Laos
Sintra (2 days)
Vientiane
1 full day / 2 nights, February 2026
We flew in from Hanoi. Our visit here was more of a starting point for our adventure. Didn't plan on spending alot of time based on what we had read prior to arriving. For us one day was perfect. If we had had two days would have gone out to the Buddha Park.
Day 1:
Arrived around 6pm. Walking around first night, the city felt a bit dumpy.
Ate around the block from our hotel - Rainbow Restaurant. Food was surprisingly good (4.6 rating got us there). One women doing it all. She liked us, but seemed to have issues with some other patrons -regulars with bad history? -not sure.
Hotel: Riverside. Room was comfortable. Shower actually had a proper door! Got Netflix. Small terrace to dry clothes in the sun. Starbucks is also around the corner - if you collect mugs be sure and purchase the Laung Prabang mug here as interesting you can only buy the mug outside of Laung Prabang as there is not a Starbucks in that city.
Hotel in a good location right across from the night market, which gets fully set up for each night…
…and incredibly cleared out by each morning.
Day 2
Larry got up and out with the nice weather for a morning run along the Mekong River, which is the southern border between Laos and Thailand.
Walked to our first temple. Definitely felt a Thai influence. Lots of wires everywhere. Best for women to cover shoulders and up to knees when visiting temples.
Randomly walked by the Presidential Palace. Huge grounds.
Wat Sisaket is the only temple in Laos that survived the Siamese occupation, which destroyed much of the capital in 1828. It features over 10,000 Buddha sculptures of varying sizes and styles. The temple also has beautiful architecture and layout, with a history that dates back to 1818.
Patuxai arch reminded us of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which is ironic, since it is dedicated to those who fought in the struggle for independence from France. It was built using concrete the US had provided to build an airport, so it has the nickname of “the vertical runway”.
Lunch: Arom Pakse didn’t seem to be located near anything, but we tracked it down due to the good ratings, and it didn’t disappoint.
Phaa That Luang - The most significant national monument in Laos and a primary symbol of both Buddhist faith and Lao sovereignty
We were able to catch a ceremony finishing up - giving alms to the monks.
Dinner: 525 Eat and Drink. Hidden (literally) gem. Lovely setting with comfortable chill vibe. Definently, more upscale than most of the casual spots. Great cocktails for $9. Tapa style food. Loved the Mexican quesadillas.
