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Vientiane Nightlife: What to Do in Vientiane at Night (Laos)

Benjamin Juster

You’re in Vientiane, the sun goes down, and you’re wondering what to do in Vientiane at night. Look no further! The capital of Laos has its fair share of Vientiane bars and clubs, restaurants, and even a charming local bowling alley, providing a plethora of chill Vientiane nightlife to keep you entertained. Here’s a list of the best things to do in Vientiane at night, from laidback backpacker bars, high energy Vientiane night clubs, riverfront restaurants, beer gardens, Vientiane night markets, and of course, the best bars in Vientiane.

Best Things to Do in Vientiane at Night for Anyone

We’re starting off our list of what to do in Vientiane at night with Vientiane Night Markets, including Vientiane night food markets. We’ll then move into more laidback bars, lounges, and riverside restaurants, dives like Bor Pen Nyang and Samlo, an LGBT-friendly bar, as well as fun things to do in Vientiane at night if you don’t want to party. And then, we’ll finish our list with party-heavy high energy night clubs like @Home.

So whatever you’re looking for in your Vientiane nightlife, if Vientiane offers it, you’ll find it here!

 

Photo Credit: William

1. Vientiane Night Market

One of the best things to do in Vientiane at night, the Vientiane Night Market is a must-visit for tourists.

You can’t miss the hundreds of red awnings of the night market in Vientiane, Laos that start setting up shop by the Mekong Waterfront around 5PM each night. A visit to the Vientiane Night Market is one of the top 10 things to do in Vientiane, especially if you want to get typical Southeast Asia souvenirs, like cheap BeerLao shirts, sunglasses, and Buddhist-inspired art (albeit at a markup compared to the Talat Sao Market).

If you’re looking for what to do in Vientiane at night while picking up some gifts for friends and family at home, the night market in Vientiane, Laos is the place!

There’s not much food per se to be had in the night market proper, but vendors nearby on the riverfront are available.

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2. Vangthong Evening Food Market

Vangthong Evening Food Market is exactly what to do in Vientiane at night if you want to grab some local Lao eats You’ll find both tourists and locals at this evening food market.

With limited seating available, most of the lends itself to takeaway, including bla san kung (grilled fish), sai oua (Lao sausage),  and bing gai/ bing moo (grilled chicken/pork skewers). Munching on some skewers at this Vientiane night food market while absorbing the local culture is one of the most fun things to do in Vientiane at night!

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3. Ban Anou Night Market

The Ban Anou Night Market is another Vientiane night food market, right near the larger Vangthong Evening Market from #2.

Ban Anou is a small collection of street side stalls and stands along a couple of blocks of Rue Phai Nam in downtown Vientiane. It’s a popular evening hangout spot for locals, with people dining on plastic chairs and tables while men play petanque on the side.

If you’re looking for what to do in Vientiane at night for some laidback local culture, this is a fun spot to hang out with a beer in one hand and a fish or meat skewer in the other while you take in the local evening Vientiane life.

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4. 34 Station

This lively collection of nighttime eating and drinking establishments is a trendy spot for the youth of Vientiane. When we arrived in Vientiane, 34 Station was recommended to us as where to go in Vientiane to experience Laos nightlife.

Lit up with neon lights and built from shipping containers, 34 Station is certainly a popular center for nightlife in Vientiane—hit it up on a weekend night and you’ll find quite the crowd of local Laotian girls and boys.

With laidback energy that doesn’t have that fussy nightclub vibe, 34 Station is a chill stop for backpackers to experience Laos at night. If that’s your vibe, you’ll definitely find this to be one of the best things to do in Vientiane at night. If you’re looking for some fun Vientiane bars and clubs, I would recommend starting (or finishing) your night off here.

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5. Moonlight Lounge

If you want to experience Vientiane by night in a more elevated, relaxed high end atmosphere, check out the Moonlight Lounge.

This swanky Lao bar and club caters to the upmarket crowd with its extensive bourbon selection, as well as draft/craft beers, wine, and cocktails. Moonlight Lounge also offers cigars and hookah for sale if you’re so inclined. There’s also a wide variety of tasty Western-style dishes to accompany your drinking.

If you want to a lounge vibe with a drink and a cigar, a visit to the Moonlight Lounge is one of the most fun things to do in Vientiane at night for you!

Evenings at Moonlight Lounge start off calm with jazzy house and ambient music, while later into the night the music turns to dance and trap.

