Vientiane 1-day itinerary

Start at Pha That Luang (₭10,000) — Laos' most important national monument. The golden stupa, originally built in the 3rd century and restored in the 1930s, represents the Buddhist belief in the union of the mundane and the divine. The gold leaf covering shimmers in the morning sun. Then tuk-tuk to Patuxai, Vientiane's Arc de Triomphe, built from concrete intended for a runway. Climb the seven floors (₭5,000) for city panoramas. The monument is unmistakably Lao in its decoration despite the French-inspired form.

Visit the COPE Visitor Centre (free, donations encouraged) — Laos is the most heavily bombed country per capita in history, and the UXO crisis continues to kill and maim today. COPE provides prosthetic limbs and rehabilitation. The exhibits are powerful and essential. Then drive 25km southeast to Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan, ₭15,000) — a surreal garden of over 200 concrete Hindu and Buddhist sculptures built by a mystic shaman in 1958, including a giant pumpkin-shaped structure you can climb inside.

Walk to the Mekong riverfront promenade — the sunset over the river with Thailand visible on the opposite bank is Vientiane's defining evening experience. Locals gather along the waterfront for exercise and food. The Vientiane Night Market stretches along the riverside road with clothing, handicrafts, and food stalls. Eat Lao: laab (spicy minced meat salad, ₭25,000), tam mak hoong (Lao papaya salad, ₭15,000), and khao niao (sticky rice, ₭5,000) — all eaten by hand from small baskets.