Why visit
Vientiane is a low-rise Mekong capital with temples, French-era streets, river sunsets, and a slower pace than most Southeast Asian capitals. It is calm, useful, and best enjoyed without rushing.
How to use this result
Use it as a capital-city prompt
Vientiane is useful when you want a city-level starting point in Laos. Check whether the capital is the best arrival city, a practical transfer point, or mainly a geography and planning reference.
Check practical trip fit
Before planning around Vientiane, compare airport access, local transport, time zone, neighborhood choices, weather, safety guidance, and whether another city in Laos better matches the trip style.
Vientiane at a glance
City population
841k
Elevation
174 m
571 ft
Time zone
UTC+7
Asia/Vientiane
Airport
VTE
Wattay International Airport
Laos at a glance
Country center
18.0°, 105.0°
Coast
Landlocked
Country area
236,800 km²
91,429 mi²
Country population
7.6 million
32/km²
Subregion
South-Eastern Asia
Currency
Lao kip (₭)
LAK
Dial
+856
Language
Lao
Demonym
Laotian
Internet
.la
UN
Member state
ISO code
LA / LAO
Where in the world
18.0° - 105.0°
Laos
Open in Google Maps
Click the map to open in Google Maps. Outline via svg-maps/world - CC BY 4.0
Did you know
- Vientiane sits on the Mekong River across from Thailand.
- Pha That Luang is Laos's national Buddhist monument and a symbol of the country.
- The gilded Pha That Luang stupa, the national symbol, is said to enshrine a relic of the Buddha.
- Laos is the most heavily bombed country per capita in history: the US dropped more ordnance on Laos 1964-1973 than was used in all of WWII.
- Luang Prabang's morning alms-giving ceremony has happened daily since the 14th century: monks walk in silence collecting food from locals.
Bordering Laos
Traveler notes
- Pha That Luang is Laos's national Buddhist monument
- Patuxai gives a central viewpoint over the city
- The Mekong riverfront is the evening gathering place
Plan checks
- Choose a neighborhood first: many capitals have tourist centers that are not the best places to stay.
- Public transport passes usually beat taxis and rideshares for multi-day visits.
Explore more
Facts last reviewed June 2026 against GeoNames and national statistics sources. See the editorial policy for how destination data is maintained.
Frequently asked about Vientiane
What currency is used in Vientiane?
Vientiane uses the Lao kip (₭), ISO code LAK.
What languages are spoken in Laos?
The primary language is Lao.
What is the international calling code for Laos?
The calling code is +856.
When is the best time to visit Vientiane?
Nov–Feb. Check current weather and local events before booking.
What airport serves Vientiane?
Wattay International Airport (IATA: VTE).
Other Asia destinations
Afghanistan
Afghanistan holds the Minaret of Jam, the Band-e-Amir lakes, and the ghosts of the Bamiyan Buddhas along the old Silk Road. Conventional tourism is currently very limited; most governments advise against all travel.
Armenia
Armenia is monasteries balanced on gorges (Tatev, Geghard, Noravank), Yerevan's café energy under Mount Ararat's silhouette, and one of the world's oldest wine cultures, with cave evidence going back 6,100 years.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan runs from Baku's Flame Towers and UNESCO-listed walled old city to mud volcanoes, the burning hillside of Yanar Dag, and mountain villages like Khinalig sitting above 2,000 m in the Caucasus.
Bahrain
Bahrain is an island state where 4,000-year-old Dilmun burial mounds meet Formula 1 weekends. The Bahrain Fort, the Tree of Life alone in the desert, and a long pearling history recognized by UNESCO.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh is the delta of the Ganges and Brahmaputra: the Sundarbans mangroves with their swimming tigers, Cox's Bazar's 120 km beach, river life everywhere, and almost no foreign tourists.
Bhutan
Bhutan measures Gross National Happiness, caps tourism with a daily levy, and rewards those who come with Tiger's Nest monastery, dzong fortresses, and Himalayan trails without crowds.