Some people like to go shopping in local supermarkets on vacation. The reasons for this are diverse. Many just want to see what is on offer in the supermarkets, some want to buy souvenirs or things for everyday life, others just want to pass some time. No matter which of these people you belong to, you’ll find enough supermarkets in Vientiane. Because as it should be for a capital city, there are quite a few shopping opportunities. Supermarkets are, of course, part of it. So let’s take a look at what supermarkets there are in Vientiane. Some of them may look familiar to you.
Corner shops
If you walk a little through Vientiane, you’ll see that there are small corner shops everywhere. These are the most common type of supermarket in Laos. These small shops don’t offer a huge selection of goods but you can assume that they’ve the most necessary things like cigarettes, drinks, toilet paper, toothpaste, mosquito spray and snacks. When shopping, you should only make sure that you avoid paying with large bills. In contrast to the supermarket chains, sellers in small corner shops may not have enough change ready.
Mini Big C
If you’ve ever been to Thailand, you probably know Big C. The supermarket chain is very popular in Thailand and there are also large Big C shopping centers. This is not the case in Vientiane. Larger Big C malls aren’t a thing yet. In the future, however, it can be assumed that the supermarket chain will expand to Vientiane and other important cities in Laos. Currently, only Mini Big C is represented in Vientiane. You can also buy groceries and other necessities in the Mini Big C but it should be noted that many products in these supermarkets were imported from Thailand and are slightly more expensive.
K-Mart
The Korean grocery store is also active in Vientiane. Given the fact that Koreans are a considerable minority in Vientiane, it’s not surprising. K-Mart is not that different from other supermarket chains like Mini Big C. However, you can expect to find more Korean products. Above all, you should try the fancy drinks and tasty snacks of K-Mart. The prices don’t differ much from other supermarket chains, since most of the products are imported from abroad anyway.
Rimping supermarket
If you’re looking for a large supermarket with a great selection, the Rimping Supermarket is one of the best places to go in Vientiane. Some of the special features are a large bakery area, a meat and a seafood counter and delicious ready meals. The majority of the products come from Laos and Thailand but you can find goods from all over the world. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that the Rimping supermarket is clean and spacious. Not to forget the friendly staff, that’s always ready to help. All in all, the Rimping supermarket is probably one of the best supermarkets in Vientiane but it’s also relatively expensive. For good fish and good meat, you may have to dig deep into your pocket. The same also applies to numerous import goods, such as blueberries and cherries.
What about 7-Eleven?
You most likely assume that there are a lot of 7-Eleven stores in Laos. Well, we have to disappoint you. This is by no means the case. As far as we know, there isn’t even one in Vientiane. The closest 7-Eleven is located directly at the Lao-Thai border in Nong Khai. However, there are other supermarket chains that basically offer the same thing. So you probably won’t miss the 7-11. You can also expect the chain to expand to Vientiane and other cities in Laos soon. Anyway it’s questionable whether the situation will ever be the same as in Thailand or Taiwan, where there is literally a 7-Eleven on every corner.
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