Vientiane

Vientiane is the capital and biggest city of Laos and sits on the Mekong River, near the border with Thailand. Back when Laos was ruled by France, Vientiane was its main administrative center. Nowadays, it's the economic hub of the country because of its growth and has a population of over a million people. Vientiane is home to important national monuments like Pha That Luang, which is a big symbol of Laos and Buddhism there. You can also find other important Buddhist temples there, like Haw Phra Kaew, which used to house the Emerald Buddha.