Vientiane Night Market
The Vientiane Night Market takes place every night on the bank of Mekong River, the most crowded area of quiet Vientiane.
A rural panorama of reddish stalls selling various types of products is the first sight to recognize the Vientiane Night Market. Despite of opening primarily for tourists, many residents are keen on night life in the market. Like the other tourist markets, English is widely spoken there. The salesmen also speak French, Thai, Cambodian and Vietnamese in a small scale.
Vientiane Night Market must be the most vibrant nightlife in the city
If you visit the city of Vientiane at nightfall, it’ll worth take a stroll around the red roof stalls and go shopping. Vientiane Night Market is a paradise for souvenirs and mementoes, where there is a wide range of items from clothes, Lao skirts, textiles, handicrafts, technological accessories, footwear, sunglasses to statues and paintings of Buddha. Especially, most of the clothing stalls are full of fishermen pants and special free-size dresses and skirts.
Handicraft stall at the Vientiane night market
The only thing you can’t find in Vientiane Night Market is food or drink after a “food flood” on the banks of Mekong River causing large dirt and terrible image. However, there are tons of pleasant restaurants on the other side of the street.
Remember the shopping rule is never accepting the first price quoted. Although products are at the average quality and low prices, you should use your bargaining skills or wander around to seek the best prices. Usually, you can get between 10% and 30% of discount.
Taste local street food at Vientane night market
The night market of Vientiane is right next to the Street Quai Fa Ngum which is opposite the Mekong River. Walking is the best way to enter the pedestrian area of the market.
It opens every day from 6pm to 9:30pm, but 8pm is a great time to approach the riverside market. Hence, visitors may avoid this peak time to keep away from large crowd.
