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Beer gardens, bars and clubs
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Vientiane's location along an east-west stretch of the Mekong positions it for spectacular sunsets, and makeshift stalls selling bottles of
Beer Lao
and
fruit shakes
line the riverbank from Nokeo Koummane Road to Khoun Boulom Road; 2km upriver along Fa Ngum Road, a long row of
beer gardens
with wooden terraces hang over the riverbank in the vicinity of the
Riverview Hotel.
Many of Vientiane's
nightclubs
feature live music, $2 cans of beer, dim lighting, deep couches and absurdly overdressed hostesses; the
Anou Cabaret
at the
Anou Hotel
is the long-time favourite. A newer set of
dance clubs
playing Thai pop and international dance mixes, catering to well-heeled teenagers, has cropped up along Louang Phabang Avenue, just beyond the
Novotel.
They don't usually get hopping until after 9pm, and are unplugged by midnight at the latest. There's no cover charge, but you'll have to fork out more than $2 for a can of Beer Lao. Sadly, Vientiane's
live music
scene is largely derivative, with popular taste being bullied into submission by the barrage of bland pop ballads churned out in Thailand. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Lao People S Democratic Republic,
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