Things to Do in Vientiane in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
Low Season · Budget Friendly
December Weather in Vientiane
Long-run averages for December
84°F (28°C)
High Temp
66°F (19°C)
Low Temp
0.2 inches (5 mm)
Rainfall
69%
Humidity
7
Sunny-Day UV
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + December kicks off Vientiane's dry season. Mornings glow gold and clear. Perfect light for shooting That Luang's golden spires without haze. Other months smother them in gray.
- + Riverfront dining feels pleasant again. Mekong breeze slices midday heat. Sunset beers at the night market don't glue you to plastic chairs.
- + Crowds stay thin. You'll share Wat Si Saket with maybe a dozen others. Monks aren't yet bored of tourist selfies.
- + Hotel rates haven't spiked for Lao New Year or Chinese New Year yet. Snag riverside rooms with balconies for the price of a backpacker dorm elsewhere in Asia.
Considerations
- − UV is brutal. That pale winter sun bouncing off the Mekong fries unprepared skin in 30 minutes flat.
- − Evenings drop to 66°F (19°C). Locals break out puffer jackets. If you're acclimatized to tropical heat, grab a light fleece for riverside bars.
- − River levels are low. Scenic long-tail boat trips to Buddha Park feel more like a mud slog than a cruise.
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
Sunrise temple circuits by bicycle
Cool December mornings make cycling 8km (5 miles) along the Mekong before 8am refreshing, not suicidal. Start at Wat Si Muang while monks chant inside candle-lit halls. Coast past French-colonial shophouses painted ochre and mint. By 9am you're back for khao piak sen noodle soup before the sun turns aggressive.
Booking Tip: Grab a city map from your guesthouse the night before. GPS glitches down smaller lanes. Rentals typically ask for passport photocopies. Bring one to speed things up.
Mekong sunset whisky-and-grill nights
December skies blaze tangerine over Thailand across the river. Night-market vendors set up charcoal braziers that smoke mackerel and chicken feet. The smell drifts between stalls selling Beer Lao cheaper than water. Grab a plastic stool. Order grilled river weed. It tastes like salty kale chips. Watch the sky fade from mango to bruised purple.
Booking Tip: No booking needed. Just rock up after 5:30pm. Bring small bills. Most stalls can't break anything larger than 20,000 kip.
Buddha Park dawn visits
Beat the tour buses that leave town at 9am. Arriving at 7am hands you those 200-odd concrete Hindu-Buddha sculptures alone, mist rising off the Mekong behind them. December light slants soft, so the pumpkin-head demon statues look serene instead of kitsch.
Booking Tip: Negotiate a tuk-tuk the evening before. Drivers sleep late and won't hustle if you ring at 6am. Round trip takes 2 hours including travel.
Lao coffee crawl and khao jee sandwich hunt
Cool mornings were built for thick Lao arabong coffee sweetened with condensed milk. Start at a roadside cart on Samsenthai Road. Walk 400m (0.25 miles) to Ban Anou night-market remnants for khao jee. It's baguette stuffed with pork pâté and carrot-daikon pickle, a delicious colonial leftover.
Booking Tip: Carts open around 6:30am and close by 10am. Follow the smell of scorched condensed milk.
Indoor textiles and contemporary art galleries
When midday UV hits index 8, duck into the Lao Textile Museum. It's air-conditioned, blessedly. Watch indigo ikats woven on back-strap looms. Afterwards cross the lane to the newly opened Vientiane Contemporary, a warehouse turned gallery where younger artists spray-paint Buddhist motifs on canvas. December's low humidity keeps paper and fabric crisp for photos.
Booking Tip: Galleries close Mondays. Otherwise 9am-5pm. No need to book. Donations keep the AC running.
Where to Stay in Vientiane in December
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for December travellers.
Public Holidays in December
Dates that affect opening hours, transport and crowds
Lao National Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday. Date calculated from the national holiday calendar.
Lao National Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday. Date calculated from the national holiday calendar.
Lao National Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday. Date calculated from the national holiday calendar.
Lao National Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday. Granted in lieu when the holiday falls at a weekend. Date calculated from the national holiday calendar.
Packing Checklist
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View Vientiane Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Tuk-tuk drivers quote in baht or kip. Agree currency before you climb in to avoid inflated mental math.
Most restaurants shut 2-4pm. Plan a café or museum break then or you'll wander hungry.
Weekend brunch at Scandinavian-run spots fills with NGO expats. Eavesdrop for off-menu volunteer opportunities.
ATMs dispense only large notes. Break them at 7-Eleven where staff expect it
Sunset on the Thai side looks prettier. Walk 200m (0.12 miles) north of the night market for an unobstructed view.
Avoid These Mistakes
Don't assume 84°F (29°C) isn't hot. Humidity tricks sweat into evaporating. You dehydrate faster than you notice.
Don't rely on Grab. Coverage is patchy outside the centre. Flagging a passing tuk-tuk is often quicker.
Skip booking Buddha Park tours online for midday slots. Morning light is softer and crowds thinner.
Don't wear shorts into Wat Si Saket. Guards will hand you a rental sarong and charge for the privilege.
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Top-rated things to do in Vientiane this December
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