Vientiane
A low capital on the Mekong, with Thailand on the far bank, a golden stupa of 1566 at its heart and an airport a few kilometres from the centre.
- Arrival
- Wattay International · VTE
- To the city
- About 4 km from the centre
- Private jets
- Customs at VTE, open 06:00 to 18:00
- Best time
- October to March
The city
A capital at the river’s pace.
King Setthathirath made Vientiane the capital of Lan Xang in 1563, and three years later raised Pha That Luang, the golden stupa that still stands for the nation. Under the French it was the seat of the administration, and it is the capital of Laos today. With some 840,000 people it remains a modest city, spread along the Mekong with Thailand across the water.
October to March is the dry season: afternoons of 29 to 32 °C, with barely any rain from November to February. March reaches 35 °C and April 36, before the monsoon brings over 230 mm a month from May to September.
- Pha That Luang A golden stupa 45 metres high, founded in 1566 and believed to hold a relic of the Buddha.
- Patuxai The city’s memorial monument, built between 1957 and 1968 and a landmark ever since.
- Buddha Park Buddhist and Hindu figures set among trees by the Mekong, 28 km from the city, begun in 1958.
Arriving
Three thousand metres of runway, by day.
Wattay International lies in Sikhottabong, about 4 km west of the centre. There are no direct flights from Europe; travellers connect through Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong or Seoul.
- Bangkok 1 h 00
- Hong Kong 2 h 00
- Delhi 4 h 00
- Seoul 4 h 25
- London 12 h 20 long-range jet
When to go
October to March.
The Mekong plain lives by two seasons: a long dry spell, then the monsoon. From November to February the rain hardly registers and afternoons are around 29 to 32 °C. The heat peaks at 36 °C in April, and from May to September the monsoon brings 230 to 330 mm a month.
- 29° J 7
- 32° F 12
- 35° M 31
- 36° A 90
- 34° M 236
- 33° J 271
- 32° J 244
- 32° A 332
- 32° S 278
- 31° O 81
- 30° N 12
- 29° D 4
Where to stay
On Samsenthai Road and by the Mekong.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
Where to dine
Where to book in Vientiane.
No MICHELIN Guide covers Laos. These are Fodor’s Choice restaurants, with Fodor’s price bands, and a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice winner.
- Villa Opera Fodor’s Choice Italian $$$$ Rue Panya Si
- Acqua Fodor’s Choice Italian $$$ Ban Mixay
- 3 Merchants Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2026 Lao and Indochinese $$$$ Crowne Plaza Vientiane, Samsenthai Road
Elsewhere in Laos
More reasons to come.
Flying to Vientiane?
Choose how you arrive.
A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.