Full Day Vientiane City Tour
Vientiane, Laos
Trip Type: Full-day Tours
Duration: 9 hours
Vientiane offers a very subdued timeless atmosphere with its stunning location along the banks of the Mekong River makes this 9-hour guided tour a pleasure to see.Take an afternoon stroll long the river bank and enjoy a delicious traditional lunch at a local restaurant in the capital. Visit Vat Sisaket, the oldest monastery in Vientiane, and Ho Phra Keo which is now a Museum of Buddhist art and sculpture along with the Pha That Luang with its golden stupa, and the Victory Gate, also known as Anousavali and more.
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Vientiane offers a very subdued timeless atmosphere with its stunning location along the banks of the Mekong River makes this 9-hour guided tour a pleasure to see.Take an afternoon stroll long the river bank and enjoy a delicious traditional lunch at a local restaurant in the capital. Visit Vat Sisaket, the oldest monastery in Vientiane, and Ho Phra Keo which is now a Museum of Buddhist art and sculpture along with the Pha That Luang with its golden stupa, and the Victory Gate, also known as Anousavali and more.Approximately 8am, your guide and driver for the day will meet you at your hotel for a full-day trip in Vientiane.
First, stop at the Vat Sisaket, the oldest monastery in Vientiane, built in 1818. Vat Sisaket has survived in its original form; all other temples in Vientiane have gone through extensive renovations. Inside the main hall, and along the walls of the courtyard surrounding it, a total of 6,840 Buddha images rest in small niches or on shelves, next to its remarkable frescoes.
Continue to nearby Ho Phra Keo, the former Royal temple, now a Museum of Buddhist art and sculpture. The building once housed the Emerald Buddha until it was taken to Bangkok following a skirmish with the Lao in 1778. It still displays some of the finest Buddha sculptures found in the country. Enjoy a short stop at the nearby Vat (Vat means ‘temple’) Simeuang will show that there are different styles of temples available in Vientiane, each having its own characteristics. Built in 1566, Wat Simeuang enshrines the foundation pillar of Vientiane.
After a delicious local lunch at a local restaurant in the capital, go further to the That Luang with its golden stupa in the characteristic banana flower shape. This is the most revered shrine in Laos and of course cannot be missed. Laos’ national symbol has a central structure that is 45 meters (147.5 feet) tall and echoes the curving lines of an elongated lotus bud, the original stupa, said to contain a relic of the Lord Buddha.
Victory's gate, also known as Anousavali, was constructed in 1958 and is better known as the Patouxay Gate; its architecture is inspired by the “Arc de Triumph” in Paris and incorporates typical Lao motifs including the Kinnaree, the mythical bird-woman. Energetic visitors can climb the top of the monument and enjoy a panoramic view of Laos’ capital from Vientiane’s highest point (entrance fee to climb to the top is not included).
Proceed to That Dam Stupa (translated as Black Stupa), situated in the center of a roundabout near the morning market. It is said that the black stupa was once coated in a layer of pure gold. From here, walk to the Nam Phou market the center of town. Be sure not to rush exploring the streets leading to the banks of the Mighty Mekong River since you will also take a walk on the riverbank in the late afternoon.
After exploring all sights, sounds and smells of Vientiane, your guide and driver will bring you back to your hotel arriving around 5:30pm
First, stop at the Vat Sisaket, the oldest monastery in Vientiane, built in 1818. Vat Sisaket has survived in its original form; all other temples in Vientiane have gone through extensive renovations. Inside the main hall, and along the walls of the courtyard surrounding it, a total of 6,840 Buddha images rest in small niches or on shelves, next to its remarkable frescoes.
Continue to nearby Ho Phra Keo, the former Royal temple, now a Museum of Buddhist art and sculpture. The building once housed the Emerald Buddha until it was taken to Bangkok following a skirmish with the Lao in 1778. It still displays some of the finest Buddha sculptures found in the country. Enjoy a short stop at the nearby Vat (Vat means ‘temple’) Simeuang will show that there are different styles of temples available in Vientiane, each having its own characteristics. Built in 1566, Wat Simeuang enshrines the foundation pillar of Vientiane.
After a delicious local lunch at a local restaurant in the capital, go further to the That Luang with its golden stupa in the characteristic banana flower shape. This is the most revered shrine in Laos and of course cannot be missed. Laos’ national symbol has a central structure that is 45 meters (147.5 feet) tall and echoes the curving lines of an elongated lotus bud, the original stupa, said to contain a relic of the Lord Buddha.
Victory's gate, also known as Anousavali, was constructed in 1958 and is better known as the Patouxay Gate; its architecture is inspired by the “Arc de Triumph” in Paris and incorporates typical Lao motifs including the Kinnaree, the mythical bird-woman. Energetic visitors can climb the top of the monument and enjoy a panoramic view of Laos’ capital from Vientiane’s highest point (entrance fee to climb to the top is not included).
Proceed to That Dam Stupa (translated as Black Stupa), situated in the center of a roundabout near the morning market. It is said that the black stupa was once coated in a layer of pure gold. From here, walk to the Nam Phou market the center of town. Be sure not to rush exploring the streets leading to the banks of the Mighty Mekong River since you will also take a walk on the riverbank in the late afternoon.
After exploring all sights, sounds and smells of Vientiane, your guide and driver will bring you back to your hotel arriving around 5:30pm
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