Rustic and Unhurried Vientiane Explored
Vientiane, Laos
See More
From $79.50
Price varies by group size
Yay! This item has been added to your cart.
Rustic and Unhurried Vientiane Explored
Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more
Safety measures
3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Hotel pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Operators have paid Viator more to have their experiences featured here
Overview
Get to know Vientiane on a 4-hour city tour with a knowledgeable guide. Learn about the French influences on the Laos capital as you explore the city center and hear about the country’s independence from France. You’ll also visit Buddhist attractions such as Vat Sisaket, the oldest monastery in Vientiane. End at the Victory Gate, aka Anousavali or Patuxai.
- Vientiane city tour
- Soak up the city’s atmosphere, from French history to Buddhist culture
- Visit Vat Sisaket monastery
- Admire the gold-covered Pha That Luang
- Choose morning or afternoon departure
Saved to wishlist!
After pickup from city center hotels, your half-day tour of Vientiane begins at Vat Sisaket, a monastery built in 1818. While most other temples in the city have undergone renovations, Vat Sisaket has survived in its original form. Inside, check out the 6,840 Buddha images that line the main hall and surrounding courtyard walls.
Next, head to Ho Phra Keo, a former royal temple that once housed the Emerald Buddha but is now home to a museum of Buddhist art and sculpture. Explore the displays of artifacts such as brass drums, palm-leaf manuscripts and other Buddha sculptures.
Continue your tour to Pha That Luang, a national symbol and one of the most important monuments in Laos. It’s known for its golden stupa standing 150 feet tall (45 meters), a beloved part of the Vientiane skyline. It can also be seen from the top of Patuxai, the city’s Victory Gate, which is your last stop. Constructed in 1958, the gate echoes the design of France’s Arc de Triomphe while incorporating Laotian motifs like the Kinnaree, a mythical bird woman. (Note: Entrance fee to climb to the top of the gate is not included, but you are welcome to pay at your own expense to admire views of the city.)
Your tour then ends with a drive past other landmarks before hotel drop-off.
Next, head to Ho Phra Keo, a former royal temple that once housed the Emerald Buddha but is now home to a museum of Buddhist art and sculpture. Explore the displays of artifacts such as brass drums, palm-leaf manuscripts and other Buddha sculptures.
Continue your tour to Pha That Luang, a national symbol and one of the most important monuments in Laos. It’s known for its golden stupa standing 150 feet tall (45 meters), a beloved part of the Vientiane skyline. It can also be seen from the top of Patuxai, the city’s Victory Gate, which is your last stop. Constructed in 1958, the gate echoes the design of France’s Arc de Triomphe while incorporating Laotian motifs like the Kinnaree, a mythical bird woman. (Note: Entrance fee to climb to the top of the gate is not included, but you are welcome to pay at your own expense to admire views of the city.)
Your tour then ends with a drive past other landmarks before hotel drop-off.
Itinerary
Our guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel in Vientiane and drive through the small, yet charming centre to see the highlights of the Laotian capital. Our first stop will be made at the Wat Sisaket, the oldest monastery in Vientiane, built in 1818. This temple has survived in its original form as where all other temples in Vientiane have gone through extensive renovations. Inside the main hall, and along the walls of the courtyard surrounding it, a total of 6,840 Buddha images rest in small niches or on shelves, next to its remarkable frescoes.
Duration: 45 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
Continue to nearby Ho Phra Keo, the former Royal temple, now a Museum of Buddhist art and sculpture. The building had housed the Emerald Buddha until it was taken to Bangkok following a skirmish with the Lao in 1778. It still displays some of the finest Buddha sculptures found in the country. An original jar of the world-renowned Plain of Jars can be found as well on the compounds of this temple complex besides special displays of various artefacts and manuscripts.
Duration: 1 hour
Admission Ticket Included
The That Luang with its golden stupa in the characteristic banana flower shape is the most revered shrine in Laos and of course, cannot be missed. Laos’ national symbol has a central structure that is 45 meters tall and echoes the curving lines of an elongated lotus bud, the original stupa, said to contain a relic of the Lord Buddha.
Duration: 1 hour
Admission Ticket Included
Its domination of the Vientiane skyline is visible from the top of the Patuxai Victory Gate, is located at the northern city boundaries. Also known as Anousavali, it was constructed in 1958 and inspired by the Arc de Triumph in Paris. Energetic visitors can climb the top of the monument and enjoy a panoramic view of Laos’ capital from Vientiane’s highest point (not included).
Your guide and driver will bring you back at the hotel after approximately 3.5 hours touring along with Vientiane’s most revered landmarks and iconic sights.
Duration: 30 minutes
Admission Ticket Not Included
Why you are seeing these recommendations
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Rustic and Unhurried Vientiane Explored
3 hours 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$79.50
Why you are seeing these recommendations
Explore Similar Things to Do
Bus ToursCity ToursPrivate Sightseeing ToursCultural ToursHistorical ToursHalf-day ToursCultural & Theme ToursPrivate & Custom ToursTours & SightseeingVientianeBus Tours - Luang PrabangCity Tours - Luang PrabangPrivate Sightseeing Tours - Luang PrabangCultural Tours - Luang PrabangHistorical Tours - Luang PrabangHalf-day Tours - Luang PrabangBus Tours - Chiang RaiCity Tours - Chiang RaiPrivate Sightseeing Tours - Chiang RaiCultural Tours - Chiang RaiHistorical Tours - Chiang RaiHalf-day Tours - Chiang RaiBus Tours - Chiang MaiCity Tours - Chiang MaiPrivate Sightseeing Tours - Chiang MaiCultural Tours - Chiang MaiHistorical Tours - Chiang MaiHalf-day Tours - Chiang MaiCategory
Why you are seeing these recommendations
