Vientiane, Laos
Tour from Tours By Group Laos

I'd arranged for a driver to collect me at the arrivals area at Vientiane Airport and take me around Vientiane to see the main sights before dropping me off at the airport around 1PM. I'd arranged for him to be there at 11AM to maximize my time. Unfortunately, he was not there when I showed up. I waited 10 minutes and sent an email to him to see what was going on. He replied instantly (thankfully) and said the driver was in traffic. I think this was a lie on his part, but he said the driver would arrive presently.

Waiting and waiting and waiting...



The driver eventually turned up at 11:30, which was a bit concerning. Knowing traffic could be bad, I was concerned it would be a trip in vain. The other complication was the driver did not speak a word of English. So there's that.


Anyway, I spoke to the English speaking tour operator and we agreed on a plan to see Patuxai monument and Pha That Luang. I assumed we'd only have time to drive by each one for a couple photos and not be able to stop. I was pleasantly surprised that this wasn't the case.

Leaving the airport, we got stuck at a 3 minute red light. Twice. Evidently there'd been an accident between a taxi and a pickup truck. My driver with the bald head and white shirt on the right is assisting or something, I guess.


Coconut vendor


Roadside restaurant


Office workers having lunch


A gate or something. To somewhere or not.


Dude on a scooter


That Luang Tai Temple


Pha That Luang stupa
It's a fairly large stupa, though not nearly as large as the Shwedagon in Burma. Roughly 45m tall.


Museum and Buddhist Temple






King Setthathirath Statue


King Setthathirath Statue


Pha That Luang stupa


Pha That Luang stupa


Pha That Luang Ticket Counter
Tickets were roughly 10,000 Kip (if memory serves), roughly $1.25 USD.


Pha That Luang Inner Courtyard


Pha That Luang
Pretty impressive


Pha That Luang


Pha That Luang


Pha That Luang


Pha That Luang


Pha That Luang


Pha That Luang
There be dragons here!


Pha That Luang



Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to see the large reclining Buddha nearby, otherwise I would have made the effort to see it. Had the driver arrived in time, I surely would have had time to see it.

After a quick walk around the stupa, I met the driver back at the car and it was time to see the final item on the itinerary, the Patuxai monument. Interesting tidbit about this monument. Sometime after their independence from France, the US Government gave Laos funds and cement earmarked for the construction of a new airport to serve the country. Instead of building an airport, the government of Laos instead chose to build this "Victory Gate" monument celebrating their independence from France. It has thus earned the nickname the "vertical runway".

If I'm honest, it's not the prettiest monument I've seen, but it is massive and rather impressive looking (if not pretty).

Patuxai
Monument Aux Morts en Francais


Patuxai
It's not prettier in person


Patuxai


Patuxai


Patuxai
Still ugly after all these years


Government Offices


Patuxai


Patuxai


Patuxai
Up close it's, much, um. It's still ugly...


Patuxai


Patuxai


Patuxai


Patuxai


Patuxai


Patuxai


Patuxai
No mention of where the concrete came from... But China gets the nod for something?


Post-Patuxai
Texas Chicken? Naturally


Presidential Palace




Presidential Palace
From the rear



The driver was all set to have me stop at a few more places along the way, such as Sisaket Temple and Wat Phra Kaew. As much as I'd have liked to see them, it was 12:40 PM at that point and I wanted to be at the airport by 1:00 PM. My flight was due to depart at 1:50 PM and I didn't want to cut it too fine. So I told him we needed to go to the airport directly and he got the gist. We ended up back at the airport a few minutes before 1:00 PM, and I made my way into the terminal.