 

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6. Khop Chai Deu (colonial villa bar/restaurant at night)

This colonial villa turned Lao bar/restaurant has been one of the best things to do in Vientiane at night for locals and expats alike to gather since it opened in 1998.

Khop Chai Deu offers traditional Lao cuisine as well as international food and drink. Enjoy the extensive drink menu on hand, as well as the frequent live musical performances.

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7. Chokdee Cafe & Belgian Beer Bar

This quirky beer house is one of the best things to do in Vientiane if you want a bit of Belgium in Vientiane with its international brews, showcasing a selection of Belgian ales and ciders. Of all the best bars in the Vientiane, Laos, this is the one to visit if you have a taste for Belgian beer.

Of course the ever-present BeerLao is available, too! There’s a selection of tasty bar food on the menu as well, including mini hamburgers, cheese plates, and spring rolls.

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8. Bor Pen Nyang

Bor Pen Nyang is a Lao phrase with a similar meaning to the Thai “mai pen rai,” both meaning “no worries.” Sounds like a great name for a bar in Laos!

This 4-story bar in Laos overlooking the Mekong in central Vientiane is one of the most popular nightlife spots in Vientiane.

Bor Pen Nyang is open during the day too, with locals and tourists alike enjoying its pool tables and rooftop terrace. Of all the best bars in Vientiane, Laos, Bor Pen Nyang is one that’s a great spot to catch the sunset over the Mekong, but get there early if you want a seat!

Bor Pen Nyang offers Lao and Western food to go along with the drinks. BeerLao is certainly the signature drink, but there’s other choices as well.

Be warned: we’ve heard that at times Bor Pen Nyang can get a little seedy, with all the elements that come with seediness., including men looking for services from Laotian women. Nevertheless, it’s still a fun place to hang out and mix with the eclectic crowd of people–you’ll find all sorts of people here.

When we ask around, Bor Pen Nyang stands out as one of the best things to do in Vientiane at night continually recommended by expats. This bar attracts, in part, the kind of backpacking crowd you might find in Vang Vieng, as well as locals. Many start their night off at Bor Pen Nyang before heading off to a club (we list some of the top night clubs in Vientiane below).

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9. The Spirit House Bar & Restaurant

This casual all-day riverside hangout spot turns into a lively evening watering hole come nightfall.

The classic wooden interior and vibe of the Spirit House caters to an upmarket crowd that includes mostly expats and locals.

A visit to the Spirit House is what to do in Vientiane at night if you want to sib on elevated drinks.

Some of the best cocktails in Vientiane are to be had at the Spirit House, including martinis with sake and pickled ginger and a green-tea infused gin and tonic. Grab a tasty libation and enjoy the riverside location for a calm, elevated experience of Laos at night.

A wide range of international beers, wines, and spirits are also available.

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10. Kong View Restaurant

If you’re looking for what to do in Vientiane at night on the chill end, Kong View Restaurant boasts a stellar location on the Mekong Riverfront as well as a large menu of Laotian, Thai, and European dishes on the menu.

After the sun goes down over the Mekong, the wooden fixtures and lighting of the Kong View Restaurant create a lovely ambience for a night out on the riverside, making the Kong View Restaurant one of the most interesting places in Vientiane to experience relaxed Vientiane nightlife.

Good food, good location, good ambience–sounds like one of the best things to do in Vientiane at night to me!

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11. The Lao Cafe (CCC Bar)

This is where to go in Vientiane to experience Laos nightlife for the LGBT community.

The best-known gay bar in Vientiane has an outdoor terrace, downstairs bar, and a stage where cabaret shows are performed on weekends. The LGBT-friendly bar serves a variety of drinks and plays an eclectic mix of tunes.

Personally, I can’t turn down a good cabaret, so I’d praise Lao Cafe to be one of the best things to do in Vientiane at night, for LGBT and hetero travelers alike.

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12. Corebeer

Corebeer is a local brewpub offering up an interesting variety of Asian craft beers in a beer hall-like setting.

A visit to Corebeer is what to do in Vientiane at night if you want to experience the local beer culture firsthand while sipping on Thai craft beer like Stone Head.

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13. Go Dunk

Go Dunk is a new beer garden serving up food and brews, including 2-for-1 mojitos, in an open warehouse-like setting.

Frequent live music and buffets make this a popular place for locals to come and celebrate some Vientiane nightlife. It’s not the most pumpin’ place to experience Laos nightlife, but if you’re looking to kickback among locals, this spot might be your vibe.

