COPE, Night Market & Colonial Heritage
COPE Visitor Centre — The Consequences of the Secret War
The COPE Visitor Centre (Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise) is one of the most moving museums in Southeast Asia — and a must for every visitor to Laos. COPE manufactures prosthetics and walking aids for the victims of unexploded ordnance (UXO).
The exhibition tells the story of the Secret War — the most massive bombing campaign in history. Between 1964 and 1973, the USA dropped over 2 million tons of bombs on Laos (more than on Germany and Japan in World War II combined), including 270 million cluster bombs. An estimated 80 million of them did not explode and remain in the ground to this day. People — especially children who mistake the small "bombies" for toys — still die and are maimed every year.
The exhibition is factual, not sensationalist. Video documentaries, personal stories, a bomb collection, and a prosthetics workshop. Free admission, donations are urgently needed and meaningful.
Mekong Riverside & Night Market
Every evening, Fa Ngum Road along the Mekong transforms into a lively night market. Hundreds of stalls offer Laotian textiles, silk scarves, T-shirts, souvenirs, and — the best — street food:
- Grilled fish on a stick (Ping Pa)
- Tam Mak Hoong (papaya salad) with sticky rice
- Khao Jii Pâté (Laotian baguette with pâté — a legacy of the French!)
- Fresh fruit smoothies and Lao coffee
Behind it, the Mekong Promenade — the perfect place for the sunset. A BeerLao in hand, the view across the wide river to Thailand, the sky in orange and pink. That's how a day in Vientiane ends.
French Colonial Heritage
The French ruled Laos from 1893 to 1953 and left their mark:
- Rue Setthathirath: The main street of the old town with colonial buildings, cafés, and the beautiful Wat Si Saket (Vientiane's oldest temple, 1818, with 6,840 Buddha statues in niches)
- Haw Phra Kaew: The former royal temple, now a museum with the finest collection of Laotian art (opposite the Presidential Palace)
- JoMa Bakery Café: The best bakery in Southeast Asia — croissants, pain au chocolat, and quiche on a French level. A legacy of the colony.
- Nam Phu Fountain: The small roundabout fountain in the heart of the old town, surrounded by colonial houses, bars, and restaurants
💡 Tipp
Plan the COPE visit for the morning (emotional, takes 1–2 hours). In the afternoon: visit Wat Si Saket and Haw Phra Kaew. In the evening: night market and Mekong sunset. Vientiane can be perfectly experienced in one intense day — or enjoyed over three relaxed days.
