Laos - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 594

VIENTIANE
021 / POP 237,000
From its sleepy túk-túk drivers to its cafe society and affordable spas, Vientiane is languid
to say the least. Eminently walkable, the historic old quarter of Vientiane beguiles with
tree-lined boulevards crowded by frangipani and tamarind, glittering temples, wandering
Buddhist monks and lunging naga (dragon) statues.
For the well-heeled traveller and backpacker, the city acquits itself equally well, be it
low-cost digs and street markets, or upscale, jaw-droppingly pretty boutique hotels and
French restaurants with reputable Parisian chefs. There are even more cafes and bakeries
here than in Luang Prabang, and such a global spectrum of cuisine that it may add another
notch to your belt!
After lounging over a novel in an old-fashioned bakery, shopping for silk, swigging
Beerlao and drinking up the fiery sunset over the Mekong, you'll miss this place more than
you expect.