VTE-Spot
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March 21, 2020Wattay Vientiane Intl. Airport – Spotting Guide
- last modified on November 5, 2022
Vientiane Wattay International airport (VTE/VLVT) is the biggest airport in Laos and serving the country’s capital, Vientiane. It is a hub for the local carriers Lao Airlines and Lao Skyway.
| General Information | |
| Terminal | There is one terminal. |
| Runway | There is one runway 13/31 with a length of 3000m. |
| Field | |
|---|---|
| WHERE | The spot itself is behind a neigbourhood between some trees. To get there you need a tuk tuk or taxi. Otherwise there is a Mini Bus (lines 30 and 49, last run at 17:15) that stops at the main road next to a B-Mart. From the B-Mart follow the streets as marked on the map trough the neighbourhood to reach the location. |
| WHAT | From here you can photograph the arrivals on runway 13, the one and only of the airport. This is also the major direction and 31 is rarely in use. |
| TIME | Perfect postion from noon until sunset. |
| MISC. | Before you go there buy your stuff at the B-Mart. The area itself is safe BUT all the private houses you have to pass on your way to the spot owning a watch dog. Some of them are straying on the street and sometimes they are very aggressive so be aware of it and maybe you wear a limb with you to protect yourself! At the spot itself there are no dogs! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | A320 = 180mm; ATR-72 = 250mm |
This is a fantastic spot at VTE. Sun behind you, trees for a little bit of shadow and many curious cows. Landing planes can be photographed very easy. If you want to photograph planes taking off, you have to continue the unpaved road from the above mentioned spot to the main road towards VTE Airport. On your left you will see a large open space next to a cemetery. The disadvantage are the trees, which means you have to act quickly with your camera. The free bike from my hotel was very useful.
Visiting this location today will send an update
Is there a plane-spotting hotel or plane-spotting cafe in Vientiane?
There is the Gate 1 with no shelter right next to the Airport Bus Stop of the International Terminal of Wattay Airport. There is no security guard there and I am only able to see partially a Lao Airlines aircraft departing from the nearest Gate. Right inside Wattay Airport, there is no public viewing gallery to see the aircraft at the gates unless the passenger is boarding his outgoing flight.
I went last Thursday to Vientiane to look for the so-called “B-Mart”. There is no “B-Mart” at all according to the taxi driver and his taxi service coordinator. The driver brought me to the Lao-Chinese hypermart named “D-Mart”, which is about a five minutes taxi ride towards Asean Road, where the head office of Lao Skyway is located. I was disappointed and left for Vientiane Wattay Airport without a single photography of an aircraft flying in full-view!