Vientiane - The Phoenix of Laos

Vientiane (Viang Chan), on the Mekong River, is the capital of Laos. It is about a thousand years old and has survived attacks by its neighbours, Burma and Siam many times over the years, the last being the Siamese destruction of 1827. The French, on taking over the city from Siam in the 1890s, rebuild the city and its temples from the encroaching jungle. Vientiane today is the economic centre and the largest city in Laos.

Pha That Luang, Buddha Park, Patuxai, Wat Si Muang, Wat Si Saket are some of the notable sights to see.  There is a wide range of food and you can try the night market and the stalls along the river to get that Vientiane atmosphere with a BeerLao in hand. 

There are excursions to the rural areas nearby including the Nam Lik Jungle Fly for kayaking, rope walking, to the forest reserves and many other day eco tours.  Just check with the local tour agents on what are available.

This video by wezluntungan gives a good feel of Vientiane.

Kratie - Up River Cambodia

Kratie is a town with some French colonial ambience, sitting on the Mekong River to the east in Cambodia.  Kratie serves as the jump off point for watching the endangered river dolphins as well as the entry point to the idyllic sandbar island of Koh Trong.  On Koh Trong, you can cycle about sightseeing, get the opportunity to plant a tree, lookout for the scarce and rare turtles or just chill under a shady tree.

There are nice places to go sightseeing around Kratie such as the temples at Sambor, Phnom Sombok, the restored Wat Roka Kandal and Cham basket weavers in the surrounding villages.  Watch out for the barbers in Kratie, and try out the local delicacies.

This video from TripAdvisorTRIPWOW3 gives a snapshot of the action in and around Kratie.