"French Asia, Lao charm" Vientiane by mke1963

Vientiane Travel Guide: 755 reviews and 1,696 photos

The Mekong - Vientiane
The Mekong

The drive from Vientiane's Wattay Airport, the few kilometres into the city centre reveals a small city and a small country. The building are cluttered, frequently old, and on a human scale quite unlike the modern boom-and-bust economic development of China to the north. The streets are quiet, sunny and dusty, and retain an air of decaying French colonial elegance mixed with Asian tradition and adaptability. People are out and about and enjoying the day. It is a relaxing city.

French Asia, Lao charm - Vientiane

Vientiane is a city made for wandering around lazily, turning into whatever street comes up next, stopping to drink, shop or eat wherever seems right. The centre of the city reflects the very high proportion of expatriates in town, with many French and Italian restaurants, cafes, bakeries and shops firmly focused on the rich rather than local people. The lack of any real urban masterplan is a joy, and the mixture of decay and adaptation, building festooned with telephone wires, wooden signboards and outdoor seats and tables, creates a unique French Asian ambience. Even the cubist socialist appartment blocks and the abandoned buildings fit the scene. The grey and green concrete mould converts the stark lines and walls into a more organic form. The broken pavements, weed infested lots do nothing to break the spell of a laid-back atmosphere. You feel that Laos is enjoying the peace after centuries of unsolicited warfare before deciding how best to develop their country. Laos seems to think before acting.

Rush Hour in Vientiane - Vientiane

Rush Hour in Vientiane

The main east-west street of Setthatilat Road provides a shaded walk the length of the city centre. You need to walk slowly to avoid running out of city before you have got accustomed to it. A line of traditional Chinese shophouses (now extremely rare in China in their original form) alternate with old mansions, a few concrete blockhouses and glittering Buddhist wats sit in harmony together. Expensive restaurants, street cafes, silk and handicraft shops, travel agents and internet cafes dominate the middle, then the more prosaic laundries and local cafes as you head west, then finally the motorbike repair shops and noodle shops at the western end. Vacant building are being renovated quickly, and the sound of jackhammers beating, poured concrete swishing into troughs, and nails being hammered is never far away.
For now, no-one pays attention to the churned up concrete and brick pavements, preferring to hide the holes with plant pots, and spread tables and chairs around. It is a confusion of hard and soft landscape that remains endearing.
On every corner, a tuk-tuk taxi - brightly painted covered motorbikes converted to carry up to eight passengers - wait their next fare, the driver dozing in the back or soliciting trade from passers-by. A few ancient Lada and Toyota taxis cruise noisily, while the ultra-modern Land Cruisers and Pajeros of the expatriate aid, NGO and diplomatic community slide silently around the town, isolated from the poverty thay seek to dispel.
Buddhist monks, young and old, pace along the streets, often sheltered from the sun with big black umbrellas. Beggars approach everyone, often kneeling in deference and desperation. Little money is given. Horribly disabled and mutilated beggars crouch: money passes more readily. Nearby, smart Lao girls preside over attractive displays of gorgeous silks, cottons, and hemp clothing and material. Tourists browse and baulk at paying US$60 for a cloth that has taken a Lao or Hmong or Tai Dam woman three months to create, working daily - in between agricultural, child-raising, cooking, cleaning, educating and water-carrying. The visitors scoop up the less authentic and often Thai-produced cheaper souvenirs.
The beauty of Setthatilat Road is in its history and in its adaptation to the present, slowly metamorphosing to whatever the community wants. Little has changed here in a century, and I hope that little changes in the future, except that the Lao people get the street, the city and county, the lifestyle, the peace, harmony and especially the prosperity they deserve for being the region's pawn for so long.

Pros and Cons
  • Pros:Atmosphere, charm, friendliness
  • Cons:Poverty, the after effects of other peoples wars
  • In a nutshell:Gorgeous, one of the last great romantic cities
  • Last visit to Vientiane: Dec 2003
  • Intro Updated Jan 8, 2004
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Reviews (8)

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Comments (4)

  • Reply
    Mar 1, 2006 at 8:21 AM

    I only spent a few days in Vientiane - and will definitely be going back to Laos... :o) Loved the intro pic!

  • Reply
    Hewer's Profile Photo
    Aug 21, 2005 at 5:19 AM

    I found your Laos page helpful. Well written. Love the line about commuting to Beijing!

  • Reply
    CliffClaven's Profile Photo
    Jan 8, 2004 at 8:41 AM

    Evocative

  • Reply
    skydivefred's Profile Photo
    Jan 8, 2004 at 8:38 AM

    I wish I could write my emotions as well as you do. I am going to Laos next summer and I read with interest your point of view. Hope you'll hand out more stuff !!! Thanks PS: do you know of cheaper but clean hotel in Vientiane?

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