Lomography

Vientiane, Laos
written by johann_affendy on September 10th, 2008 , 2 comments (1 vote)

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Vientiane (pronounced as “Wieng Chan” by the locals) is the capital city of Laos. I went there on a family vacation last August and boy, did I have a good time. Situated in the Mekong Valley, it is a laid-back city void of traffic jam, noise pollution and other qualities of a bustling metropolis; a perfect getaway from the clutter of urban life. We checked in the Senesouk Hotel, which is a humble hotel roughly 10 minutes from the Wattay International Airport. With affordable rates, clean rooms, free Internet access, hospitable staffs and close to the center of town, I’d recommend this a good place to stay. The local currency is called kip but Lao people also accept Thailand baht and US dollars. Remember to always bargain, they usually charge more for foreigners.

Getting around in the city is fairly easy. Get a map sold at the hotel and hail a tuk-tuk, an auto-rickshaw that’s really fun to ride in. A majority of the drivers don’t speak fluent English so just point out where you want to go in the map. Locations of interest include the Talat Sao Mall, Talat Sao (“Morning Market”), Patuxai (“Victory Gate”), the Mekong riverside and Pha Tat Luang, their national symbol and the most important religious monument in the country. Nightlife isn’t so fabulous here as most private businesses close at 5pm local time. Vientiane is also popular with their range of exotic cuisine, have a taste if you got the guts. Muslims need not worry about food as there are three halal restaurants, Nazim, Fatima and Ali; all located near the riverside.

I hope this lomolocation entry can serve as a makeshift guide to globetrotters. Vientiane might not be a shopping haven, but for us lomographers it’s a whole new world to discover.