Travel Guide > Asia > Laos > Vientiane Province > Vientiane
Vientiane, the Laotian national capital is a quiet city by Asian standards, despite being the busiest city in the country. Situated on the Mekong river, the city is a blend of French colonial architecture and gilded temples. The city first became a capital in 1560, when it was the capital of the kingdom of Lan Xang. In 1828 it was ransacked by the Siamese, who controlled the city for over a hundred years. When the French eventually took control of the city in the late 19th century, it became the capital of the French protectorate of Laos, a position it retained after independence.
Vientiane has a hot and humid tropical climate. There are two seasons. The rainy season lasts from May to October while the much more pleasant dry season lasts from November to April. During the rainy season there is about 200 to 300 mm of rain a month and the high temperatures, averaging around 33 °C during the day and around 24 °C at night, makes this time the worst for a visit. Winter is much more pleasant with days still close to 30 °C and nights a nice 15 to 18 °C. March to May can be very hot, with temperatures close to 40 °C sometimes.
Wattay International Airport (VTE) is located 3 kilometres outside of the city. There are only a limited number of airlines servicing the airport, including Thai Airways International (Bangkok) and Vietnam Airlines (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh). AirAsia now provides a budget option for travellers with flights heading to and from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Finally, Mandarin Airlines has flights to Taichung on Taiwan and China Southern Airlines flies to Guangzhou.
Lao Airlines is based at the airport and has connections to Siem Reap, Kunming (also with China Eastern Airlines), Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Hanoi, as well as a number of domestic destinations including Luang Prabang, Houei Sai, Luang Namtha, Oudomxay, Pakse, Xieng Khuang and Savanakhet.
Lao Air (other airline!) serves Samneua, Phongsaly and Xayabouly.
There are numerous guesthouses in Vientiane. These are a few of the popular ones.
| Property | Address | Type | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Don Chan Palace | 6, Rue Fa Ngoum, Ban Piawat, Sisattanak District, Vientiane | Hotel | 53 |
| Inter City Hotel, Mekong River View | 24-25 Fa Ngum Road, Unit 5, Ban Wat Chan Chanthabury District | Hotel | 84 |
| Rivertime Resort and Ecolodge | Thadokkham Village | Hotel | 88 |
| Settha Palace Hotel | 6 Pang Kham Street | Hotel | - |
This is version 11. Last edited at 14:52 on Nov 18, 09 by Utrecht (+785). 11 articles link to this page.

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