Welcome to Laos travel

Once the capital of Lane Xang, in the latter years of that empire's greatness, Vientiane was devastated many times by foreign invaders, before finally being levelled by the Siamese in 1828. The only original monument to remain from before that time is Wat Sisaket, built in 1818 by Chao Anou - the very king responsible for incurring the wrath of the Siamese and causing his capital's obliteration.

When the French took control of the country in the late 19th century, they set about totally re-designing it with the same style as the magnificent Indochinese capitals of Saigon and Phnom Penh. The wide boulevards lend themselves nicely to monuments of a grand scale, and one such is the Patouxai war memorial. It was decided in the late fifties that Lane Xang Avenue - dubbed the Champs Elysees of Vientiane - should be crowned with its own version of the Arc de Triomphe (Patouxai is Lao for Gateway of Victory).
No account of Vientiane would be complete without mention of the Lao Revolutionary Museum, a monument to Laos' long struggle to free itself from colonization. The museum contains such relics as the photograph of Thit Chanto, who is shown baring his chest in defiance and waving above his head the rifle he used to shoot down an American fighter-bomber, which can be seen burning in the background. Though perhaps a little anachronistic in these post-Glasnost days, the museum itself is another sign of this city's sense of humour - for it is housed within the former residence of the French colonial governor.
Vientiane, the largest city in the country, is the National capital of Laos. It is located on the bank of the Mekong River which is also a natural border with Thailand. It is the political and economic center of the country with the population of 500,000. The city's exotic Eurasian setting fascinates most travelers. The confluence of several cultures has given Vientiane an appealing ambience. Tree-lined boulevards, French historical dwellings and Buddhists temples dominate the scene of central Vientiane and impart a unique character of timelessness.
Vientiane city is covered by Vientiane province. In Vientiane province, most people in are farmers. Agricultural is the major income of the province.