Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
staples, including good, Italian-style pizzas (around 55,000K). Jugs of wine and well-made
mojitos get solo travellers chatting.
Daily 10am-10pm.
DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE
Vientiane is not a great city for partying. Frequent government crackdowns have hamstrung
the development of Vientiane's clubbing scene, especially when it comes to late-night places
that appeal to Western visitors. The locals' favourite spots for drinking and dancing are a
quick tuk-tuk ride west of the town centre along Luang Prabang Avenue. Most of these places
play Thai pop and international dance mixes until 1 or 2am, though some places manage to
stay open later. Depending on the night and the venue, you may also be able to catch a covers
band or, failing that, some
karaoke
. There's usually no cover charge, but if there is it will
include a bottle of Beerlao.
Jazzy Brick
Setthathirat Rd;
map
.
Don't worry if it's quiet downstairs; this über-cool jazz
bar usually fills up from the top. There's a well-stocked bar, a cocktail list to die for, and a
clutch of old-fashioned electrical appliances hanging from the walls, making the vibe more
New Orleans than Vientiane. Whisky cocktails start at 40,000K.
Daily 6pm-midnight.
ular hangout for foreign tourists. Downstairs in the patio bar you can get cheap glasses of
draught beer (10,000K); up the big spiral staircase you'll find another very pleasant bar on the
roof. You can eat here, too - the mixed menu has reasonable Lao and Indian dishes, though
the
falang
food (and service) is a bit hit and miss.
Daily 9am-11pm.
The Spirit House
Fa Ngum Rd, right next to the Beau Rivage Mekong 021 243795,
thespirithouselaos.com
;
map
.
Well-off travellers flock to
The Spirit House
for delectable
cocktails (from 20,000K) and views over the river, broken only by a narrow road. One of the
best places to watch the sun set over Thailand.
Daily 7am-midnight.
opposite the
Best Western
hotel, this small Australian-run bar has picked up a loyal follow-
ing among expats. A good crowd is almost guaranteed between 6 and 8pm on Wednesdays
and Fridays, when the famously good cocktails (from 15,000K) are half-price.
Tues-Sun
10am-11pm.
ENTERTAINMENT
More than four hundred and fifty years after superseding Luang Prabang as the centre of
political power, Vientiane still lacks the natural
cultural life
of the old royal capital, but a
couple of venues offer a taste of Laos's heritage, even if just for the entertainment of for-
eigners. Vientiane's grassroots cultural life only really reawakens during
festivals
. The best
