Anybody been here? Thinking of maybe a couple of days this winter. Any rants or raves are welcome.

I really liked it, did a couple of days before moving on to , LP. However as i dont know your likes or dislikesi am not sure if it will be too quiet for you! It is super cheap compared to Thailand, Vietnam etc

I liked it too, but I wouldn't say it was a must-see. If you're pushed for time, keep going, but otherwise it's worth a couple of days. There's a temple I really liked, and some good western food if you need a break from eating Asian.

its a natural add on to LP

Likes: History, local markets, taking photos, hiking, rafting, trying new foods, tropical plants, shooting pool, birding, cave exploring... . Not much on big time shopping or guided tours.

Vientiane is a very laid back city. You can walk to most of the sites around town, which includes the market, the temple where they kept the Emerald Buddha and the Triumphal Arch. The market is under re-development and is not much these days. There are lots of good restaurants around town as well. It's a nice place to slow down for a few days, but if you're pressed for time you won't be missing much.

Vientiane is not super cheap - I have lived here for years. In fact, northern Thailand is significantly cheaper for everything apart from alcohol. Vientiane residents often go to Nongkhai or Udon to shop.
There is a lot to see and to do including the Morning Market, the new China Market, many wats and excellent restaurants.