Museums in Vientiane
- 01
COPE Visitor Centre
A free visitor centre explaining unexploded ordnance in Laos and the prosthetic and rehabilitation work that follows.
- Time needed
- 45 to 60 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning, when it is cooler
- Tickets
- Free entry according to Wikivoyage; donations are welcome. Check current hours before going.
- 02
Haw Phra Kaew
A former royal temple built in the 1560s to house the Emerald Buddha, now a museum of Lao religious art.
- Time needed
- 30 to 45 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning
- Tickets
- Entry is ticketed; check the current price and hours on site. Dress modestly and remove shoes if asked.
- 03
Lao National Museum
A museum in the former French governor's residence, covering Lao history from prehistory to the present.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning
- Tickets
- Entry is ticketed; confirm the price and hours on the day. Photography rules vary.
- 04
Lao Textile Museum
A semi-open-air museum with looms, silk and natural dyes, plus tea and a shop.
- Time needed
- 1 to 1.5 hours
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning
- Tickets
- Wikivoyage lists a ticket price in kip and daily hours of about 9 am to 4 pm, but confirm before you go.
Places of worship in Vientiane
- 05
Pha That Luang
The golden stupa that stands for Laos itself, rebuilt in the 1930s on the site chosen by King Setthathirath in 1566. Come in the late afternoon for the light.
- Time needed
- About 1 hour
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Late afternoon in the cool season (November to February)
- Tickets
- Hours and fees change and some areas close at midday; check locally on the day. Dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered, and remove shoes where signs ask you to.
- 06
Wat Si Muang
A temple founded in 1563 and still used for blessings and offerings, with a quiet front room where a monk is usually present.
- Time needed
- 20 to 30 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning or late afternoon
- Tickets
- Entry is generally free; donations are welcome. Dress modestly and remove shoes where indicated.
- 07
Wat Si Saket
A temple built in 1818 with a cloister wall holding thousands of small Buddha images, and one of the oldest buildings still standing in Vientiane.
- Time needed
- 45 to 60 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning, when it opens
- Tickets
- Small entry fee and fixed opening hours are common; check the current schedule locally. Shoes off in the sim, shoulders and knees covered.
Landmarks in Vientiane
- 08
Patuxai
A concrete victory arch built between 1957 and 1968 and often compared with Paris's Arc de Triomphe, though its crown and carving are Lao.
- Time needed
- 45 to 75 minutes
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- Late afternoon in the cool season
- Tickets
- There is usually a small entry fee for the upper floors; confirm the current price on site. Dress modestly if entering.
Gardens and parks in Vientiane
- 09
Xieng Khuan (Buddha Park)
A sculpture garden begun in 1958 with more than 200 concrete Hindu and Buddhist figures, a pumpkin-like three-level structure and a large reclining Buddha.
- Time needed
- 1.5 to 2 hours plus travel
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- Morning in the cool season
- Tickets
- Usually a small entry fee plus an extra fee for the pumpkin; confirm on arrival. Arrange return transport before you go.
