The friendship bridge the main crossing between Thailand and Laos is ca. 20 km outside the city center. For years it was a popular crossing for expats living in Thailand.

Today it it is till used by many westerners who can renew their visa at the Thai consulate in Vientiane, but an increasing number of Thai, Lao and Vietnamese turists travel this route.

Arriving from Bangkok by train, there is now a small train at the station that will take you across the bridge, it seems to lessen the sometimes long que at the bridge crossing.

The price for a Lao Visa is about 35$ or 1500 Bath. You will need on passport photo and fill out two forms, one of the forms you can print and fill out prior, saves a little time.

Taxi to Vientiane used to be 200 Bath, the open air mini busses/tuktuk from the new train station on the Lao side, charge 300-400 Bath, depending on your bargening skills, that seems like a rip off, but it can take 8 people.

Main bus stand and Morning market is situated quite centrally, some turist hotels are to be found in the area. An old favorite of mine is the Sengphachanh Hotel, Ban Hatsady Tai, Lanexang Road (856-21) 251 756. Well situated on the main road opposite the Morning market and a government turist information center.

Rooms are small but comfortable, breakfast buffet and wifi in the lobby. It fills up quickly, in which case they may offer you a room in their annex hotel a couple of kilometers up the road. Similar standart but with a couple of really nice big and bright rooms overlooking the road and a small canal, quiet at night, trafic in the daytime. Service is very friendly, breakfast buffet or served in the room is abundant. The area is not too interesting, a small market around the corner, does delicious traditional salted/grilled fish. Bank and ATM 400 meters up the road. American/Lao college across the road.

The turist information center seems to be effective and informative, but they tend to run out of some of the most basic material, like the "whats on" booklet and the Vientiane map, a little persistance and they may be able to find a one last copy for you in the back room. Though they seem to refer to the bookshop as the standart reply.

The Thai consulate, www.consular.go.th is a 10-20 minute walk from the morning market (map) (many embassies up that way) it opens at 9.30 and the que can grow quite long. Many mobile visa fill out passport photo and photo copy stalls are in front of the the gate. You will need a visa form, 2 passport photos, 2 photo copies: passport main page and the Lao visa page. Inside the consulate things are now very effective. You are given a number and you have good space to fill out your form, photocopy is available on the first floor. Your number will be called and that goes faster than in the old days. At present turist visa is free (feb. 2010) double entry is possible. Passport pickup next day after 1pm. It is a very smooth process.

From morning market it is a 10-20 minute walk to downtown and the river bank. Lots of restaurants, wine shops and foreign produce mini markets, hotels and guesthouses. On the way you pass the American embassy.

Morning market is not the busteling chaos of the past. It has been cleaned up and streamlined, a big mall to the side, it is all rather bland. It has lost some of it's soul and personality and looks more like most other modernisation projects in Asia. You may be better off shopping on the other side of the river, in the market in Nong Khai or in Bangkok if you are heading in that direction.

Behind the morning market you find the central bus stand, busses to most places can be found here, some leave from the southern bus stand, near the evening market. The bus stand has a nice noodle eatery at the far corner, a popular place for the locals, cold beer. Food stalls around the bus stand serve sandwhiches, baguettes and snacks.

Vientiane is a hub for various organisations