Downtown
The historic center is bounded by four main streets: Samsemthai Street to the north; Fa Ngum Quay to the south, which runs alongside Chao Anouvong Park; Chanthakoummane Street to the east; and finally, to the west, the long boulevard Khoun Boulom, which runs from the Mekong River behind Chao Anouvong Stadium to Lane Xang Avenue. Sites of interest include the Nam Phou fountain and temples such as vat Hay Sok, vat Ong Teu, vat Chan, vat Mixay, vat In Peng, and vat Xieng Ngeun... among others. This is where most of the shops are concentrated. The Fa Ngum quay stretches along the bank of the Mekong, opposite Thailand. In the late afternoon, it's a charming and busy place, especially from 6pm onwards when the craft market takes over and the sun goes down. A few restaurants under straw huts come to life as soon as night falls, offering inexpensive local cuisine.
North and south neighborhoods
For locals, Lane Xang Avenue is Vientiane's "Champs-Élysées", linking the presidential palace to the Patuxai (triumphal arch). Along the avenue are the central post office, the city's tourist office, the morning market (Talat Sao), the French Institute of Laos and several foreign banks. The southern sector of Vientiane stretches from Ban Dongpalane, behind the Nong Chan water park, to the south of the city. It includes the vats of Ban Phia, Ban That Khao, Ban Phonsavan Nua and Ban Phaxai. Temples to see include the Si Muang and SokpaLuang vats . Another not-to-be-missed site is the COPE Center, a national cooperative that manufactures and distributes prostheses to victims of bombing. This district is home to major hotels such as the Don Chan Palace and the Green Park Hotel, as well as charming addresses and a number of fine restaurants.
