Life in Vientiane,modest capital of Laos,flows along aslanguidly as does the Mekong River on the banks of which the cityis situated. Resembling more a sprawling series of villages than aninter-connected urban metropolis,Vientiane is a sleepy placedotted with a mix of Laotian temples and French colonial buildings,most of them crumbling into decay. Paddy fields still dot theoutlying suburbs and even intrude into the city centre in places.Downtown is characterised by narrow lanes that run off the mainstreets,where bakeries sell croissants alongside vendors toutingnoodle soup and sticky rice.

Most of the city's places of interest are concentrated in asmall area in the commercial district,easy to explore on foot,between the bamboo and thatched beer gardens on the riverbank andTalaat Sao,the morning market. There are some fine Wats (temples)to visit,like Wat Si Saket,one of the city's oldest,surroundedby a lush tranquil garden. Other grand buildings are the unfinishedPatuxai monument,resembling the Arc de Triomphe,and the newChinese-financed cultural centre. The Lao Revolutionary Museum isworth a visit simply because it is a now rare example of acommunist propaganda collection,while the Kaysone PhomvihaneMuseum is dedicated to Laos' post-war leader.