Delve beyond the city-limits, with a visit to lesser known attractions on the capital’s outskirts. The drive to Buddha Park takes you past the Friendship Bridge, which was built by the Australian government in 1994 and is the most significant overland link between Laos and Thailand.

Once you arrive at the bizarre but intriguing park, you will find over 200 sculptures (both Buddhist and Hindu) arranged incongruously in a peaceful park. This serene and tranquil setting on the banks of the Mekong River is in contrast to the slightly eccentric sculptures, which were built in 1958 by a Lao shaman.

After visiting Buddha Park, en route back to Vientiane, stop at Mai Savanh to learn about the traditional textiles of the Lao people. This shop specialises in high quality silk products from several family industries from the northern province of Luang Nam Tha Province and the southern provinces of Attapeu and Sekong.

A final stop will be made at the Lao Disabled Women Development Centre, which is focused on teaching skills to these women who would otherwise struggle in society. The ambition is to make them self-sufficient, productive members of the community and there is plenty of opportunity to talk to the women, whilst observing their skill at creating handicrafts such as hand made paper.