2 DAYS in Vientianne OPEN FOR SUGGESTIONS

If you search 'Vientiane' on this branch the very first result will take you to this very useful and recent thread...

Check out the hilltribe handicrafts store, it's beside the post office across the street from the famous morning market. The stuff isn't displayed the way we are used to but it's all there and authentic. Oh, and all the shops are run by hilltribes people.

For foe, (most people are used to the way it's spelled in Vietnam, pho) my favorite is Tui's Jao Gow. It's in the sprawling Kua Din market beside the central bus station, might want to take a print out of the sign out front from the photo. The small paths and alleys of the market can be confusing, but everyone knows the place. A close second is the shop at the SW coner of Samsenthai and Phang Kham close to the Meuseum, cultural hall and all that stuff.
I also liked just wandering down Tahnon Heng Boun the road that begins directly East of the cultural hall. That street has quite a variety and the clientel is mostly Vientiane Lao so they are discerning.

Don't know what to tell you to do, most of the sites usually leave me underwhelmed. Took me twelve years to go look at Tat Luang, it's nice but. Same with the meuseum, "this is the rifle that shot down an American Aircraft on April 23 1971" and so on. Sitting by the river sipping bear gets boring after a couple hours. I'd hire a tuk tuk for the day and follow the mekong out of town then come back. I like the boat landing at Ban Gah Leo upstream, you can watch people ferrying stuff back and forth from Thailand.

These are the usual day trip options:
Go to Vang Vieng and visit the Cave(s)
Visit Ang Ngam Ngum Reservoir
Visit the Vientiane Zoo at Ban Ghurn
Visit the Buddha Park ( xieng khuan)
You can combine Vang Vieng and Ngam Ngum but it will make for a long day and lots of road travel. The Buddha park is about a two or three hour excursion from what I remember (start to finish), You can find travel agencies along the road that runs along the Mekong river, it's pretty much the tourist area. You could also just hire a minivan or taxi and just tell them where you want to go. I usually just take a tuk-tuk to the Buddha park.

Take a wander along the river bank. Plenty of small bars there.
Go to the Putaxai: that is the Triumphal arch,
the beautiful Wat Sisaket.
the Golden Stupa.

If you go to the Buddha Park, the most enjoyable way is by #14 bus from the Morning Market (also worth a visit, and as the name suggests is open ALL day, hmmm). The bus goes along the Mekong for much of the journey, including a stop at the Friendship bridge.

The food in Vientienne is great- amazing value.
However it possibly the most boring capital city I have ever visited.Not without it's curiosity value but it's hardly a tourists paradise.

Hey Johnnie.... what food recommendations do yo uhave for food there ????

Its been a while since I was there so I'm a bit fuzzy on names but there was a great French Bistro called....Le Bistro if I remember rightly it's on a road near the river - sorry to be so vague. There's also a central square with a lot of French and Italian places. I also had a Fab Chinese meal there.

For such a seemingly back ward city I found there to be a fairly amazing selection of International Cusine (especialy French) at incredibly cheap prices.

Beware theough there is a 10.30 curfew on bars and eateries!

Three years ago I got a massage with "hot cupping" at an interesting co-ed herbal sauna in Vientiane. There was a listing in the current-at-that-time LP for this place. The masseur is a former athletic champion and he places small glass cups that he has heated on one's back at particular points for theraputic purposes. I had a constellation of perfectly round "hickies" on my back for about a week, until they faded. It was the hot cupping that attracted me to the establishment, but I greatly enjoyed the herbal sauna. They issue one a rough sarong to wear and one can sit in the very fragrant steam room (segregated by the sexes at this point) as one waits for one's massage time. The clientele is about 85% Lao. This was a lovely way to meet locals, as people were very chatty here. I ended up going to dinner and a night club with one local I met there.

My favorite is renting a bike and cruise along the river front...and stop by old theater areas for cafee Yen and food.