The city of Vientiane serves as the capital of Laos. The difference between Vientiane and other capital cities of the world is that it offers tourists and locals a very relaxing atmosphere if you compared to other fast-paced capital cities. Located on the north-eastern bank of the Mekong, this former French trading post displays magnificent sunsets along the riverside. Here, you will see many tourists enjoying cold beverages at the riverside while taking in the sceneries. The city also offers a diverse range of places to stay mirroring the French-style villas from the colonial era or with a more modern twist and foods accommodating to tourists’ acquired taste.

Airport in Vientiane

1. Wattay International Airport

The airport of Vientiane is known as the Wattay International Airport. It is the country's main international gateway. The Wattay International Airport in Vientiane provides various services, shopping, restaurants, information, currency exchange, ATMs and transportation options. The airport terminal is a modern building which has been upgraded in recent years to provide a more comfortable travel experience for travellers. Several international and domestic airlines operate scheduled flights from Vientiane airports such as Lao Airlines, AirAsia, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Thai Airways and Vietnam Airlines.

How to get cheap flights to Vientiane

You can stay updated with the Traveloka website for best flight fares to Vientiane. All you are required to do is key in your travel information into the search box, and the site will display some flight options for you to choose from. To minimize your search, you can even utilize the filter feature. With Traveloka, your travel is always easy.

When is the best time to fly to Vientiane?

The temperature patterns in Vientiane on an average is always high. During the rainy season, which falls in May, June, July, August and September, Vientiane is usually wet with unpredictable showers and thunderstorms. The wettest month is December. You will want to avoid travelling during this month if you plan to do a lot of on foot exploring and outdoor activities. The dry season starts from November and lasts until February. This is when the sky is the bluest and the weather is the warmest.

The best time to fly to Vientiane is during April considering it is the month in between the dry season and the wet season. So the weather is not too hot and humid to the extent of having sweaty, sticky skin whether you are indoor or outdoor, nor too wet thus making it the perfect opportunity to travel during this month.

Top 3 Things Must Do Activities when in Vientiane

1. Taste the Lao Coffee - Foodies and coffee lovers will want to taste the famous Lao Coffee and there are many small stalls, cafes and restaurants that cater to this with prices ranging from affordable to the level of splurging. The coffee that you can get at the local family owned stalls (with super affordable prices) is usually made with their signature brews from locally-grown plantations. You can expect the quality of Robusta and Arabica beans – thick and earthy. The coffee culture in Laos is heavily influenced by both the French directly and the Vietnamese indirectly.

2. Buddha Park - The famous Buddha Park, or also known as Xieng Khuan is located 25KM southeast out of the Laos capital via public bus or tuk-tuk. The Buddha Park was built by a monk who studied both Buddhism and Hinduism in 1958. Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat - the monk, combined aspects of both Buddhism and Hinduism and mixed them resulting in creation with a new identity. The park exhibits over 200 statues and sculptures, including a 40-metre tall reclining Buddha image and of Indra, the king of Hindu gods riding on a three-headed elephant.

3. Pha That Luang - The Pha That Luang is the most iconic national monument in Laos. The monument symbolizes the Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty. Pha That Luang has undergone many transformations over the years. Today, it is known as Buddhist stupa and it is used as a place of meditation. The building is covered with an impressive amount of 500KG of gold leaf. It is considered to be one of the top architectural works to represent Buddhism across the world.