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14. Samlo Pub

If you want to experience Laos nightlife in Vientiane with divey vibes, come to Samlo Pub.

This is a classic old-school Lao bar full of the grunge and darkness that any good dive has. Its cheap prices on beer, as well as pool tables, attract a crowd of locals, tourists, and expats.

But, this bar is SEEDY with a CAPITAL S. While you can get cheap beer here, some men do frequent this bar for services with Laotian women, if you catch my drift.

There are TVs with sports events and bar games for entertainment as well. It’s not a place to visit for those who aren’t fans of indoor smoking, however, as Samlo Pub is one bar that allows it still.

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15. Tully’s Irish Pub & Restaurant

Tully’s Irish Pub is what to do in Vientiane at night if westerners want a taste of home. Thus you’ll find this Vientiane bar to be mostly patronized by the expat crowd.

A visit to this bustling Irish pub is one of the best things to do in Vientiane at night if you want to watch sports, drink Guinness, and eat traditional Irish pub grub.

Frequent live music, sporting events, and game nights draw both families and drinkers alike to the pub.

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16. Jazzy Brick

This brick-and-wood paneled establishment is popular with foreign NGO workers, and serves up a huge amount of cocktails (around 150!).  As its name suggests, the bar is often host to live jazz performances.

If you’re in the mood for some Vientiane bars and nightlife with a jazzy edge, this is the place!

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17. Lao Bowling Center

If you’re looking for what to do in Vientiane at night besides party, the Lao Bowling Center is a great choice to watch how the locals go out for a fun night.

The fact that some balls are chipped, some lanes are dented, and the instructions for the machines are inextricably in Spanish only adds to the quirky charm of bowling here.

Lao Bowling Center games cost 11,000 kip. The fee includes shoe rental, but make sure you bring your own socks, or do as the locals do and bowl barefoot!

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Nightclubs in Vientiane

So far we’ve covered what to do at night if you want something a little more chill. The next section will move our focus away from bars and lounges, and towards Laos night clubs in Vientiane. These nightclubs are exactly what to do in Vientiane at night for partiers who want big energy.

If you’re looking for night clubs in Vientiane, read on!

 

18. Gold Star Nightclub

This Thai-style night club in Vientiane, Laos is part of the larger Daokham Hotel complex, which also features a beer garden and karaoke. The Vientiane night club attracts a young, mostly Lao crowd with its live music and DJ sets.

As one of the largest night clubs in Vientiane, the Gold Star Nightclub offers some of the best nightlife in Laos. So, if you’re in the mood for big club energy, this is one of the most fun things to do in Vientiane at night!

 

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19. ZEUS Lounge & Restaurant

ZEUS Lounge & Restaurant is a relatively new Vientiane night club that offers a wide range of single-malt scotches, as well as a long list of other cocktails.

The three stories of this Laos disco are comprised of different services, with the first floor being a coffee shop and bakery, the second pool hall with darts, and the third boasting the largest cocktail lounge in the country, as well as a restaurant. With its different levels, ZEUS might just be one of the most versatile night clubs in Vientiane, Laos.

ZEUS is located near the Vientiane Night Market, making it convenient to stop at if you need to unwind after an evening of haggling and shopping.

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20. @Home Nightclub

This is one of the most popular night clubs in Vientiane, Laos, and is the most popular club with foreigners. Expats and locals alike come for the techno-trance music, free entrance, and general debauchery.

A visit to @Home Nightclub is what to do in Vientiane at night if you’re looking to party hardy!

The club doesn’t pick up until 11:30 or even midnight, so you might choose to hang out at a bar before heading here.

You’ll find all kinds of people at @Home, from tourists, backpackers, expats, middle class and rich Lao people…pretty much the whole lot.

Drink prices are typical for Vientiane clubs (25,000 kip for beer, 40,000 kip for cocktails).

 

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Vientiane Nightlife Map

 

What to Do in Vientiane at Night: Final Thoughts

That’s it for Laos nightlife in Vientiane, folks! From the top Vientiane bars and clubs, riverside restaurants, night markets, and so on, we feel confident you’ll be able to find some niche that works in with your vibe. You should now know what to do in Vientiane at night, no matter what vibe you’re looking for. We hope our Vientiane nightlife reviews were helpful to you, and allow you to fill your time in Vientiane in a way that will enrich your trip!

If you have any more suggestions for fun things to do in Vientiane at night, be sure to send us a message on Facebook!

Now check out What to Do in Vientiane During the Day

 

 

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