Champasak Wat Phou temple, Laos
Laos
Frequently Asked Questions
At the village of Champasak, on the right bank of the Mekong in southern Laos. These are river cruises, not ocean ships: mooring is against the bank, a short distance from the village and the road up to the Vat Phou site.
It is a Khmer sanctuary that predates Angkor, UNESCO World Heritage listed, set against Phou Kao mountain whose silhouette suggests a natural lingam. A processional axis climbs from the plain toward the mountain, punctuated by sacred pools, sandstone pavilions and stairways worn down by centuries. Now a Buddhist sanctuary, it still lives to the rhythm of monks and pilgrims.
Two to three hours for a full visit, longer if photography holds you up. The climb comes in stages: the great pools first, then two quadrangular pavilions with finely carved lintels, and finally the steep flights of steps to the upper terraces and the main sanctuary.
It takes real effort. The steps are high, uneven and worn, and the heat builds quickly on the plain. Good shoes are essential, and a walking stick helps on the way down. Better to climb early, with a hat on and water in reserve. Anyone with reduced mobility will not get past the lower terraces.
The aligned pools below, frangipani trees, the rice plain and the brown ribbon of the Mekong: one of the finest views in all of Laos. At the sanctuary itself, Buddhas draped in saffron cloth stand alongside Hindu sculptures where you can pick out Shiva and Vishnu, and a sacred spring seeps from the cliff just behind.
One street, but it is worth the stroll. Once the royal and administrative seat of the region, Champasak stretches along the river with its French colonial villas, some handsomely restored, others surrendered to the vegetation. Buddhist temples with tiered roofs, riverside cafés, schoolchildren on bicycles, buffalo in the gardens: an hour is enough to see it all.
Shoulders and knees covered, that is the rule inside the sanctuary. Add a hat, light clothing and sturdy closed shoes for the steps. In the dry season the ochre dust clings to everything; after the rains, the paths turn slippery.
The Lao kip and Lao. Cash is essential: a few kip in your pocket buys offerings or a chilled coconut at the stalls by the site. Do not count on credit cards in the village. French survives with some older residents and on old shopfronts, but English is more useful day to day.
November to February, when the heat stays bearable. In the dry season the ochre dust colours the light and the steps are dry; after the rains the pools brim and the rice fields turn green as far as you can see, but the humidity makes the climb harder. Each season has its own face.
River itineraries often round out the day with the Oum Muong ruins, hidden in the forest on the opposite bank, or continue downstream toward the 4,000 Islands region. It depends entirely on the boat's programme: check what your itinerary includes before assuming a full day at Vat Phou.
