Anyone have recent or fairly recent intel on outdoor beer gardens or bars where freelancers ply their trade in Vientiane? I'm particularly interested in day-time venues, as I'm not much of a late-night person... Advance thanks to all responders.

wrong country

head to pattaya before they close them all down

Read the warning on the US Consulate website for Laos. Know the rules. Mekong Hotel is huge for Chinese tourists to go. Karaoke stuff and, I suppose, freelancers. I heard it is noisy there, and you might feel a bit out of place. Otherwise, you might have to ask some local farang types. Don't trust any Lao people to point you in the right direction. Police will be knocking on your hotel door shortly after your date arrives. Seriously, wait until you get back to Thailand.

Last time I went with my Thai girlfriend, it seemed almost every hotel was booked solid....although nobody was in sight. We thought they may have had "suspicions" .

It appears the sex tourists are spreading their wings into Laos now. Don't be surprised if we start reading press reports of farangs being jailed there for such activites.

i think there are a couple websites out there providing better info for this sort of thing.

Yet again more c**p being posted about Laos. They are everywhere, just hang around and they will find you. If not, try hiring a tuk tuk and ask for pusao/lady/boom boom or just grab your crutch.

Sextourist

It would made a great Troll post but it seems you are serious. Freelancing is not a good idea in Lao as of their culture. I would respect it too.

I agree with what was said above: wait until you get back to Thailand.

The street action in VTE is usually chicks with dicks, and they can be pretty aggressive, shouting down the street as you walk away from them.

Do not trust taxi/tuktuk drivers and touts, they'll rat you to the cops.

A few years ago the Nigerians were becoming too much of a presence and once the authorities gave the problem some attention they were gone practically overnight, which shows how effective the police can be when they want to.

I like Vientiane and Lao, have spent a lot of time there, though I liked it better ten years ago. I'm just telling it like it is.