Talat Sao (Morning Market)

Talat Sao, or Morning Market, sits on Lane Xang Avenue in central Vientiane and has been Laos' core commercial market since the late nineteenth century. It now consists of a multi-storey indoor mall plus surrounding covered stalls, trading throughout the day. The ground floor focuses on gold and jewelry, while upper floors concentrate clothing, textiles, daily-use goods and handicrafts. Mixing wholesale and retail, it is the main distribution hub in northern Laos.

The market deals in Lao silk and textiles, ready-to-wear clothing, gold and jewelry, household goods and handicrafts, supplying in bulk to local retailers and tourist-oriented shops. For Chinese exporters of daily-use goods, textiles and small commodities, it is the main physical market for reaching Lao wholesale channels and meeting established local distributors. It is also a re-export point for goods entering Laos.