Travel Tips | Halal Restaurants in Vientiane, Laos

Failing to first research on my trip resulted to me eating maggi in my hotel room for 3 meals since there wasn't any halal restaurant on the street we have been walking the past 2 days. On the last night, us both thought of being "smart" (Yeah! We do wacky things on and off to avoid boredom) and decided to change our normal route and use the back way (tetiba nak adventurous lah tuh, konon). The main reason for this was that the back way is nearer to the night market that we missed the night before but slightly the road is dark tho, still we braved ourselves and head there. And the journey to this night market was nothing but scary and boring.

1. We bumped into halal mobile roti pisang seller (similar to those in Thailand)
2. We saw 2 pharmacies where Anna bought her sleeping pills for long haul flights
3. Found a beautiful park where the locals enjoy their night taichi and pocho-pocho dance (line dancing tuh)
4. Noticed that their excercise equipment are all well taken care of, not broken nor stolen
5. Street food along the way to the night market (non halal tau)

I guess being a little bit adventurous benefited us (Macam lah adveturous sangat, actually dekat je.... I propa je lebih-lebih).

We decided to fill up out stomach with food before heading to the pasar malam (night market) and guest what we saw? 3 halal restaurant facing the night market! Oh.... kat sini rupanya..... Cis! OkThxBye!

Ho Phra Keo Museum & Si Saket Museum In Vientiane, Laos

Rest and Relax.

The best way to travel with bestie.

I can always count on my dear friend Anna and it only took me one phone call to tell her my mood swing and the need to rendezvous out of Malaysia. The next thing we both know, we were boarding an airplane to Vientiane, Laos. Our silly adventure begin.

More stories on Laos here :
Pha That Luang & Patuxai In Vientiane, Laos (UNESCO) 
Hotel Review | Mandala Boutique Hotel Vientiane, Laos

When you have 2 girls on an ad-hoc trip, it will head to the extreme direction; either too many shopping excursions or spending long hours in the room (playing games or Social Media-ing). Us, the later. Definitely.

Ho Phra Keo - a Buddhist Museum
Built in 1565, Ho Phra Keo or Haw Phra Kaew is a Buddhist museum as well as a place of worship.

The temple was destroyed 3 times, once was in 1778 when seized by Thailand, again by the Thais when King Annouvong attempt to regain independence. The 3rd time was rebuilt by French in 1936 to 1942, when French colanize Indochina region.

Ho Phra Keo means ‘Altar of the Emerald Buddha’ describing "an altar remained when the statue was removed" - this is referring to the sacred jade statue reclaimed by Thailand back in 1778 and now resides in Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok, Thailand.

You can stroll as there's a few sightseeing places along this street, alternatively take a cab or tuk-tuk from any part of the city, as for us, we chartered the whole tuk-tuk for the whole day to get us around Vientiane (kiasu I call us girls).

There wasn't anything silly we did here but I did run around to take pictures as I like their walkway, convinced Anna to be my prop model and she willingly oblige, sweet heh. We managed to cover the whole area in 30 minutes while eavesdropping at the same time (to tour guides explaining the history at their respective group).

Address : Setthathirat Road, Vientiane, Laos 
Cost : 5,000 kip 
Hours : Daily 8:00am - 12:00pm, 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Si Saket Museum - a Buddhist Temple
Dated since 1818, Wat Si Saket too was built under the orders of King Anouvong (Sethathirath V.). Having a Thai architecture have kept it safe during the Thai invasion as the Thai armies uses it as their headquarters. This temple was restored by the Fench during its colonization, once in 1924 and again in 1930. There are over 2000 ceramics and Buddha images being housed here at Wat Si Saket.

This is when I realised that you can easily get postcards and stamps at the entrance of most sightseeing places (and not just at the post office which was no where in sight). Aside from that, most of the sightseeing places in Vientiane are clean, in fact its very clean and there are also signages everywhere forbiding public to smoke at these compound. 

There wasn't any paid guide available at the entrance for us to engage, however brochures and boards detailing and describing the history are made available for travelers.

Wat Si Saket also known to hold over 6000 Buddha statues of all sizes dated as far as 15th to 19th centuries ago.

The other highlights here is the mural paintings which once covered the wat's interior walls are now destroyed by the test of time, faded remains can still be seen. The wooden ceiling and doors of Wat Si Saket are all carved with intricate detailing are still intact. There are also a wooden library storing palm-leaf manuscripts which can be visited by public.

Address : Setthathirat Road, Vientiane, Laos 
Cost : 5,000 kip 
Hours : Daily 8:00am - 12:00pm, 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Hotel Review | Mandala Boutique Hotel Vientiane, Laos

3 days planning time.
Absurb.

The hotel that I wanted was not available and I was pretty depress over it especially since I kinda like the sound of its review plus I really wanted a chillax trip with no plan on sightseeing until we arrive Vientiane. With the hotel running full house, it is not helping my then present state.

In the heart of bustling Vientiane stands a remarkable hotel. Built in the early part of the last century, circa 1932, and painstakingly restored to its former imperial glory, the Settha Palace Hotel serves as a testament to the long lost era of classical elegance, gracious service and French colonial charm. 

Once more owned by the same passionate family that ran the hotel in its heyday before the change of regime to Communism in 1975, no stone has been left unturned and no expense spared in the quest to bring this Vientiane landmark back to life.

Yes. I have a fetish for old architecture buildings. I am weird like that.

Lo, and behold!
(Let's just stop at that, creating the element of suspense [konon])

My earlier entry : Pha That Luang & Patuxai In Vientiane, Laos (UNESCO)

Mandala Boutique Hotel. It doesn't sound as impressive but it'll do (since we have 3 days to plan and the hotel I wanted is not available). We secured the room and pack our bag, hoping for the best.

