Four Days on Vientiane's Backpacker Street: Eating and Drinking Under the Tangle of Cables

Vientiane's backpacker street in Laos spans just a few blocks on the map—from Namphu Fountain Square down toward the Mekong River. Yet within this narrow area, guesthouses, Japanes…

Vientiane Capital · Yeohangja Street

Vientiane's backpacker street in Laos spans just a few blocks on the map—from Namphu Fountain Square down toward the Mekong River. Yet within this narrow area, guesthouses, Japanese izakayas, French wine shops, street noodle stalls, government buildings, temples, and Chinese shrines are all crammed together. I walked through this neighborhood twice during the day and twice at night, and each time I couldn't tell if it was the same street. During the day it feels like a sleepy provincial town, but once the sun sets and the strings of bulbs light up, it becomes an entirely different street.

A wet backpacker street alley after rain, with white vans parked in a row and buildings with sandwich and burger signs and the Laotian flag on the right — Backpacker Street after the rain clears. Parking area on the left, pedestrians on the right sidewalk. A green-roofed gate is visible at the end of the street.

What You See When You Look Up—The Cable Tangle

The first thing newcomers to this neighborhood photograph is not food or temples—it's the utility pole. I did too. A single pole bearing signs for Lao National Culture Hall and Nam Phu direction has hundreds of cables wrapped around it, and the upper section has already become a black bundle, like a bird's nest. The result of decades of power lines, communication cables, and internet wiring accumulating on top of each other.

A utility pole with hundreds of cables tangled in a black mass against a blue sky, with green signs pointing to Lao National Culture Hall and Nam Phu, and a mint-colored DA DA INN building behind — Cables converged on a single pole. The sign below points to Lao National Culture Hall and Nam Phu, with DA DA INN on the right.

Honestly, my first thought upon seeing it was, "Isn't that dangerous?" Walking beneath it on rainy days made me uneasy. But what I heard from locals was the opposite: the tangled cables themselves had become famous, attracting travelers who came specifically to see them. I actually saw Western backpackers with cameras positioning themselves twice, measuring the angles. An eyesore had become a tourist attraction, which is both amusing and oddly fitting. It really is the most quintessentially Vientiane sight in Vientiane.

An intersection with a yellow MIXOK INN building, workers on ladders and in a blue bucket lift attending to the massive cable tangle, with a scooter passing by — Intersection in front of yellow MIXOK INN. Workers were maintaining the cable tangle using both a bucket lift and a ladder simultaneously.

That said, it's not just abandoned. Over two days, I saw maintenance work in the same spot twice. At the intersection in front of MIXOK INN, three or four workers were rummaging through the tangle with both a blue bucket lift and a wooden ladder positioned side-by-side, and on the main road near the Hard Rock Cafe sign, another crew was working on a streetlight with a ladder. Watching them stand on ladders without safety belts, I couldn't help but walk faster. Don't pass under the ladder to get your shot.

A worker on a ladder maintaining the streetlight and cables on a main road with Hard Rock Cafe sign visible, with tuk-tuks and white trucks in front and GENERAL TRAFFIC lane markings on the road — Main road near Hard Rock Cafe. The 'GENERAL TRAFFIC' marking on the pavement divides the bus lane from the regular traffic lane.

The Daytime Backpacker Street Is Quieter Than You'd Think

Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., the area is almost empty. Stores are open but have no customers; tuk-tuk drivers nap inside their vehicles parked in the shade. The sky is brazenly blue, crisscrossed diagonally by power lines. Photographed from this angle, the cables actually help frame the composition. In the distance, the golden roof of a temple rises slightly above the roofline.

Power lines crossing a blue sky with white clouds, Toyota pickup trucks parked on both sides with low-rise shophouses, and a golden temple roof visible in the distance — Midday alley. Pimenton sign on the right, golden temple roof hanging to the left at the end of the street.

The atmosphere changes dramatically one block over to the main road. A MANGO store and a building under construction stand side by side, and across the street is 'Beauty Avenue'—a building whose entire facade is covered with a Shiseido advertisement. A Laotian flag, red lanterns, and a six-story cosmetics ad all fit in a single frame—this seemed to be Vientiane's current pace.

MANGO store and concrete skeleton building under construction on the left, facing a wide road with the red Beauty Avenue building featuring a Shiseido advertisement on the right — Beauty Avenue across from the MANGO store. Next to it is the Yunnar Music sign.

