Morning Market 07:00-17:00 Night Market 18:00-22:00
Talat Sao & Vientiane Night Market
ຕະຫຼາດເຊົ້າ ແລະ ຕະຫຼາດກາງຄືນ · ตลาดเช้าเวียงจันทน์ · Talat Sao & Vientiane Night Market
ຕະຫຼາດເຊົ້າ ແລະ ຕະຫຼາດກາງຄືນ · ตลาดเช้าเวียงจันทน์ · Talat Sao & Vientiane Night Market
Shopping Mall & Traditional Market • 3.9 (6,963 reviews)
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Tuk-tuk: The most popular way to get around Vientiane. Always agree on the price before boarding.
Loca: A convenient and safe ride-hailing app in Laos.
Walking: Just a 15-minute walk from Talat Sao to the Night Market.
Wattay International Airport (VTE) is about 3–4 km from the city centre and ~6 km from Talat Sao — roughly a 15–25 min drive. Common ways to get there:
Airport taxi / private car: official taxi desks outside the terminal; a direct trip to the Morning or Night Market costs about 80,000–120,000 LAK (~US$4–6). Agree on the price first.
Loca ride-hailing: book a Loca ride at the airport — transparent pricing, can link a foreign card; the best value option.
Airport bus / shuttle: cheapest, but limited frequency and requires transfers; best for light backpackers without much luggage.
Tip: there is no metro or rail at the airport. After arrival, change money or withdraw LAK so you can pay fares and shop at the markets.
Lao people value gentle, soft-spoken communication. In the market, a smile is the best passport — friendly bargaining is part of the local experience.
Most stalls prefer Lao Kip (LAK) cash; some larger shops accept Thai Baht (THB), and a few support WeChat / Alipay. Carry some cash and small change.
Screenshot and point to read aloud to vendors — communication gets much easier.
The two offer completely different experiences, so we recommend visiting both. Talat Sao (Vientiane Morning Market) is best during the day, featuring traditional Lao hand-woven textiles (Lao Sinh), pure-gold jewellery, souvenirs and an indoor mall experience. The Vientiane Night Market is ideal for an evening or nighttime stroll along the Mekong riverfront, with open-air stalls, colourful printed clothing, Mekong sunsets and a lively night-time atmosphere.
Lao culture values gentleness and politeness (the common greeting is "Sabaidee"). Individual stalls at the open-air night and morning markets usually have 10%–30% room for negotiation — keep smiling while you talk. Branded counters, gold shops and supermarkets inside Talat Sao have fixed prices, so there's no need to bargain.
Talat Sao and the Night Market are only about 1.2 km apart in a straight line. Walking is recommended (about 15 minutes), letting you enjoy the city-centre streetscapes along the way. If you're carrying heavy items or it's hot, use the Loca ride-hailing app or take a Tuk-tuk (confirm the fare with the driver before getting in).
Head to the Mekong riverfront near the Night Market and Chao Anouvong Park between 17:30–18:30 (sunset to blue hour) for stunning shots of the glowing sky against the night-market lights. For the Morning Market, go between 09:00–11:00, when indoor and street lighting is ample and good for capturing artisans and daily-commercial life.
Lao kip (LAK) cash is preferred; most stalls also accept Thai baht (THB), and some larger vendors support WeChat Pay / Alipay. Vientiane is generally safe, but in the crowded Night Market keep your bag and phone and other valuables close.