Vientiane is the petite and charming capital of Laos, more a town than a city and a very small town at that. Located on the banks of the Mekong, Vientiane has been the center of political life in Laos since the 16th century. With its gentle, almost sleepy pace, and low-key attractions, it remains an easy-going introduction to the country.

The most important sights in Vientiane are its historic temples. Golden spired Wat That Luang is a symbol of the nation and a focus of celebration and worship on Buddhist days. Wat Pha Kaew is now a museum housing many of the most sacred Buddha images in Laos, including some pieces from neighboring Cambodia and Burma.

Nearby Wat Sisaket has a unique collection of miniature Buddha kept in thousands of carved niches around the walls. It also has some fine 19th century painted murals depicting the life of the Buddha and beautiful floral motifs on the ceiling. Vientiane has its very own Arc de Triomphe known as Patuxai and built in the late 1960s using cement given by the US to build a military runway. Vientiane is such a low rise city that views from the top are quite spectacular. Shopping is pretty limited in Vientiane, but for the best range of Lao products, most visitors head to the Morning Market which has pretty much everything that Laos produces.