My very first glimpse; so far so good I told myself. Colonial, clean and looks welcoming, now lets hope that the service live up to its first impression. (pray hard).

Vietnamese decor with a tinge of British flare... That's it, love at the first sight. Seriously, I can fall in love with a decor easily, like really easily. And the service? Fantastic!

The front desk was entertaining a guest hence we decide to roam for abit. 

Love. Love. Love.

The reading area, cozy.

Patio.

Out door hang-out area.

I brave myself and sneak upstairs.

Upstairs is where the 'expensive' room is located, it felt abit like Carcosa Sri Negara. Really.

Common balcony.

And then we learn we get to stay at the extension part of the property; the unglamorous part of it. Again, another disappointment. Sigh.... Maybe I should just call this trip the 'The Disappointment Trip' (slapforehead).

Lo, and behold!

(Hehehehehee.....)

It.Is.NICE.

Oh yah! The bathroom, have no door; ONLY curtains. Sexy!

And another thing, note on the moon-roof. (sexy habis!)

Path way to the open air dining area. The only dining area.

(The package from agoda comes with breakfast)

This is my room view, the dining place. I kinda like it :)

Verdict?
Didn't I tell you earlier?
It's fantastic!

Mandala Boutique Hotel

The Mandala Boutique Hotel is located in a small side road away from the busy streets of Vientiane, but within walking distance to the city centre and just a 15-minute drive from the airport ~ From Mandala Boutique Hotel website.

Address :

MANDALA Boutique Hotel
Baan Phiavat
33 Unit 10, Sisattanak District
Vientiane, Laos

Phone: +856 21 214493

** This is not a paid advertisement/review

Pha That Luang & Patuxai In Vientiane, Laos (UNESCO)

Hemmm..... Looks familiar. That was my first thought.

Similar to Arc de Triomphe in Paris right?

This is the weirdest trip I ever made in my whole traveling career plan! I woke up one day, feeling angry, depress, remorse, annoyed, sad and every negative words you can imagine; and what better way but to call your darling friend right?

So, call Anna I did! Asked her what she will be doing just after Christmas and guess what - NOTHING! And the best is she agrees with my wackiest idea - Laos for 3D2N (leaving in 3 days time), to rejuvenate our mind & soul. Well, mine mostly (or at least I think so) hahahahaa...

Just one thing, Do.Not.Ask.Me.The.Flight.Cost. Hahhahhahahahha

The first glimpse, very impressive I must say.

Trying to do a symmetrical shot.

From wikipedia :

Patuxai (Meaning Victory Gate or Gate of Triumph, formerly the Anousavary or Anosavari Monument, known by the French as Monument Aux Morts) is a war monument in the centre of Vientiane, Laos, which was built between 1957 and 1968. The Patuxai is dedicated to those who fought in the struggle for independence from France. In romanising the name from the Laotian language, it is variously transliterated as Patuxai, Patuxay, Patousai and Patusai. It is also called Patuxai Arch or the Arc de Triomphe of Vientiane as it resembles the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. However, it is typically Laotian in design, decorated with mythological creatures such as the kinnari (half-female, half-bird).

Entrance fee : 3,000Kip / USD0.39 / RM1.19 (staircase or lifts to the top floor viewing area)
Opening Hours : 8am-4:30pm on Mondays-Fridays, 8am-5pm on Saturdays & Sundays.

You can walk up to the top but we chose not to, just being lazy for no obvious reason but I do suggest to try and share it with me the pictures.

Do you know what the above is? 
It is a place where the 'photographer' print and frame you pictures to sell. Yup! It's mobile! Creativity at large here heh.

Not only 1 van, but many vans.

So here is how it works, we chartered (pau) the whole tuk-tuk for USD50 to take us to 8+1 places. the +1 being a homemade grocery store where we purchased 12 bottles of them yummy jams (Yeah, we are weird like that). You can take as long as you like at each places and stop anywhere at anytime. We thought it was a good deal, due to communication problem we got the hotel to bargain it for us :)

From Wikipedia

Pha That Luang (Great Stupa) is a gold-covered large Buddhist stupa in the centre of Vientiane, Laos. Since its initial establishment suggested to be in the 3rd century, the stupa has undergone several reconstructions until the 1930s due to foreign invasions to the area. It is generally regarded as the most important national monument in Laos and a national symbol.

Entrance fee : 5,000Kip / USD0.65 / RM2.00
Opening Hours : 8am-noon and 1pm-4pm from Tuesday-Sunday

I tried googling about this and guess what I found, it is on UNESCO tentatively. OK, so it is a UNESCO declared site as yet but still... I went before it gotten it's 'approval/certification'. For UNESCO hunter like me, I have to say that I am contented.

I have only one MUST DO list and that is to catch the monks' alms procession.

It my mind, I've painted that my pictures going to be so fantatstic and the talk of the town (I know, I know, dream much!?). Here is what I imagine :- at the break of dawn; all the monk in their bright orange robe collecting alms from locals and tourist. And what I plan to do is edit it in black and white except for the orange robe, can you visualise how awesome my pictures will be?

Oh yah! I failed to wake up early both morning. Hahhahah.... so much for my MUST DO list heh! Maximum. Epic. Failure.

But worry not, I did manage to get what I want but at noon instead :)

This is however not and alm possesion but good enough for me to get the feel, and best of all; it's at Pha That Luang Temple, thus making my trip perfect. Saya happy.

Classic.

Next entry will be how we got con at Friendship Bridge.

For more pictures, please view it at Globetrotter Facebook Page HERE.

Teaser | An Impromptu Trip To...

I woke up one day feeling bored, depressed and frustrated, so I called Anna and decided to pack our bag and head to.... (Am blessed with great good friends).

Hahhahhaha..... cute heh!

So, have you guessed?

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