Robsons-Adventures

As soon as you arrive in Vientiane (Wieng Chan) you will think you are in a different world and in some ways you are - a capital city with few cars!! There are really only 3 ways to enter this city, 1st with the easiest being to fly directly into the International Airport, but to be honest there are not many International flights. (Bangkok, Phnom Penh) The 2nd route is to fly to Udon Thani in Thailand (several airlines do this route including budget airlines, such as Nok Air and Air Asia as well as Thai Airlines), you then get a airconbus or minivan (100 baht in 2004) to the Friendship Bridge (the border), transport is official and regulated. It takes about 40 minutes to the bridge. At the bridge terminus, purchase a 10 baht ticket (touts will try and sell you taxi fares) shuttle bus across the bridge which stops at the Thai immigration. The bus will wait for everyone to complete the paperwork (okay to leave suitcase on the bus while at immigration). The bus then ends its journey at the Lao immigration where you need to purchase your Lao visa (open between 06:00 and 22:00 daily). From the Lao immigration it is a 20 minute taxi ride to Vientiane; don't be surprised if the taxi is a bit of a wreck mind you - the key fell out of the ignition as we were driving along; welcome to Laos. The tourist book says that people drive in Laos by putting their faith in the Lord Buddha!!! what can I say. 3rd is to cross the Thai border at Chong Mek (near Ubon Ratchathani) into Pakse then take a bus to Vientiane - I have not yet tried this route though.

There are a number of hotels in the city which meet everyone's budget and new one's appearing all the time. I have stayed in the top end Settha Palace which is beautifully restored and custom built rosewood furniture, however my favourite hotel is the much more modest Hotel Lao or the new Chanthapanya Hotel which is in the heart of Chinatown (very central), they are clean, have friendly staff and from only $25 per night - excellent value.

I have already mentioned what to see in the outline of Laos and therefore thought I would mention what to do in the evenings. There are many restaurants and bars and even night clubs, but don't be surprised if the nightclub closes before midnight (I've never yet been in a club that has stayed open later, but if the club you are in closes, go to the bowling alley - it is where the locals all go late and indeed ALL night). A favourite bar/restaurant is the Khop Chai Deu, which does a great buffet lunch and has live music in the evenings. Alternatively head down to the river front and there are loads of open-air vendors along the waters edge or on the other side of the road why not try the Bor Pen Nyang (up a couple of flights of stairs to the roof) it is quite a hip bar/restaurant with great views towards Thailand which is just across the Mekong.
As for Clubs, probably the best place is the Future which is next to the Novotel, beware of the hotel clubs in the city centre, as these are shall we say - potential pick up joints!
There are many great and very cheap massage places all round the city with the Papaya Spa and White Lotus being probably the most famous, but do try the smaller places, however, English may not be spoken so widely in these places, but in general English is not a problem around the city.