Vientiane. Laos

This friendly capital, dotted with colonial-era French mansions and steaming noodle stalls is somewhere in between a large town and a small city; the kind of place you might find a Graham Greene character. Its convenient travellers’ enclave is centered around Nam Phu and the Mekong riverside. From Buddha Park to the Morning market and a rich selection of international cuisine, you’ll find yourself charmed with this evolving backwater city.