How to get from
Vang Vieng to Vientiane

About the ride from Vang Vieng to Vientiane 

For the 158km (98 mile) journey from Vang Vieng to Vientiane, you only have one option - the bus. A juddering journey over potholed roads, it’s a strangely rudimentary way of entering the capital of Laos.

Traveling from Vang Vieng to Vientiane transports you between two very contrasting destinations. After the busy bustle of Vang Vieng, with its hiking, adventuring and non-stop opportunities for some of the world’s cheapest nightlife, you might be ready for something a little more languid. 

And that’s exactly what Vientiane has to offer.

One of the world’s most laid-back capitals, Vientiane doesn’t have a huge number of attractions. But what it does offer is a quiet place to enjoy a sleepier side of Laotian life. While lots of the nation is well-frequented and packed with action, Vientiane makes for a perfect change of pace. If you want to unwind after some excitingLaotian thrills, Vientiane is exactly what you’re looking for.

Relatively speaking, few tourists take the trip from Vang Vieng to Vientiane - and it’s not often that a capital city isn’t a popular destination. 

But with Vientiane, you get to experience the luxuries and conveniences of a capital city without any of the mass-market tourism.

Laid-back and with few attractions, Vientiane is a hidden gem. If you’re the type of traveler who prefers to enjoy a city’s atmosphere (rather than tackling all of its ‘must-dos’), you’ll be right at home here. With its riverside Mekong location, right on the border of Thailand, it offers much of what Laos and Thailand have to offer, but without any of the sometimes unwelcome chaos.

Getting to Vientiane from Vang Vieng is affordable and easy - and because you only have one option for taking the journey, you don’t have the fuss of mulling over various transport options. You simply hop on the bus, get on your way, and look forward to exploring one of the world’s most understated capital cities.

 

What to see when traveling from Vang Vieng to Vientiane 

The journey to Vientiane from Vang Vieng is in many ways a surprising one. Though you’d expect a journey into a capital city to take place on well-paved, accommodating roads, that isn’t the case here.

The transport infrastructure in Laos - along with the roads that serve it - is pretty basic. 

And these roads are particularly rudimentary.

The route to Vientiane from Vang Vieng is a juddering jaunt of potholed roads, winding mountains and sometimes churning stomachs. And though that can make for some slightly uncomfortable stretches, it’s also a fantastic adventure. 

While you might have already experienced some poor excuses for roads in Southeast Asia, this journey is way more rugged and raw than most you’ll have previously enjoyed. 

You’ll pass small villages, humble roadside food stalls and roving farm animals, as mountain views gradually make way for flatter stretches of land.

As you begin to approach Vientiane, the roads become marginally better and settlements become marginally bigger, before you begin to sense that you’re finally reaching the biggest city in the nation.

Though the city is the nation’s capital - and its largest city - there’s a laid-back charm that you can’t possibly refuse to fall in love with. 

Some Southeast Asian cities immediately assail you with madcap mayhem. But Vientiane assails you with something different - the strange sense that you’ve somehow returned home. Comfortable, cosy and charming, the city fills you with peace from the moment you arrive.

 

How to get from Vang Vieng to Vientiane

Taking a bus

With many trips in Southeast Asia, lots of bus companies service the same journey, leaving you with multiple options to choose from.

But with the journey from Vang Vieng to Vientiane, only two bus companies offer the journey, so you don’t have too many options.

Both journeys are pretty basic. They offer AC and sufficiently comfortable seats, but you don’t get any perks beyond that. Some buses are slightly more comfortable than others. 

There are no toilets on board these buses. Instead, they stop for short toilet breaks along the way - and typically for a food break.

These breaks can be fun, as they offer an interesting insight into the more rural side of Laotian life. The places you stop are very basic, but very warm and welcoming. 

The bus journey from Vang Vieng to Vientiane can be a great way to meet other travelers. Because many travelers who visit Laos are of the intrepid type, they’re often very chatty and friendly - great for making travel buddies as you make your way towards laid-back Vientiane.