50th Anniversary of Laos National Day: Tourists call Vientiane 'a secret'

Tourist Steller commented that the capital of Laos, Vientiane, evokes the feeling of a city that remains quiet and genuine, like a "secret" that can only be revealed when truly explored.

Patuxai Monument in Vientiane, one of the city's most famous destinations. Photo: Karl Hendon.

Aditta Kittikhoun was used to people not knowing where he was from. Having grown up in the United States, Kittikhoun decided to return to Vientiane, Laos, to start a business.

He currently runs a creative marketing and communications firm in the city of about 850,000 people.

"I find living here very comfortable and pleasant, people treat each other kindly. I like the atmosphere here, I want to live long term in this city," he told CNN .

Featured attractions

Although Vientiane has existed for centuries along the Mekong River, December 2 marks the 50th anniversary of Lao PDR's National Day (December 2, 1975 - December 2, 2025).

This is no “Bangkok on the Mekong.” Laos is landlocked and receives far fewer tourists than its coastal neighbors.

The city has no skyscrapers and public transport is limited. Vientiane's small airport has only six gates and mainly serves short-haul regional flights.

Global brands are rare here. Most chains are Thai or Chinese, although a few Starbucks have popped up in recent years. Starbucks cups with “Vientiane” on them have even become an unlikely online collectible.

In 2024, the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel opens here, becoming one of the first Western hotel brands to be present in the city.

Panoramic view of DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Laos. Photo: DoubleTree by Hilton.

The two most prominent destinations are the Patuxai Victory Monument - a monument dedicated to the Lao people who fought for independence from France - and the Wat Si Saket temple, famous for its thousands of Buddha statues and paintings.

The first thing that strikes most visitors to Vientiane is the heat. Like other Southeast Asian capitals, the climate is hot and humid, with long summers and a distinct rainy season.

Motorbikes speed past Buddhist temples and low-rise Brutalist administrative buildings. In parks and squares, people gather on plastic chairs, eating barbecues and drinking their usual bottles of Beerlao.

The Lao national flag, in red and dark blue with a white circle, is hung between trees or pasted on the sides of street vendors' carts.

People enjoy street food in Vientiane. Photo: Mladen Antonov.

Most visitors come to Laos as part of their Southeast Asia itinerary. Many skip Vientiane and head straight to Luang Prabang, the UNESCO-listed former capital famous for its French colonial architecture.

The largest tourist market today is China. The high-speed railway supported by China, connecting Luang Prabang - Vang Vieng - Vientiane, will shorten the travel time between the capital and Luang Prabang to two hours, instead of a whole day by car.

Although Chinese tourists still need visas, the requirement is waived if they book tours through Lao travel agencies, leading to a surge in arrivals. Many Chinese-speaking guides have appeared at the border to serve this need.

Vientiane "Secret"

Luang Prabang may be Laos' most famous destination. But for Sophie Steller, an expat living in Vientiane, the former capital is smaller and doesn't have as many year-round residents as the capital.

Many foreigners come to Vientiane to work for NGOs , teach English or French (the official languages), or freelance in the digital nomad style.

Steller, originally from Sydney, Australia, first came to Laos to work for UNICEF in 1999 and has been in Vientiane ever since. She quickly fell in love with the city but longed for a stable cocktail spot that was open on Sundays and had English-speaking staff.

To fill the void, she and two friends opened Sticky Fingers Cafe in the city center 10 years ago. She later bought out their share to become the sole owner and continued to stay in Laos on a business visa.

Vietnamese tourists explore Vientiane in July. Photo: Lo Huu Duc Anh.

Steller enjoys cycling or canoeing around Vientiane’s green spaces on her days off. When friends from out of town visit, she always suggests they go to COPE, an organisation that supports landmine victims.

"It was an eye-opening experience for many people, telling a part of the history of the war and how heavily bombed this place was," she said.

About 3 million tourists visited Laos in 2025, compared with 32 million in Thailand. Laos aims to welcome 5 million international tourists a year.

While overtourism has become a problem in many places, locals told CNN they love Vientiane for its laid-back, easygoing lifestyle. For foreigners like Steller, the city remains a well-kept secret.

“I never get bored of this place. Never,” she said.

Source: https://znews.vn/50-nam-quoc-khanh-lao-du-khach-goi-vieng-chan-la-mot-bi-mat-post1607878.html