Weekend in Vientiane
Trip Overview
Two days in Vientiane give you time to let the city's essential temples and lazy riverside rhythm sink in. You'll begin among lotus-filled courtyards at Wat Si Sak and finish with a cold Beerlao while the Mekong shifts to copper. Between golden stupas and crumbling French mansions, you'll nibble charcoal-grilled sausages in morning markets, slurp fragrant feu soup under lazy ceiling fans, and pedal frangipani-scented lanes to a field of surreal concrete sculptures. The pace stays slow, Vientiane rewards wanderers, not box-tickers.
Pace
Relaxed
Daily Budget
$45-70 per day
Best Seasons
November-February (cool, dry evenings); June-August acceptable if you handle afternoon storms
Ideal For
First-time visitors, Temple enthusiasts, Food-focused travelers, Slow-travel fans, Couples
Day-by-Day Itinerary
A complete plan for every day of your trip
1
Temples, Textiles & Twilight on the Mekong
Central Vientiane
Walk from gleaming stupas to vintage shops, then cycle the Mekong promenade for sunset.
Morning
Wat Si Saket, Haw Phra Kaew & morning market loop
Start at 8 a.m. when novices' saffron robes flicker against the 2,000 silver niches of Wat Si Saket. Bronze bells echo while you circle the cloister, breathing incense and frangipani. Five minutes on, Haw Phra Kaew's carved teak porch frames a cool, hushed hall where 16th-century bronze Buddhas keep silent watch. End by squeezing through the covered morning market aisles, lemongrass, fermenting fish sauce and grill smoke flood your nostrils while vendors shout over rainbow-stacked spices.
Lunch
Kua Lao Restaurant on Setthathilath Road
Afternoon
COPE Visitor Centre & That Dam stroll
A 10-minute tuk-tuk ride lands you at the COPE Centre where documentary footage and prosthetic limbs recount Laos' unexploded ordnance legacy, quiet, air-conditioned, thought-provoking. Afterwards drift to nearby That Dam, the 'Black Stupa', a moss-slick brick tower rising from a shady roundabout. Catch the cool breeze under the bodhi trees while traffic murmurs beyond.
Evening
Sunset riverside cycle & night brazier barbecue
Rent a city bike at Chao Anouvong Park, pedal north along the Mekong promenade, then eat at Senglao BBQ where bamboo tables sit inches from the water
Where to Stay Tonight
Near Nam Phou fountain (Mid-range boutique guesthouse (e.g., Villa Chitdara))
Walkable to cafés, riverside and night venues. Plenty of Vientiane hotels cluster here
See all Vientiane accommodation options →Carry small notes for temple donations. Attendants appreciate crisp 2,000 kip bills instead of coins.
Day 1 Budget: $50-65
2
Buddha Park Adventure & Hand-craft Afternoon
Vientiane outskirts & city centre
Morning at the surreal Buddha Park, afternoon browsing silk looms and sunset cocktails.
Morning
Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan) excursion
A 45-minute songthaew ride south drops you beside the Mekong in a meadow of gigantic concrete figures. Climb inside the three-story pumpkin-shaped dome, steps are narrow, air grows moist and echoing, to survey serpentine nagas, towering reclining Buddhas and eerie Hindu deities. Cicadas drone overhead while river smells mix with dry-season dust.
Negotiate waiting time. Most drivers allow 90 minutes inside the park
Lunch
Boat-parked Mekong fish restaurant opposite Buddha Park gate
Afternoon
Houey Hong Vocational Training Centre & Carol Cassidy Lao Textiles
Back in town, head to Houey Hong where you can dye indigo scarves with your own hands, the air sharp with turmeric and ebony bark. Move on to Carol Cassidy's Lao Textiles studio, shuttles clack on antique wooden looms while silk catches tropical light. Prime spot for ethically-made souvenirs.
Textile studio closes Sundays. Call morning to confirm
Evening
Sunset cocktail at rooftop bar, then Vientiane night food
Le That Dam View rooftop for passion-fruit mojito, then wander to Ban Anou night market for sizzling minced-meat laap
Where to Stay Tonight
Same as night one, Nam Phou / Setthathilath vicinity (Villa Chitdara or similar Vientiane hotels)
Lets you repack leisurely and walk to late-night cafés
See all Vientiane accommodation options →Bring socks; Buddha Park's metal staircases burn feet at midday.
Day 2 Budget: $45-60
Practical Information
Everything you need to know before you go
Getting Around
Vientiane is flat. Walking covers the centre. For Buddha Park hire a shared songthaew or Grab tuk-tuk. City bikes cost $2/day and include a chain lock, lanes are quiet before 4 p.m.
Book Ahead
Boutique hotels in November-February; textile workshop if you want a full half-day class; COPE documentary screening on weekends (free but seats fill).
Packing Essentials
Light scarf for temple shoulders, refillable bottle (many cafés have filters), small kip denominations, SPF lip balm, compact rain jacket June-August.
Total Budget
$95-125 excluding flights
Customize Your Trip
Adapt this itinerary to your travel style
Budget Version
Stay in a fan-cooled hostel near the river, eat market soups, rent bicycle instead of tuk-tuk, and limit paid museums. You can squeeze the same route for under $35 a day.
Luxury Upgrade
Book the Settha Palace hotel for poolside breakfasts, hire private car to Buddha Park with cold towels provided, upgrade to private silk-weaving class, and finish evenings with French-Lao degustation at L'Adresse de Tinay.
Family-Friendly
Swap late-night BBQ for early riverside picnic, choose hotel with pool (child-friendly Vientiane hotels like Lao Poet), shorten Buddha Park to one hour, add morning visit to Vientiane Children's Cultural Centre for interactive Lao games.
Book Activities for Your Trip
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