Vientiane

This is also written in many different ways like Haw Phra Kaew or Hoe Pha Keo and others. This was formally a temple in the Vientiane in Laos. It is located on the Setthathirath road which is further situated in the south east of the Wat Si Saket. This was first built in the year 1565 to create a house for the Buddha. This has however been built up many a times. The inner part has been converted into a museum which is famous for all the religious and other activities. As the king moved the capital to Vientiane, this place was built. This was placed on the soil of the royalty. This was a place for a personal worship of the king and was not the house for any monks as we can see in other places. The great statue of Buddha is present there for the past 200 years. It was in the year 1779 that it was captured and the temple was destroyed.

It was then rebuilt in the 19th and 20th centuries and now holds an important position as the national centre of Buddhist studies. The temple is quite colourful, with bright yellow and red accents. Enter the sim and the Phra Ongteu, its namesake large bronze Buddha, dominates in a serenely seated bhumisparsa mudra “earth witness” posture, signifying the moment just before he attained enlightenment. Though the temple is not the most spectacular, its central downtown location makes it a convenient place to go for a meditative stroll. The wat is home to Sangha College, which was first established in 1929 by Prince Phetsarath and Somdet Phra Loukeo Outhen Sakda, head of the Lao sangha and Governor of Vientiane. Highlights – This temple is one of the most important in Laos, Rebuilt in the early 20th century. Location – Vientiane , Laos

Vientiane boasts several beautiful temples or wats, but one of the most impressive and interesting of them is Wat Ho Phra Keo. It was originally constructed in 1565 as the Lao royal family’s personal chapel, and as a home for the Emerald Buddha after it was snatched from northern Siam (Thailand). This sacred jade statue was reclaimed by the Siamese in 1778 and now sits in Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok.  Highlights – The interior of the temple is now a museum that houses many Lao treasures such as a gilded throne, Khmer Buddhist stone tablets, wooden carvings, bronze frog drums and palm-leaf manuscripts. Opening Hours: The temple is open from 08:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 16:00 every day. Location: Wat Ho Phra Keo is situated on the corner of Thanon Setthathilath and Thanon Mahosot. It is next to the Presidential Palace and across the road from Wat Si Saket. Mahosot Hospital is on the opposite side of Thanon Mahosot.

The air-conditioned shopping mall (the only one in Laos) is the best place to find electronics, sports equipment and jewellery, while the cavernous original Morning Market is fairly overflowing with mass-produced silks, cheap T-shirts, trinkets and other souvenir type items. Talat Sao is the market to visit if you are looking for something in particular – although bear in mind that the catwalks of Paris and Milan are a long way from Vientiane. Despite looking like a shopping mall in a provincial town rather than the flagship shopping destination of a capital city, Talat Sao mall is still a breath of fresh, air-conditioned air to many tourists battling with the tropical heat outside. There are a range of shops and services for tourists to enjoy over five floors, including a Big C supermarket, a three-screen cinema, a children’s play area with plenty of arcade games and flashing lights, and a food court on the fourth floor.   Location: Vientiane , Laos Opening hours: 8am-noon & 1-4pm Tue-Sun

Vang Vieng (additionally Vang Viang) is a riverside town in Central Laos. The town hosts been known as a get-together destination for quite a long time, and whilst regardless this remaining parts more open air situated exercises are currently accessible, for example, mountain biking, trekking, kayaking, giving in, swimming and shake climbing. Vang Vieng is on Highway #13 in the middle of Vientiane and Luang Prabang - by transport (street and transport conditions allowing) around 6-8 hrs from Luang Prabang, around 3-4 hr from Vientiane. Thruway #13 is a two-path street in genuinely great condition with the exception of a couple knocks nearer to the urban communities, nothing to stress over. The street between Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang is rocky and brags astounding view and also beneficial looks of Lao town life. Highlights – Tubing, Lao-style steam sauna, Kayaking the river, High swings Location - Central Laos Best time to visit: All around the year

Wat Si Muang is one of Vientiane’s most popular sites of worship, and offers a fascinating insight into how old animist beliefs have blended seamlessly with Theravada Buddhism. According to local legend, when the temple was being built in 1563 a young pregnant woman named Si Muang volunteered to sacrifice herself to appease the angry spirits. During the That Luang Festival every October or November, this temple is one of the focal points of the celebrations, and Si Muang is fêted as a guardian of the city. On a daily basis, Wat Si Muang attracts crowds of local Buddhists who want to benefit from its ‘good luck’ powers. Highlights – This temple is more interesting for its story than for its architecture.  Location: Wat Si Muang is located at the eastern end of Thanon Setthathirath, in the triangular area formed just before the street merges with Thanon Samsenthai and turns into Thanon Thadeua. Opening Hours: The temple is open from 06:00 to 19:00 every day

Sprawling yet little-visited Phou Khao Khouay National Park is located only 40 kilometres northeast of Vientiane, accessible via Route 13 headed to Tha Khaek. The park, which means “Buffalo Horn Mountain”, features some beautiful scenery and a vast array of biodiversity ranging from dense jungle to cool, misty pine forests, rivers and waterfalls, including noteworthy Tad Leuk and Tad Xay – both can be visited in a single daytrip. It is the closest National Park to Vientiane, but ironically it can feel like one of the least accessible to the average traveller. Sights within the park are sprawled out and the tourist heyday has come and gone, with many of the once highly touted activities and accommodation set up to be the next big thing now dead or crumbling. Still, the park remains an amazing swathe of nature less than two hours away from the rapidly developing capital city. Highlights – Bolikhamxay, Khet Phiset Xaisomboon (Special Zone), Vientian Prefecture, Vientiane Province Location – Vientiane

If you visit beautiful Lao PDR, we invite you to come to the COPE Visitor Centre in Vientiane, where you can learn more about COPE. There are a range of things to see and do. Take time to wander through our large free exhibit where you will learn about the UXO problem in Lao PDR and the work undertaken by COPE and the CMR to provide disability services for people affected by UXOs. As part of the exhibition you can watch a number of excellent documentary films about UXOs and COPE. Inside the COPE Visitor Centre you will find our gift shop where you can purchase t-shirts, postcards, and other items or simply make a donation. You can also enjoy custom made ice cream and hot and cold drinks at our Karma Cafe. Highlights – Explore the free exhibit, Purchase unique gifts or make a donation Location – Boulevard Khouvieng, Vientiane, Laos Opening Hours: 9am to 6pm