Vientiane Night Market
The Vientiane Night Market is aimed primarily towards tourists, with clean, orderly stalls, and all manner of merchandise that make great souvenirs or mementos. It all begins around sunset when a small army of sellers begin setting up their red-roofed stalls directly on the riverside promenade.
You can’t fail to see it. The whole riverside area is alive at this time with joggers and dog-walkers taking advantage of the cooling breezes and stunning backdrop of the sun lazily sinking into the Mekong river.
Products on offer are fairly typical of night markets throughout the region. You will find a predictable array of Buddhist-inspired paintings and knickknacks, cheap sunglasses, and Beer Lao T-shirts. The clothes stalls tend to be geared towards the backpacker market with fishermen pants and one-size-fits-all dresses and skirts. With only $US10 in your pocket you can pick up at least a couple of products here, but, for bargain hunters, it’s worth mentioning that everything on offer here can be found at a slightly cheaper price at other markets. The traders seem to have whittled down all the best-sellers from the Morning Market and set them up in more attractive, and convenient, surroundings.
As with all tourist markets, English is widely spoken but be prepared to test your bargaining skills because initial prices are always inflated, and you should never accept the first price quoted. Most of the products can be found at several stalls so it helps to wander around to find the best price. A little perspective is advised when it comes to the negotiation process however, as the difference of a few thousand Kip is negligible when converted to foreign currency. Even if you have already stocked up on souvenirs and aren’t really planning to buy anything, an enjoyable few hours can be spent browsing and people watching down by the river. It seems to be the Laotians’ favourite pastime.
Vientiane Nightlife
What To Do At Night In Vientiane
You’ll find lots of small and friendly bars and pubs, often serving specialties from their original country. The best way to explore is simply to just walk around downtown until a place calls your name.
Beer Gardens
The many beer gardens that once fringed the banks of the Mekong have long been closed down by the government, who felt them too unruly and likely to attract an undesirable crowd. However, the timber-built Sala Sunset Khounta boat still remains intact, alongside a handful of riverside drinking venues, providing the perfect spot for Beer Lao-laden sunsets. To drink the national beer as fresh as it comes, head on down to the Salakham Beer Garden 12 km outside of central Vientiane. This is where the Government Brewery resides, equipped with its very own thatched-roof beer garden.
Blue Sky Bar
Geared towards backpackers, Blue Sky Bar offers a great place for a sunset drink at the rooftop bar. Stretching over four floors, Blue Sky is also a good place to catch up on the latest movies playing on a loop throughout the day. Bar snacks are available as is a range of cheap beer, making for an amiable easygoing place to relax and meet fellow travellers.
- Opening Hours: 08:00-22:00
- Location: Junction of Setthathirat Road and Chao Anou Road
- Tel: +856 21 216368
Déjà vu Bar
A trendy cocktail bar that plays hosts to jazz nights, Déjà vu offers an interesting menu of original drinks and unusual liqueurs. The bar is small and enjoys a cosy, warm vibe with multi-lingual bar staff who pride themselves on offering drinkers a superb service. The place may be small but the customers are some of the coolest and nicest around, plus the bar is conveniently located next door to L’Opera restaurant.
- Opening Hours: 18:00-23:30
- Location: Nam Phu Fountain Square
- Tel: +856 021 244288
Future Nightclub
Loud and busy, Future Nightclub does not have a dance floor; instead partygoers dance where they stand. Locals make up the biggest crowd here and Future gets busy most days of the week, becoming very crowded over the weekend. Popular drinks include sharing a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label or a few bottles of Beer Lao. To get here head towards the Mercure Hotel – Future Nightclub is close by.
- Opening Hours: 17:00-01:30
- Location: Luang Prabang Road
Lunar 36
Lunar 36 is situated on the roof of the Don Chan Palace Hotel attracting a vibrant crowd seeking out techno music and neon lighting. You dance where you stand in this busy venue – one of the most popular nightclubs around. Lunar 36 is best visited over the weekend or on a Wednesday night; on other nights it opens its doors as a karaoke spot where rooms can be hired privately.
- Opening Hours: 18:00-03:00
- Location: Inside Don Chan Palace Hotel, Vientiane
- Tel: +856 021 244288
Martini Lounge
A sophisticated cocktail bar offering their very own specials including a Lao Lao Shooter and a flaming hot Fire and Ice vodka-based mix. It has Salsa dancing on Thursdays with party nights on Fridays when a DJ plays all manner of tunes to get people moving. There is also a two-for-one cocktail happy hour Monday to Wednesday from 18:00 which are also the movie nights in the top bar.
