Vientiane is the capital and largest city of Laos, situated on the Mekong River near the border with Thailand. Vientiane became the capital in 1563 due to fears of a Burmese invasion.Sleepy Vientiane seems
little more than a village. Snuggling a curve in the Mekong River, Laos's capital city is a charming clutch of decrepit French villas and art deco Russian buildings mingled with splays of hot pink bougainvillea and the golden spires of Buddhist temples reaching
above elongated palms.