Vientiane Attractions

Thanon Tha, Vientiane, Laos

A sculpture park on the Mekong riverbank just outside the city, filled with more than 200 Buddhist and Hindu concrete statues built in 1958, including a giant reclining Buddha. A pumpkin-shaped dome near the entrance can be climbed from the inside, passing through levels representing hell, earth and heaven before reaching a rooftop view over the park.

Vientiane, Laos

A former royal temple built in 1565 to house the Emerald Buddha (now in Bangkok), today a museum of Lao Buddhist art and religious artifacts. Bronze Buddha images, stone inscriptions and wood carvings fill the temple hall, set around a quiet courtyard directly across the road from Wat Si Saket.

NonsaArt, Vientiane, Laos

A teak-wood museum compound set on a lake outside Vientiane, opened in 2025 and entered across a long bridge over the water. Its multi-level galleries display intricate wood carvings by Lao artisans alongside traditional paintings, contemporary sculpture and craftwork. It sits about 18 km from the city center, and is one of the few Vientiane attractions where tickets can be booked online.

Vientiane, Laos

A colonial-era circular fountain and public square in downtown Vientiane, lit up at night and ringed by cafes, bars and restaurants — the reference point this site uses for “Traveler Street” distances. It sits at the center of the old French Quarter grid, making it a natural starting point for exploring on foot after dark.

Free

Ave Lane Xang, Vientiane, Laos

A Champs-Élysées-style victory arch built in the 1960s using cement originally intended for a new airport runway, with a viewing platform near the top looking out over central Vientiane. Stairs inside climb past several levels of vendor stalls to the platform, and the surrounding fountain park fills with locals in the evening.

That Luang, Xaysettha 10009, Laos

Vientiane's national symbol: a soaring gold-covered Buddhist stupa first built in the 3rd century and rebuilt in its current form in 1566, set inside a walled courtyard with two flanking temples. Its image appears on the national seal of Laos, and the surrounding grounds host the country's largest religious festival, Boun That Luang, every November.

52 Rue Hengboun, Vientiane, Laos

An evening street-food market on Rue Hengboun, a few minutes' walk from Nam Phou Fountain in the heart of Traveler Street, open nightly from 5pm to 10pm. Stalls line the street selling grilled skewers, noodles, omelette rice and a mix of Lao and international bites, drawing both locals and travelers staying nearby.

Free

Vientiane, Laos

An evening market along the Mekong riverside promenade at Chao Anouvong Park, open nightly with stalls selling clothes, souvenirs, handicrafts and street food. The riverfront setting also makes it a popular spot to watch the sunset over the Mekong toward Thailand before browsing the stalls.

Free

Ave Lane Xang, Vientiane, Laos

Vientiane's oldest surviving temple, completed in 1818, known for cloister walls lined with thousands of small Buddha statues set in niches and a well-preserved 19th-century library. It survived the 1828 sacking of the city because it was built in Siamese architectural style — visitors can walk the full cloister to see the niches up close.