Vientiane

From Imakoopedia

Vientiane is the capital of Laos. Compared to the other bustling capitals in Southeast Asia, it feels like a small town.

See

• That Luang pagoda, the city's landmark, is an impressive gilded temple.
• Patuxai is a local rendition of the Arc de Triomphe. Besides the elaborate Buddhist embellishment, it differs from the original in being just a bit higher (to spite the French) and constructed of ugly gray concrete (donated by the Americans for an airfield).
• Buddha Park (Wat Xieng Khouan), 24km from the city, is a collection of huge outdoor sculptures of Buddhist deities and beasts real and imaginary. The reclining Buddha is especially impressive. There's a nearly identical park across the river in Nong Khai, Thailand.

Eat

• John Restaurant, Fa Ngum Road. Inexpensive Lao and Western food. Be sure to have your bill signed by the mysterious (and imaginary?) "John".

Sleep

• Lane Xang Hotel, Fa Ngum Road. A majestic old hotel from decades ago that remains the elegant place to stay. Hunter S. Thompson wrote dispatches from here after scrambling out of Saigon as it fell.
• Auberge du Temple, Luang Prabang Road (next to Wat Khunta). A bit far from the city center, but a very pleasant guest house owned by a French-Swiss gentleman.