This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Vientiane.
Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, is located close to the Laotian/Thai border in the northern part of Laos. Most of the hostels in Vientiane are located within the Chanthaboury region and many of them are along Chau Anou Road. The location doesn't really matter; as long as you are in and around the downtown region, it is easy enough to get around (there are many tuk tuk drivers who can take you to some of the local attractions for a small fee).
Among the more beautiful religious and architectural places to visit is the Golden Stupa, or Pha That Luang, which is a giant, golden statue of Buddha standing at around forty-five metres tall. Wat Si Sikat is also a stunning place to visit, with more than six thousand statues of Buddha in all different sizes and poses spread throughout the temple.
On a more historical note, a trip to the Laos National History Museum will give you all of the country's history. For a more recent historical monument, a trip to the Patuxai, of the Victory Gates, is also a must-see. This monument is built entirely out of concrete and is a dedicated war memorial to those Laotian soldiers that lost their lives in the war to achieve independence from France. What makes the memorial even more interesting is that it was funded entirely by the US government -- during the Vietnam War, America gave the Laotian government enough money to purchase concrete enough to build an airspace for them to use during the war. The Laotian government purchased the concrete and then decided that instead they would use it to build this monument.
Written by local enthusiast for Vientiane hostels
Globetrotter