laos' most reputable brands: beautiful textiles from Ock Pop…

  • Saoban

    Vientiane

    This small shop works with over 300 artisans in 14 communities across 10 provinces of Laos, selling everything from hand-woven silk textiles to bamboo…

  • Carol Cassidy Lao Textiles

    Vientiane

    Lao Textiles sells high-end contemporary, original-design fabrics inspired by generations-old Lao weaving patterns, motifs and techniques. The American…

  • Camacrafts

    Vientiane

    Stocks silk clothes and weavings from Xieng Khuang Province, plus some bed and cushion covers in striking Hmong-inspired designs. All of the shop's…

  • State Books Shop

    Vientiane

    This state-run bookshop, with its faded titles in Russian and Vietnamese, is a lingering reminder of Laos' communist roots in an increasingly slick…

  • Kanchana Boutique

    Vientiane

    This shop carries what is possibly the most upscale selection of Lao silk in town (the most expensive designs, some of which sell for several thousand US…

  • Her Works

    Vientiane

    This social enterprise-oriented shop features the work of ethnic minorities in remote corners of the country. This means chunky, colourful clothing, bags,…

  • Monument Books

    Vientiane

    A great one-stop shop for glossy magazines and a tasteful range of modern classic novels, plus travel guides, thrillers and lush pictorials on Laos.

  • Talat Sao

    Vientiane

    A once-unique Vientiane shopping experience has sadly undergone a facelift: two-thirds of its world of stalls selling opium pipes, jewellery and…

  • Night Market

    Vientiane

    Vientiane's night market lights up the riverfront with a selection of stalls hawking handicrafts and T-shirts. It doesn't quite have the atmosphere of…

  • Dee Traditional Antique Textiles

    Vientiane

    It might not look much from the outside but within this chilled shop, stuffed from floor to ceiling with an array of rustic hill-tribe woven items, there…

  • Satri Lao

    Vientiane

    Set across two floors, this Aladdin's cave of an emporium hawks traditional clothing, Hmong handbags, pillowcases and a whole lot more. Perfect for some…

  • Mixay Boutique

    Vientiane

    One of the stores worth a visit along this busy drag is the upmarket Mixay Boutique; it stocks a veritable potpourri of textiles and handicrafts from…

  • Book Café

    Vientiane

    Vientiane's best-stocked secondhand bookshop sells travel guides, thrillers and informative books on Laos' culture and history.

  • Indochina Handicrafts

    Vientiane

    Vientiane's version of the Old Curiosity Shop, this place is full of knick-knacks and faux antiques.

  • Vins de France

    Vientiane

    Vins de France (the sign says 'bar à vin') is one of the better French wine cellars in Laos.

  • VanSom

    Vientiane

    A well-stocked wine cellar with a good range of international varietals.

  • Talat Thong Khan Kham

    Vientiane

    One of the biggest markets in Vientiane, there's virtually everything here, from food to tools, although not much of interest to most tourists.