Banks and money changers cluster in this area. Passing in front of Phongsavanh Bank's Thom Sat Sai branch, I spotted an old military jeep parked there. The window displayed large signage for SWIFT transfer fees of $0 and $10, and with that jeep sitting in front, two eras seemed to overlap visibly. Exchange rates differ between banks and private changers, so for large amounts it's worth comparing a couple of places (official rates change daily, so checking on-site is recommended).

An old military jeep parked on the road in front of Phongsavanh Bank, with a yellow SWIFT transfer fee sign and red lanterns in the background, and an elephant statue — A military jeep in front of Phongsavanh Bank. An elephant statue and red lanterns hang in front of the adjacent building.

If you arrive with the impression that Vientiane is a poor city, there are scenes that will surprise you. In the parking area in front of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport building sat a red Ferrari F430 with a Laotian license plate (ວ2 2626). Traffic cones were even set up in front and behind it. The wealth gap in this city doesn't hide itself.

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A red Ferrari F430 with traffic cones set in front and behind it, parked in front of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport building with golden pillars, with a scooter and car visible behind — In front of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport building. A Ferrari with yellow Laotian license plates.

The most eye-catching street sign is undoubtedly the enormous wooden wine barrel. The 'baravin' wine shop has constructed an oak-barrel shape that spans two stories of the building and attached it as a sign—no other sign in Laos so blatantly displays the remnants of French colonial history. The sign reads Vins & Spiritueux & Champagnes, along with the phone number 856-21 217700. The adjacent building houses the Laos-India Chamber of Commerce.

A massive wooden wine barrel structure occupying two stories of a building as a sign, with baravin savor's club wine shop below, and a jewelry store sign next to it — The colossal oak barrel serving as a sign for baravin. It advertises French wines and champagne.

There are a surprisingly large number of Japanese restaurants. The izakaya '市(ichi)' hangs about seven white lanterns at its entrance and displays photos of sukiyaki, tonkotsu ramen, and kakuni ramen. You wonder why you'd eat ramen all the way in Laos, but by the evening of the third day, you crave the broth and end up going in. That's what happened to me.

The entrance of Japanese izakaya 市(ichi) with multiple white paper lanterns, poster photos of sukiyaki and tonkotsu ramen, wooden table and chairs in front — Izakaya 市(ichi). Posters featuring sukiyaki and kakuni ramen on the right.

Thai chain Café Amazon occupies the red brick arcade prominently. The JDB 24-hour ATM is affixed right next to it, making for a convenient combination of withdrawing cash and getting coffee. Note that Laotian ATMs charge withdrawal fees and have low per-transaction limits, so I chose to withdraw as much as possible at once (fees and limits vary by bank, so check the screen).

A street with large shade trees, Café Amazon store and JDB ATM sign in the red brick arcade on the right, parked motorcycles in front and a tuk-tuk passing by — Café Amazon in the red brick arcade. A tuk-tuk passes through the left lane.

Faiths Clinging to the End of the Street

Walking down the backpacker street, you encounter religious facilities that haven't been cleaned up for tourism—they're just mixed into the alleys. Next to a red brick shop stands an enormous bodhi tree with exposed roots, and a beverage stall has set up between those roots. The tree's shade covers half the road, so standing here at midday, the perceived temperature definitely drops a few degrees.

A large bodhi tree with exposed roots at the roadside, a small stall nestled beneath it, a red brick building and motorcycles parked in a row — A stall established beneath the roots of the bodhi tree. The shade covers half the road.

Temples appear suddenly beyond walls. Behind gates covered in red and gold sit several white stupas, and a green-faced guardian deity statue stands watch beside the gate. Yet dozens of power lines pass straight over it. This combination is Vientiane.

The ornate red and gold gate of a Laotian temple with white stupas beyond, multiple power lines crossing directly overhead, SUVs parked in front of the wall — Power lines passing straight over the temple gate. A green-faced guardian deity stands beside the entrance.

A bit further along is a Chinese temple. A white stone paifang is engraved with '福德廟', and the left and right pillars feature '國泰民安' and '風調雨順' in gold lettering. Lines of red lanterns hung from the eaves suggest it was around a festival. The building testifies to the long-established presence of the Chinese community in this city.

