What the town is
A royal capital on a peninsula between the Mekong and the Nam Khan, small enough to cross on foot in twenty minutes, with more than thirty working monasteries inside that space.
How many nights
Three. The first is arrival, the second covers the town and Kuang Si, and the third is the one where the pace of the place finally reaches you.
The alms procession
Monks collect food at dawn along the main street. It is a religious observance and not a show. Watch from across the road, stay seated or well back, do not use a flash, and do not buy rice from the vendors who target tourists — it is often unfit to eat and the practice is resented.
What the railway changed
Vientiane is now under two hours away by train instead of a full day by road. It has made a Vientiane night worth including and brought a great many more visitors, particularly at weekends.
What sits near it
- Kuang Si waterfall is an hour out and is the single most photographed thing in Laos.
- The Pak Ou caves are an afternoon upriver by boat, which is half the point of going.
- Nong Khiaw is three to four hours north for anyone who wants the valley country.
Every route we run is private, so any of these can be added or dropped before we book anything.