One of Vientiane's oldest and most grandiose temples, Ho Phra
Kaew has an extremely interesting history that sheds lights on
Laos' past relations with Thailand. The temple was built in 1565 by
King Setthathirat for the express purpose of housing the Emerald
Buddha, which he had pilfered from Chang Mai in Thailand. The
statue, made of green jadeite enrobed in gold, was then recaptured
by the Siamese army in 1778 and returned to Bangkok (where it
remains to this day). Even without the Emerald Buddha, Ho Phra Kaew
- which was restored in 1936 and declared a national monument - is
a wonderful tourist attraction, offering visitors to Vientiane a
great opportunity to get to grips with Laos' varied cultural
heritage. Among the items on display in the museum is a
heavily-lacquered 16th-century door carved with Hindu images, and a
collection of stone-cut figures representing Khmer deities.
Lao is the official language, but some English and French
are spoken.
The Lao Kip (LAK) is the legal currency unit, currently
available in denominations of 1, 000, 5, 000, 10, 000, 20, 000 and
50, 000 kip. US Dollars, Euros and Thai Baht are also accepted in
many places and are more convenient to carry than large stacks of
the local currency. Banks, hotels, and jewellery shops all offer
currency exchange services. For everyday expenses, carry a mix of
US dollars and kip. For larger items, or when the exchange rate
works in your favour, use US dollars. For local transport, street
food stalls and minor purchases, it is best to use kip. When in
rural areas, ensure you carry a supply of small notes as change can
be hard to come by. Major credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard
are accepted at most international hotels, many shops and
restaurants, and a few tourist-orientated establishments in Luang
Prabang and Vientiane - but in other parts of the country assume
that only cash is accepted. Travellers cheques can be cashed at
most banks in Vientiane and other major towns. Banks are open
Monday to Friday from 8am to 12pm, and then again from 2pm to 3pm.
In Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Pakse and other major towns, ATMs are
available from which money can be withdrawn. Note that ATMs
distribute only Lao kip, with a maximum of around 1, 000, 000 kip per
transaction.
Open daily, from 8am to 4pm