10 hidden tourist spots in Laos' Vientiane city. We take a look at the places off the beaten track that you can visit here

  If you were planning to put Vientiane on your travel list, I’m not surprised. The idyllic city in Laos was put in the global spotlight this week as it hosted the 28th and 29th Asean Summit. Beyond the usual spots for sight-seeing, Vientiane has a lot of hidden gems to offer. Most of these places are not even known to locals or are only known by word-of-mouth. Here are are ten hidden tourist spots outside the radar of most tourists. 1. BanThana Club Restaurant On the right side from the clock tower roundabout on Tadeua Road (Soi 10, Ban Thana) lies a small villa owned by a French couple. The place offers separate adults' and children's pool, a jacuzzi and a petanque bowling area. Their restaurant offers French, Lebanese, European, and Asian cuisine, with ingredients straight from their garden. Timings: 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Telephone: +856 20-77449781 Email: banthana.residence@gmail.com Website: www.vientiane-banthana-restaurant.com   2. Rivertime Ecolodge Resort and Floating Restaurant This ecolodge sits on the bank of the Nam Ngum river and is less than an hour’s drive from Vientiane city. The rooms are moderately-priced (as low as $10) and are built from natural materials. It has a floating restaurant and floating pool, plus hiking trails. Trek to the local village of the Hmong and Lao Loum tribes. Telephone: +856 20-58105267 Website: www.rivertimelaos.com 3. Nong Seuam Restaurant Overlooking Nong Seuam Lake in Ban Nonsaart, this restaurant is more frequented by locals as almost everything on the menu are Lao dishes. The restaurant setting is also typically Lao; in individual huts, with the traditional table setting. The place also offers water activities such as kayaking and boat-pedalling. You can also feed the school of fish in the fishpond situated in the middle of the restaurant.   4. Lao Disabled Women’s Development Centre (LDWDC) The LDWDC is a non-profit organization run by locals for Lao women with disabilities. It provides vocational trainings in income-generating activities, as well as life skills and women empowerment programs. Those who visit the centre will learn more about the Lao culture and meet inspiring women. Telephone: +856 21-812282 Website: www.laodisabledwomen.com.   5. Houey Hong Vocational Training Centre for Women This center provides vocational training to women of disadvantaged backgrounds, most of who come from ethnic minorities or poor rural areas – with little or no education at all. Aside from buying the local products, you can also enrol in their basic natural dyes workshop or even their weaving classes. Location: Lane 19, Ban Houey Hong Village (7 km up north on Thongkhankhlam St.) Website: www.houeyhongcentre.com   6. The Mekong Area beside Chao Anouvoung Park Early in the morning, walk a little further to the riverbanks beyond the jogging lanes of the park and you will find a group of men armed with their simple fishing gears, hooks, and catchfood for their prey. These are not large-scale fishermen but hobbyists. Start a conversation with them and you will find them a friendly lot. If you get lucky, you may even get to ride with them on their small boats while fishing.   7. Tad Moon Waterfalls This water stream is adjacent to the Mekong Golf Club (formerly Lao Inter Golf Club), 12 kilometers from the Wattay Airport. It is a popular picnic place for locals, especially on weekends. You can play in the water, go tubing, or simply cool off.     8. Lao-ITECC Mini Zoo The newest offering of Lao-ITECC beside their waterpark, this mini zoo is a hit, especially for the kids. It has a koi pond and a barnyard where kids can ride on ponies and watch sheep, menageries, and monkeys, among other animals. The entrance fee is 20,000 KIP ($2.50).   9. Russian Circus More popularly known as Hong Kanyasin now, this Russian circus was established in the 1980s during a time of strong Soviet influence in Laos. A majority of the performers gained their skills from Vietnam and China while some senior entertainers trained in the former Soviet Union. By western standards, the show may be cheesy and amateurish. However, it is a good place to get a good laugh and entertainment with your family. Shows are scheduled from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.   10. Long Ngum View Resort Located in Ban Thalat, 80 kms from Vientiane, this place has a beautiful view of the Nam Ngum Lake and reservoir and is close to the boat launch area for boating trips. The resort has a decent restaurant, beautiful landscaping and an infinity pool. Telephone: 021-214872 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