Vientiane

Vientiane, the capital of Laos, is the antithesis of a bustling capital like London. In fact, it feels more like a welcoming village, nestled in a bend of the Mekong River, Vientiane is dotted with temples and quirky, accessible attractions like the Buddha Park featuring surreal statues of the Buddha and the Monk Chat, a monthly opportunity to hang out with, you guessed it, monks. The major monument in town is Patuxai, and local food, you'll want to head to the night market. Now that Vientiane is not a tourist city, but it still offers visitors the chance to experience the closest thing Laos has urban living. Recently the city has begun to grow and develop, but that has fortunately resulted more in different restaurants, nice bars to drink Beerlao (the local brew), and better hotels than in ostentatious resorts or high rises.