Vientiane is the quickly developing, small, capital city of Laos. With just over 700,000 people, it is one of the smallest capital cities in all of Southeast Asia. If you are wanting to travel with your kids to an off the beaten path location in southeast Asia, but still have ease of public transportation, Laos, and specifically Vientiane is a good place to visit. Check out our Quick Guide for an overview of the city.
Oftentimes, we believe that kids need specifically kid-friendly activities to be able to enjoy a new place. Because Vientiane is still developing, I have put together a list using a broader sense of the word ‘kid-friendly’. These include normal kid activities that can be found around the city, as well as specific activities found in Vientiane that both adults and children can enjoy.
Patuxay Monument
This is definitely the number 1 tourist attraction in town and it will be just as exciting for kids as adults. If you walk down the street that it is found on, it will make your visit feel more momentous as you can see it from all the way down the street. It feels like you are walking on a miniature Champs-Elysee. On the tower itself, there are many carvings to look at. They have drink stands and some souvenir stands underneath the arch. And if you are feeling especially brave, you can have your children lie on the ground and look up at the ceiling and see what they can see. There are other important buildings around the Patuxay monument. We enjoyed walking over to these buildings to see if we could figure out what the buildings were for!
*Family tip – There is a bathroom for tourists in the grassy area outside of the monument. It will cost to use.
Flyhigh
Now to move to one of Vientiane’s newest attractions – Flyhigh at Lao ITECC, the first trampoline park in Laos. It opened in December 2021. A classic kid attraction in many large cities, so it is exciting to see one come to Vientiane! It sits a little outside the city center, so it’s better to take public transportation or use the kokkok app to call a ride.
Kidsland
With the development of shopping malls around the city, there are also indoor playgrounds cropping up. Both the ritzy Parkson Mall and the big box mall, the Vientiane Center, next door have indoor kid playgrounds. Kidsland at Vientiane Center is on the fourth floor of the mall next to the food court. Parents can get food to eat and pay at the same counter for their kids to play inside Kidsland. Definitely more suited for the younger crowd, this is a great setup for families who need to relax after travel days when they just want to chill in the capital city.
The Vientiane Center also has a bowling alley which is great for older kids or for the whole family to enjoy together.
Night Market Carnival for Kids
A trip to Vientiane is usually not complete without a trip to the night market. The night market is a wonderful experience for children to see and try food that is different than other places. But keeping your kids excited during a busy, crowded night market is made easier by a visit to the children’s area on the Mekong. It is not open every night, but it is definitely worth checking out to see if it is open while you are visiting the night market. Rides are extremely cheap and it is found right on the Mekong river, which makes for a nice view for the parents who are sitting and waiting for the kids to be finished with their ride!
Coffee Prison
The last destination I am going to mention was a highlight for my own children. It is a cafe called Coffee Prison. This is a normal cafe with coffee, shakes, and a few food items. But it is in a very unconventional cafe environment that looks like a prison cell. On top of that, they have costumes that you can use to become the guard or the prisoner in the jail! What fun for my children to dress up, pretend to be in a cell, and enjoy their shakes at the same time. We highly recommend the experience if you are in Vientiane.
City Walk
Lastly, I’m going to recommend a family walk around the city. Because Vientiane is so quickly developing, there is much to see and experience for kids around the city. The vast contrast throughout the city of old and new can give you wonderful conversations with your children. It may be hot and sticky, but the learning opportunity is worth it!