Vientiane from Australia: what a trip really costs
What a day costs in Vientiane, when to go, the visa for Australians and the sights not to miss. Every figure comes from Trip720's checked data, with its source. Updated 26 Oct 2026.
Plan my Vientiane tripDay to day in Vientiane, per person
| Style | Food | With transport |
|---|---|---|
| Street food and markets | A$10 | A$21 |
| A balanced mix | A$19 | A$30 |
| Mostly restaurants | A$31 | A$42 |
- Local transport: about A$11 a day. Taxi: A$2 to start, then A$1.25 a km.
- Cooking for yourself: about A$14 a day for food.
Your stay, flights and activities come on top: the planner prices them for your dates. Sources: livingcost.org, combien-coute.net, en.wikivoyage.org; in AUD at today's rate.
When to go
28°F
32°M
35°A
37°M
34°J
32°J
31°A
30°S
30°O
30°N
29°D
27°
The most pleasant months are October to January. December is the driest month (6 mm of rain) and August the wettest (246 mm).
Bars: rain each month; green: the most pleasant months. Numbers: average daytime high. Source: NASA POWER climatology.
Best time to visit Laos, place by placeVisa for Australians
Visa on arrival or e-visa
Fee: $50 a person.
Official source: smartraveller.gov.au, checked 2026-10-26. Rules change: your plan checks your own passport when you build it.
Not to miss in Vientiane
Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan)park · half a day25 km out by the Mekong; bus 14 from the central bus station or a tuk-tuk
Pha That Luangtemple · a couple of hoursNational symbol of Laos; the That Luang festival fills the grounds on the November full moon
Patuxai (Victory Gate)monument · a couple of hoursClimb the stairs to the top for a view down Lane Xang Avenue
Wat Si Sakettemple · a couple of hoursCloister walls hold thousands of Buddha images; the oldest surviving temple in the city
Haw Phra Kaewmuseum · a couple of hoursFormer royal temple of the Emerald Buddha, opposite Wat Si Saket
- COPE Visitor Centremuseum · a couple of hours
Free; moving exhibition on unexploded ordnance and the prosthetics programme
- Lao Textile Museummuseum · a couple of hours
Wat Si Muangtemple · a couple of hoursThe city's most-visited working temple, home of the city pillar
- Lao cooking class by the Mekongexperience · half a day
- Guided bicycle tour through Vientiane's villages and templesexperience · half a day
From our research of travel guides; ticket prices from Tiqets when we found them. Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licences.
Questions travellers ask
How much does a day in Vientiane cost?
Food and getting around come to about A$21 a person a day eating street food, A$30 with a balanced mix and A$42 eating mostly in restaurants, before your stay and activities.
When is the best time to visit Vientiane?
The most pleasant months are October to January. December is the driest month (6 mm of rain) and August the wettest (246 mm); daytime highs run from 27 to 37 °C over the year.
Do Australians need a visa for Laos?
Visa on arrival or e-visa, $50. Checked on smartraveller.gov.au on 2026-10-26; rules change, so check again before you book.
What should I not miss in Vientiane?
Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan), Pha That Luang, Patuxai (Victory Gate), Wat Si Saket, Haw Phra Kaew.
Your whole Vientiane trip, priced from your door
Trip720 adds the flights from Australia, the stays, transfers, food, activities and the visa for your dates and budget, home to home.
Plan my Vientiane trip