Vientiane

Travelers' Takes

Rates and Deals

Talat Sao (Morning Market)

More Photos
SeenThat
SeenThat
First Reviewer
5 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
1
Review
3
Photos
Editor Pick

Talat Sao – Vientiane's Morning Market

  • July 2, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by SeenThat from Tel Aviv, Israel
Talat Sao – Vientiane's Morning Market

After traveling for a long time in South East Asia, most morning markets blurred-up inside my mind into an archetypal one. That is, with the exception of two: the yellow dome over a crossed shaped structure of Phnom Penh’s Morning Market is as unforgettable as the green slanted roofs of Vientiane’s one.

Location

Vientiane’s Morning Market enjoys a superb location on Lane Xang Avenue; thus it is a natural stop while exploring downtown. In front of it, is Vientiane’s central bus terminal; as if it was an extension of it, the front side of the market hosts a truck parking lot.

The Market

Unlike most Asian Morning Markets, this two-story market is covered by several green sloping roofs and is big enough to host most of the commercial activities of the town. It is open from before 7am until around 4pm.

The Merchandise

Fake Rolex and real Timex watches, gold, silver, traditional Laotian black clothes, T-shirts, shoes, fixing stalls for anything imaginable, and electronic gadgets stalls comfortably lie side by side, in that leisured fashion so typical of Laos. The traders’ attitude is live and let live; that means there is no active touting from their side. The second floor has a large jewelry section; the local silver is widely known and it is offered in interesting designs.

The Food

The real jewels of this market are the three food centers at its sides, two of them in front of the main post office and the third south from there, in front of the bus terminal. The excellent coffee served here, has been described in another entry, but the Lao culinary wonders do not end there. Noodle soup is the most basic choice and it is prepared with a variation of meats – mainly pork, chicken, duck and water buffalo – but stranger options are available. Tasty laap salads are recommended; they are available at the inner part of the central court and are prepared with minced meat, lime, mint leaves and chilies. The duck’s version is excellent; beware of the chilies, they are young and fierce. Baguette sandwiches filled with all the goods Laos offers are readily available; next to them are the classical "meat over rice" dishes, the "pork knees" are excellent. The food is clean and safe with the exception of nâm pa ("water-fish"), a fermented fish sauce which is ubiquitous but not recommended because sometimes it carries parasites – not that anyone will add it to the food after smelling it.

Food plazas in Asian markets are arranged in a different style of those in western malls. The main difference is that their stalls do not serve complete meals; each one specializes in a few dishes and if you want a complex meal, you should wander among the stalls and order each dish separately.

The End of an Era

Nowadays, a new structure for the market is being built. Sadly, the four-story structure resembles a Western shopping mall; upon its completion one of the most charming spots in Vientiane would change forever.

From journal Vientiane: the Second Sip

Compare Vientiane Rates

1. Enter travel information

City

2. Select websites to compare rates

Each selected website will open a new window.

Helpful Vientiane Links

Vientiane Travel Deals