- Opening Hours: 17:00-24:00
- Location: Nokeo Khumman
- Tel: +856 020 7529638
On The Rock
Playing rock music from the 1980s, On The Rock nightclub is usually full of young locals enjoying the live bands. The club may well be stuck in a time warp but that doesn’t stop anyone from having a great time. Doors usually stay open a lot later than advertised as On The Rock continues with its long-held reputation as a great place to see a live rock show.
- Opening Hours: 19:30-24:00
- Location: Luang Prabang Road
Sala Sunset Khounta
Constructed from old boat timber, the Sala Sunset Khounta is fantastically located on the riverfront and is a great place to enjoy a beer as you watch the sunset. There are a few different bar snacks on offer and the owners are very welcoming. This bar has long been considered a Vientiane institution.
- Opening Hours: 11:00-23:00
- Location: Three Elephants Statue by the Riverfront
- Tel: +856 021 1251079
Samlo Pub
A good spot to catch live sport; that is if you don’t mind watching it in a smoke-filled lively bar. The Samlo Pub gets busier towards the end of the evening when all the other bars have closed as it often stays open beyond closing time until the early hours. Packing in expats and backpackers, there is a good selection of beer and spirits, a daily happy hour, bar snacks and a pool table.
- Opening Hours: 16:00-23:30
- Location: 101 Setthathirat Road
- Tel: +856 021 222308
Spirit House
Relaxed yet upmarket, the riverside Spirit House is a quiet comfortable bar catering to a mainly expat crowd. Enjoy a chilled glass of wine as you watch the sunset over the Mekong or savour a beer in the garden with its good views. There is also plenty of food to choose from and as the name suggests, an excellent assortment of spirits.
- Opening Hours: 07:00-23:00
- Location: Beau Rivage Hotel, 09/093, Fa Ngum Road, Baan Seetarn Neua, Sikhottabong District, Vientiane
The Jazzy Brick
The Jazzy Brick is a dress-up venue serving a cool selection of cocktails to a classy crowd. Chilled music and an expensive drinks menu, this is the bar for those who have a more refined taste. The décor is stylish and the cocktails are varied and well made. Beer is available but this is not really the place to come to for ale. A dress code of no shorts or sleeveless shirts is enforced.
- Opening Hours: 11:00-24:00
- Location: 34/01 Setthathirat Road
- Tel: +856 020 2449307
Source: http://www.visit-laos.com/vientiane/nightlife.htm
Vientiane Activities
What To Do In Vientiane
One of the Laos people's favourite pastimes – as will become apparent when you are there – is sitting and watching the time pass by. The French coined the phrase: ‘The Vietnamese plant the rice, the Cambodians watch it grow and the Laos listen to it grow’. Understandably, this is not in everyone’s nature, but a few hours of guzzling Beer Lao on the tranquil shores of the Mekong, is kind of mandatory for any Vientiane visitor.
Alternatively, the numerous educational sites, natural wonders and startling scenery should satisfy. For those who want to work up a sweat by other means than walking, trying taking an arranged hike, bike ride or working your way around one of the picturesque golf courses
Massage/Sauna in Vientiane
The sensory delights available in Southeast Asia are arguably amongst the best in the world. The ancient art of aromatherapy and massage have become somewhat synonymous with Asia’s tourism treats. Lao-style massage is a combination of Swedish oil and Thai acupressure, gentler than traditional Thai massage.
Choose from up-market luxury hotel spas to the more cost-effective streetside shop, where the massage experience is equally as invigorating. One thing is for sure; a good massage can be had cheap in this town.
Meditation
Every Saturday local monks lead a walking and sitting meditation session at Wat Sok Pa Luang. Between 16:00 and 17:30, the sessions take place in pavilions and within the garden. Everyone is welcome, the session is, of course, free of charge and a translator is present for the after-period question time. Twice a year the Buddhist teacher holds intensive Vispassana meditation workshops at the monastery, open to all who wish to join.
Swimming
Swimming is popular and easily accessible in Vientiane although you might want to think twice before jumping head first into the Mekong; currents are notoriously fast and dangerous. As you might imagine, the best swimming pools can be found in the better hotels and they usually allow outsiders in at charge.
The Settha Palace is a luxury boutique resort that has a swimming pool set in beautiful surroundings and charges US$7 a day. The kidney-shaped pool of the Lane Xang has a spring diving board and is well shaded by greenery and huge umbrellas. The Tai-Pan swimming pool and fitness centre is open to the public for US$6 a day.
The best value dip in Vientiane is the large public pool on Ky Houng Road (leading up between the National Museum and the Lao Plaza Hotel). Open daily from 08:00 to 19:00, it costs only US$1. The newly opened Nong Chan Water Park is great for both children and adults alike, with huge slides – a fairly new phenomenon to Laos – situated on Khouvieng Blvd, near the central bus station.
