The Best of Cambodia & Laos

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VIENTIANE
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VIENTIANE ATTRACTIONS
The Museum of the Revolution has photos, artifacts, and re-creations of the Lao struggle
for independence against the French and Americans. The exhibits (firearms, chairs used
by national heroes, and the like) are rather scanty, barely scratching the surface of such a
complicated subject, but most are captioned in English. The museum features everything
from dinosaur bones and sandstone sculptures of the Hindu god Shiva to machine guns
and black-and-white photos of the Pathet Lao soldiers in action against the U.S.-backed
regime. Archaeological finds and maps presented on the first floor help make a visit here
worthwhile. There are also numerous artifacts such as pots, drums, and tools as well as
an ethnographic section. Additionally there are some exhibits on cultural and historical
sites like the Plain of Jars and Wat Phou, which provide visitors with insights into the
rich cultural heritage of Laos. The second floor is divided into a series of galleries, each
displaying artifacts and pictures of periods dating from far as 1353, including the history
of the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang up to 1707, the division of Lan Xang into three principalities,
the rule of the Thais, the French colonial period, the first Indochina War, U.S.
intervention, the successful liberation of the country in 1975, and finally the period of
national development since 1975. There are a lot of interesting historical photos with captions
making it absolutely clear who were the “colonialist” and “imperialist” aggressors.
Samsenthai. Admission 10,000 kip. Daily 8am–noon and 1–4pm.
Phra That Luang This is the preeminent stupa in Laos, a national symbol that’s
an imposing 44m (144 ft.) high. It is not the original; the first, built in 1566 by King
Setthathirat over the ruins of a 12th-century Khmer temple, was destroyed when the
Siamese sacked Vientiane in 1828. It was rebuilt by the French in 1900, but the Lao
people criticized it as not being true to the original. It was torn down in 1930 and remodeled
to become what you see today. As you approach, the statue in front depicts Setthathirat.
After you enter the first courtyard, look to the left to see a sacred bodhi tree, the
same variety Buddha was sitting under when he achieved enlightenment. It has a tall,
slim trunk, and the shape of its foliage is almost perfectly round. According to the Laotians,
bodhi trees appear only in sacred places; legend has it that the site originally housed
a stupa containing a piece of the Buddha’s breastbone. The stupa is built in stages. On
the second level, there are 30 small stupas, representing the 30 Buddhist perfections, or
stages to enlightenment. That Luang is the site of one of Laos’s most important temple
festivals, which takes place in early November.
Admission 3,000 kip. Tues–Sun 8am–noon and 1–4pm.
Patuxai Monument This monument was completed in 1968 and dedicated to those
who fought in the war of independence against the French. Ironically, the monument is
an arch modeled on the Parisian Arc de Triomphe. Its detailing is typically Lao, however,
with many kinnari figures—half woman, half bird. It’s an imposing sight, and you can
climb up for a good city view. Once on top, numerous signs forbid the use of cameras
(government paranoia, perhaps), but no one seems to take heed. This is the town’s main
teenage strutting ground and is crowded on weekends.
Lan Xang. Admission 5,000 kip. Mon–Fri 8am–4:30pm; Sat 8am–5pm.
That Dam The That Dam is a large stupa at the center of a quiet roundabout at the end
of Thanon Chanta Khumman. It is believed to be inhabited by a seven-headed dragon that
tried to protect the Lao from the raging armies of Siam who invaded in 1827 (if so, it
certainly failed the test). That Dam means “Black Stupa,” a name that is self-explanatory.
Chanta Khoummane.