Lao P.D.R.

In the end of April my friend and I went to Laos to get new Thai visas. It was too early for me, but I wanted to see Vientianeand also I had no desire to pay 2000 THB for extending my visa for a month, when I can pay the same amount for money for a new visa that can help me to stay in Thailand for 4 month without any extra pay.

So we went to Laos. I haven’t seen much of the country, only it’s capital, Vientiane. One of my new friends here, in Chiang Mai, told me, that Vientianeis her least favorite part of Lao P.D.R. and that I need to see more. I’m sure she’s right, but I actually loved Vientiane. It has that Indochina vibe that actually makes you feel like a character from an old movie.

Scroll to the end of the post to see my recommendations  on where to stay, where to eat and what to see)

I wore (looking super awkward at all of my Lao pictures))):

Dress - vintage, handmade (I bought it at the vintage stall on the Sunday night market in Chiang Mai)

Shoes - bought at Sunday market

Bag - thrifted, made in India

Bracelet - gift, my friend brought it back from Thailand

Belt - bought at my favorite shop in Chinatown by Warorot Market (in Chiang Mai)

On the bus, crossing Mekong by Thai-Lao Friendship bridge

Mekong





The view from my guesthouse

Presidential palace

Vientiane by night

At Wat Sisaket

Gorgeous flowers

Patuxai (Arc de Triomphe) - one of the most beautiful monuments I've ever seen

Where to live:

(two places on the riverside, where you can spend a few days if you don't want to spend too much money)

- Relax and Dream Away (Rue Norkeokoummane) - I was very happy to stay here. It's quiet, clean, has small, but neat rooms, the internet was very descent. I've actually recommended it to some of my friends and they were very satisfied too.

- Funky Monkey (Rue Francois Ngin) - I haven't lived there, but this place got high recommendations from my friend. It's a hostel, but you can also rent a room for two.

Where to eat:

(haven't been to many places thought)

- Joma's Bakery - they have WiFi, strong local coffee and lovely dessert called nanaimo bar (it totally satisfied my two month craving for some good chocolate)). There are two bakeries in Vientiane - one is by the river, on Rue Setthathirath, the other one - near Thailand embassy.

- Cuisine D'or - also on Rue Setthathirath, a place with vegetarian Chinese cuisine.

- Lot's of small cafe's by the riverside - they have local coffee, pancakes, omelets and huge (trust me on this!) tuna sandwiches.

What to see:

- Mekong rivewalk, the monument, small park - nothing too special, but if you're a little bit obsessed with movies like L'Amant, you'll understand why I needed to go there.

- Presidential palace - on Rue Chao Fa Ngum, across the road from the monument by Mekong.

- Wat Si Saket (and numerous other temples) - I only had time to visit two or three of them, and I loved Si Saket. In some way it's a little bit different from Thai temples.

- Patuxai - Lao Arc de Triomphe. One of the most beautiful things ever. I've never been to Paris, but this one took my breath away. It's simply gorgeous - such an intricate desigh and so many details.

I really enjoyed my stay in Laos. Yes, Vientiane is a small city and you probably wouldn't find any signs of night life here. But still - it's a beautiful city, with lots of blossoming trees, colonial architecture and the vibe of past centuries (Thailand already lost it).

I hope you've ebnjoyed this small guide tour of Vientiane)