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Vientiane (Viangchan) - Culture |
Tuk tuk - The traditional taxi
Vientiane also spelled VIANGCHAN, largest city and capital of Laos, situated on a plain just northeast of the Mekong River. The city's central river port location in a country relying heavily on its rivers for transportation and its surrounding hinterland of intensive rice cultivation have made Vientiane the major economic centre of Laos. The city has a tropical monsoon climate, every month having an average daytime temperature above 27oC and more than 80 percent of Vientiane's annual precipitation on the average falling in the five months May-September.
The capital city and seat of government sits on a bend in the Mekong River amidst fertile alluvial plains. Despite its chequered past, Vientiane (pronounced 'Wieng Chan' by the locals) is a laid-back city with a number of interesting wats and lively markets. The most important national monument in Laos is Pha That Luang (the Great Sacred Stupa), which is a symbol of both Buddhism and Lao sovereignty. Other sights of interest include Wat Pha Kaew, a former royal temple which is now a museum; Wat Si Saket, the oldest temple in Vientiane; and the Morning Market, a sprawling collection of stalls which operate from 6 am to 6 pm. Wat Xieng Khuan is a collection of compelling Buddhist and Hindu sculptures located in a meadow, 24km (15mi) south of Vientiane.
Vientiane has around 10 top-end hotels and as many guesthouses, many of them moderately expensive, but plenty of lower-priced rooms have become available in the last few years. Most of the accommodation is in central Vientiane. You can eat at cafes, street stalls, beer halls or restaurants, offering everything from rice noodles to filet mignon. For good Lao meals, try the Dong Palan Night Market on the east bank of the Nong Chan ponds.
Vientiane is not the illicit entertainment palace it was in the early 1970s: brothels are now prohibited, the marijuana stands have disappeared from the markets and beer has replaced opium as the nightly drug of choice. Entertainment ranges from live music and discos - usually electrified Lao folk music or Western pop - to Thai, Chinese, Indian and even Bulgarian films. Tribal crafts, fabrics, jewelery and furniture are all good buys in Vientiane.
Anousavari Monument
This monument - Vientiane's Arc de Triomphe - was built after World War II but before the takeover of the communists, in commemoration of the fallen Lao soldiers of various wars.
Monument of the Revolution
The monument in the Northeast of the city was built after the victory of the Pathet Lao in 1975.
That Luang
That Luang, a large Stupa on a hill in the Northeast of the city, is one of the most important religious sites in Laos. Legends claim that in the 3rd century, emissaries of
the Buddhist Indian Emperor Asoka had built a Stupa here, containing a relic of the Buddha. Archaeological excavations, however, could not provide proof. Found instead were
remains of a Khmer temple dating back to the time between the 11th and the 13th centuries. The present Stupa was constructed during the reign of King Setthathirat, in 1566.
However, it was several times damaged or destroyed, then reconstructed.
Wat Sisaket
Built in 1818, during the reign of King Anou, Wat Sisaket is one of only a few buildings in town not sacked by the Siamese in 1827. Not by origin but in its present construction,
is the oldest building in town.
Wat Phra Kaeo
This Wat, like Wat Phra Kaeo of Bangkok, is not a monastery but served as royal temple. In its original form, it had been built in 1565 by King Setthathirat to house the Emerald
Buddha brought from Chiang Mai. In 1788 the Emerald Buddha was taken to Bangkok by the Siamese. Since then, it's the holiest statue, not of the Laotians but of the Thais. Wat
Phra Kaeo in Vientiane was mostly destroyed during the Siamese invasion of 1827. In the 40's and 50's of this century it was meticulously reconstructed.
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