SteppesTravel
Menu
Popular Destinations
Our Destinations
Holidays Types
All Holiday Ideas
About
Our Content
Travelling Safely
When to Go
Best time to Go
All best time to visit guides
Prayer Bells, Luang Prabang, Laos
Home Destinations South East Asia Laos Vientiane

Vientiane

Built on the banks of the Mekong, Vientiane is a charming capital city filled with decadent French mansions and bustling streets. Brimming with noodle stands and colourful bougainvillea.

B Corp
Contact us

Vientiane is often overlooked by passing travellers but it does have a lot to offer, from the several temples, or wats as they are locally known, Buddha park and the enchanting morning markets, offering treats from all over the country.

With Patuxai, Vientiane’s Arc de Triomphe, Pha That Luang – Laos’s most important monument to Buddhism and Wat Si Muang, there are some genuinely worthwhile sites to visit. That Luang is the most revered of all the religious sites and is the focus of a major festival held each February when the local people dress in their finest clothes and pilgrims come from miles around to worship. Vientiane may not have the vivid colours and offerings of Luang Prabang but it does offer a different perspective of Laos.

Experiences

Tell us what you love doing and we’ll curate a journey that’s perfect for you.

 
Laos

Laos – Catch the Cascade

The Bolaven Plateau, east of Pakse, is home to stunning waterfalls cutting through basalt jungles and coffee plantations. Numerous rivers carve out deep gorges, including the impressive 120-metre Tad Fane. Walk through the jungle to view multi-tiered, cascading and plunging falls, some forming rapids or inviting pools below. Laos’ waterfalls certainly make a splash.

Mandalay Market, Yangon, Myanmar
 

Luang Prabang night market

Spending balmy evenings wandering the stalls of this colourful and friendly market, dining on steaming bowls of spicy noodles and bartering for authentic fabrics and handicrafts.

Fisherman, Mekong river, Laos
 

Mekong River Communities

Visit local river communities and experience the local way of life on the Mekong.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Boat Bow, Mekong River, Laos
 

Si Phan Don Islands

Explore the 4,000 Si Phan Don islands and dramatic waterfalls by traditional boat. Emerging out of the Mekong River during the dry months they come alive with rural life.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Irrawaddy dolphin breaching.
 

Search for Irrawaddy Dolphins

Search the Mekong River for the elusive Irrawaddy Dolphins.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Wat Phu, Laos
 

Wat Phu Temple

Explore the Khmer Hindu temple complex of Wat Phu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Southern Laos.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Boat Bow, Mekong River, Laos
 

Thailand to Laos by Boat

Journey by river to the UNESCO city of Luang Prabang in Laos – a peaceful two-day Mekong sojourn.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Hmong Lady, Laos
 

Visit Local Hill Tribes

Access the hills of Northern Laos and visit some of the 20 plus minority tribes for an authentic experience and insight into their culture.

Pandaw Cruises, The Mekong Laos to China,Laos
 

Cruise the Mekong

Travel the Mekong from the comfort of a private traditional river boat.

Remnants of Giant Jars, Phonsavan, Laos
 

Plain of Jars

Uncover the mystery of the giant stone jars scattered around this impressive archaeological site in Phonsavan.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Meet our experts

A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.

Paul Craven in Samarkand, Uzbekistan
View Profile

Paul Craven

Paul is the Conde Nast Traveller chosen Specialist for Central Asia and the Silk Route.

I first travelled to Vietnam in 1988, when tourism was barely a concept, and have been visiting Central Asia since it was still behind the Iron Curtain. Such first-hand experience makes all the difference when talking to clients. I know the importance of asking questions, not taking the first answer as gospel, and matching the right destination to the right person.

Talk with our experts
  • 01285 880 980
Clare Diving in Indonesia
View Profile

Clare Wiggins

My love for Asia began with living there. Based in Vietnam and then Malaysia, I also explored the surrounding regions before eventually finding my way back home via China and the Trans-Siberian railway. At Steppes Travel, I get to share that love for Asia every day, helping clients experience the places I know best as if they were locals themselves.

Talk with our experts
  • 01285 880 980

Contact Us

Start planning your trip

01285 880 980

Send us an enquiry

Complete our enquiry form and start your next journey.

Review Contact Form

Name(Required)

Explore other regions

Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang sits in a quiet valley on the edge of the Mekong River and is the highlight of most holidays to…

Novice Monks, Luang Phrabang, Laos

Southern Laos

An exciting blend of classic Mekong River life, the calmer climes of the coffee rich Bolaven Plateau and three remote and little-visited…

View out from cliffside caves towards river and jungle beyond. Buddhist sculptures within cave in the foreground.

Why Choose Steppes?

Our knowledge, curiosity and expertise set us apart, driving us to create remarkable holidays and Beautiful Adventures tailored perfectly to you, carefully curated to help protect and conserve our planet.

Are you ready to Discover Extraordinary?


More about Steppes