Vientiane Nightlife

What to Do at Night in Vientiane

“The brothels are cleaner than the hotels, marijuana is cheaper than pipe tobacco, and opium easier to find than a cold glass of beer."
Paul Theroux, writing in 'The Great Railway Bazaar', of Vientiane in the 1970's, got it spot on.

But nowadays the opium dens and brothels that were once omnipresent in the city have been replaced by guesthouses and a handful of friendly and understated nighttime venues, the majority of which turn their lights off by 12 pm.

Of course there are exceptions and word of mouth can keep the booze trail going on until the early hours.

Bars

Vientiane has less than a dozen bars outside of the hotels. One might say quality will always triumph over quantity, and in the case of Vientiane this is definitely true. The Samlo Pub is a great place to watch sport and enjoy a few jugs of beer, before heading on down to the four-storey Blue Sky Bar that promises a memorable sunset accompanied by cheap beer and tasty bar snacks. Déjà Vu on Nam Phu is one of the city’s more chic establishments, serving an array of zesty cocktails in a typically Laos chilled out environment. Anyone who wants to knock back a few jars in a European-inspired bar should go to Bar Namphu; (also on Namphu) has a broad drinks-and-dining menu, topped off by warm service.

Beer Gardens

The many beer gardens that once fringed the banks of the Mekong have long been closed down by the government, who felt them too unruly and likely to attract an undesirable crowd. However, the timber-built Sala Sunset Khounta boat still remains intact, alongside a handful of riverside drinking venues, providing the perfect spot for Beer Lao-laden sunsets. To drink the national beer as fresh as it comes, head on down to the Salakham Beer Garden 12 km outside of central Vientiane. This is where the Government Brewery resides, equipped with its very own thatched-roof beer garden.

Nightclubs

The handful of discos that feature in Vientiane often include live music and DJs so clubbers are treated to an eclectic mix of cover Western songs, traditional Laos folk music, the latest Thai releases and cheesy western pop both on record and stage. By law clubs are supposed to close by 23:30 hours but this is not always the case. Vienglatry May, on Thanon Lan Xang is open until midnight and is the most popular club in town at the time of writing. Close to the airport is Marina, where you can listen to some Thai techno until the wee hours, in front of this club is Superbowl which has been known to serve beer all night long. The Chess Café is a favourite amongst backpackers, probably due to the fact that it is one of the few joints in town  playing ‘red hot rock n roll’ , considered as an after hours venue that is often frequented by the expat community.

Hotel Clubs

Vientiane’s top-end hotels play host to some of the city’s more exclusive (and expensive) nighttime pleasures. Hotels such as The Novotel, The Lao Plaza Hotel and the Saysana Hotel are renowned for filling up dance floors after serving up a chilled cocktail or two. The Lao Plazas- Le Club Disco is seemingly popular with the more affluent in the community. It has been noted in several tour guides that if you are male and a female member of staff joins you at your table there is likely to be an added charge on the end bill, so keep this in mind if your table becomes overcrowded with overly enthusiastic waitresses.

Live Music Venues

On The Rock Pub is recommended with its intimate, no- thrills vibe. Those who venture in will be within arms reach of the band playing a range of western, Thai and Laos covers. This is a good opportunity to hook up with Vientiane’s alternative crowd and become suitably nostalgic over a few bottles of beer. The US-style, Wild West features Lao-style folk which can be enjoyable over a bite to eat. Be sure to pay a visit to Vientiane's Jazz bar - Snow White & One Dwarf. Drinks are more expensive than your average riverside bar but it's worth it, the door man is indeed a dwarf and the walls are of course white, fitting quite nicely with the chosen jazz of the evening.

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