A white stone Chinese paifang with the plaque 福德廟 and inscriptions 國泰民安 and 風調雨順 on the pillars, red lanterns at the temple entrance with lion statues — The paifang of Fook Tuck Tze Temple (福德廟). Red lanterns extend into the courtyard within.

Location and Getting Around—It's All Walkable

The key point about this area is that you can walk everywhere. Within a 500-meter radius of Namphu Square, you'll find accommodations, restaurants, night markets, money changers, and temples. From Wattay International Airport, it's about 20 minutes by car, and airport taxis operate on a fixed-price ticket system purchased at a counter, so there's no haggling involved (check the posted rates at the counter). When you catch a tuk-tuk in town, you must confirm the price verbally before getting in. I took one without doing so once and got double-charged at the end, which led to an argument. After that, I always asked first. The map below shows the locations where I took photos.

When the Sun Sets, This Street Reveals Its True Nature

Around 6:30 p.m., when the string lights turn on, the street that was empty during the day suddenly fills with people. The evening I went, a brief downpour passed through, leaving the asphalt wet, and the light from the bulbs and signs reflected off the wet pavement, which actually looked even better. Beerlao signs, Korean signs, Chinese signs—all visible in a single frame.

A wet night street reflecting light from bulbs, with string lights draped overhead and stalls and neon signs on both sides, people on motorcycles and tourists walking — The night street after the brief rain. Light from the bulbs reflects directly off the wet pavement.

A wide street at night with string lights extending the full length, a pink Chinese restaurant sign on the left, Beerlao signage and blue canvas stalls on the right, scooter riders passing by — Pink sign on the left is a Chinese restaurant; Beerlao sign and stall canopies on the right. At night, pedestrians outnumber vehicles.

Food stalls line up with red awnings. Inside glass display cases are shrimp paste condiments, assorted nuts and dried fruits, skewers, and oyster pancakes-like items on flat grills. Each stall's Lao-language sign displays a phone number prominently (for example, 020 9522 6069), suggesting they take delivery orders too. Prices vary by stall and many don't display pricing, so it's more comfortable to point with your finger and ask the price before placing your order.

Night market food stalls with red awnings, glass display cases filled with jars of nuts and dried fruits, multiple black power lines strewn across the ground, a man walking past — Display cases full of nuts and dried fruits. Bundles of power lines lie across the ground—perfect for tripping over.

There's one thing I want to point out. The cable tangle you saw above also exists on the ground. Stall power lines run in thick bundles across the sidewalk, and water pools on top of them on rainy days. Some sections are covered with wooden planks, but most aren't. I nearly tripped over one backing up to take a photo. When walking through the night market, glance down at your feet occasionally—this is the most practical advice in this article.

Thick bundles of black power lines running across the wet sidewalk in front of food stalls with wooden planks partially covering them, grilled seafood and skewers cooking at the stalls — Power line bundles crossing the sidewalk in front of food stalls. Wooden planks cover only some sections.

There are multiple night market areas scattered throughout the neighborhood. Canvas stalls also set up in one corner of the parking lot near KOLAO Tower, decorated with pink and sky-blue kite-shaped ornaments hanging from above, visible from a distance. This spot emphasizes clothing, miscellaneous goods, and accessories over food and has a smaller scale. In exchange, it's less crowded, allowing you to browse leisurely.

A canvas stall area in a parking lot near KOLAO Tower at dusk, decorated with pink and sky-blue kite-shaped ornaments, stalls selling miscellaneous goods and clothing, a glass building on the right — Canvas stall area next to KOLAO Tower. The kite-shaped decorations mark the entrance.

What Disappointed Me

Coming during daytime hours (11 a.m.–3 p.m.) is often disappointing. Only cafes are really open, and there's insufficient shade to walk comfortably. This street's main event starts after 6 p.m.
There are many sections where the sidewalk is interrupted. Because of parked vehicles and stalls, you inevitably end up walking on the road, and you have to stay alert with cars, scooters, and tuk-tuks all passing by.
Many shops don't display prices. For stalls and tuk-tuks, you must ask first, and it's better to confirm numbers using your fingers or a phone calculator.
After rain, puddles overlap with ground-level power lines. I learned after getting soaked on the first day that sneakers with good drainage are better than sandals.

Still, if I come back, I think I'll stand in the same spot again and look up to photograph the utility pole. That single black tangle says everything about what kind of face a city wears as it goes on, unorganized.