Things to Do in Vientiane in March
March weather, activities, events & insider tips
March Weather in Vientiane
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
Is March Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
- + March lands at the tail of the dry season—rivers shrink so far that you can stroll across sandbars to Don Chan Island at sunset, capturing mirror-like reflections of the Mekong bridges in your lens.
- + Daytime temperatures linger between 30-33°C (86-91°F)—warm enough for an ice-cold Beerlao in Beer Garden's open-air seating, yet mercifully short of the 40°C+ (104°F+) hammer that arrives in April.
- + Lao New Year prep kicks off mid-month—stalls on Thalat Sao Road spill over with handmade baci strings and sticky-rice baskets, letting you taste the build-up before April's full-blown chaos.
- + Hotels price themselves in the shoulder-season sweet spot—cheaper than the 50% spike during Boun That Luang in November, but nowhere near the ghost-town markdowns of the August monsoon.
- − Air quality slips as farmers torch rice stubble—the usually crisp view of Thailand across the Mekong blurs by 2 PM on roughly half the days.
- − Afternoon storms crash in unannounced around 3-4 PM, turning Patuxai's spiral staircase into a slick hazard and sending tuk-tuk drivers scurrying home early.
- − The Mekong drops so low that sunset boat cruises can’t clear the sandbanks—book dinner cruises upstream if you still want river views.
Year-Round Climate
How March compares to the rest of the year
Best Activities in March
Top things to do during your visit
March bares wide sandbanks tailor-made for twilight cycling. The 7 km (4.3 mile) riverside path from Wat Si Muang to Buddha Park stays bone-dry, and you’ll share it with perhaps a dozen locals out for exercise. By 5 PM the mercury has slid to 28°C (82°F), setting up a perfect 90-minute loop past fishing villages and waterside temples.
March’s UV index of 8 turns open-air temple touring into a furnace by 11 AM. Shift to the cool interiors—Wat Si Saket’s 6,840 Buddha statues hold steady at 25°C (77°F) year-round, and Haw Phra Kaew’s carved wooden doors glow in the soft afternoon light that slips through louvered windows. Culture minus heatstroke.
March is mango season, so cooking classes spotlight green-papaya salad with fresh peanuts and sticky rice steamed in bamboo. Kitchens stay a comfortable 26°C (79°F) under whirring fans, unlike outdoor markets where the sun makes fish-sauce shopping punishing after noon. Dessert? Mango sticky rice at peak sweetness.
Low water in March slows the current to a beginner-friendly pace. The 12 km (7.5 mile) paddle from Ban Nasay to Vientiane lasts three hours, threading past fishing villages where kids wave from bamboo bridges. The river sits at 25°C (77°F)—warm enough for a Beerlao break and a swim on Don Chan Island’s sandbar.
Xieng Khuan’s 90 concrete sculptures throw long, sharp shadows under March’s low-slung sunset, and the 25°C (77°F) evening breeze makes climbing the 40 m (131 ft) pumpkin sculpture pleasant. Storm clouds from earlier downpours stack up behind the reclining Buddha—photographers dub it ‘golden hour with drama’—and after 5 PM you’ll have the park almost to yourself.
March Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
On March 8th, women’s groups line Setthathirath Road with stalls selling hand-woven silk and traditional medicines. The morning parade leaves Talat Sao at 8 AM and finishes at Patuxai with traditional Lao dance—low-key, yes, but a rare chance to mingle with locals who seldom see tourists at their own cultural events.
Essential Tips
What to pack, insider knowledge and common pitfalls