Kaze Lavie Kaze Travel: Vat Phou UNESCO Heritage site @ Pakse 百色

HOW DID I GET HERE?

Southern Lao was not on my initial plan. After much consideration, I decided to travel to the southern city - Pakse. At Vientiane guesthouse around 6pm, there's a tuk-tuk came to pick me up. Sooner I came to an unknown bus station. According to the guide, it should be the Dong Dok, southern bus station (9km away from town) and serves everywhere in southern region. We got down from the bus and went to the counter to collect our bus ticket.

They have VIP buses going to Thailand and China.

Below shown the interior of the sleeper bus in Lao. On this "double-sized" bed for two, they provided a pillow and a blanket for each and the bottom is a one-layer firm mattress. It wasn't a comfortable sleep I would say cause the size is suitable for two average size Laotians. I could hardly move my body as I was at the aisle side. I was arranged to sleep beside a German guy. To have a more comfy sleep, I just moved my stuff to back with a larger sized bed for four after the local Laotians had left the bus in the midnight. It was still a shaky ride all the way to south.

About 6am on the next day , the bus has arrived in Pakse town and it was still very early the sun just rose. I was the only foreigner that will stay in Pakse. The rest of them are going to 4000 Islands so they gonna do a bus transit there. As usual there were a few tuk-tuk drivers awaiting us once we got down from the bus. I have got a recommended guesthouse by a German couple so I was deciding to go there by foot. But the main problem is my phone does not have any network and the bus just stop us in an unknown bus station. At that time all my mind thought that the guesthouse might be quite a distance away.

I just ignored these annoying locals and grabbed my stuff and walked out of the bus station. Sooner a smart tuk-tuk drove passed me and kept telling me he knew the location of this guesthouse and charges me for only 10,000K. Without much hesitation, I just agreed and hopped on the back.

I just decided to stay in the dorm for only 30,000K per night. The room looked very clean with a shared bathroom. It is a large sharing room indeed. And I was the first person to occupy it.

It looked like a bungalow house to me. But it is quite comfortable.

VAT PHOU

HOW DID I GET HERE?

The main purpose of coming to Pakse is to visit this UNESCO heritage site. It is the Lao version of Angkor Wat (Cambodia). Getting a public transport to here is a bit tricky as it isn't really mentioned in LP. I read most people would either go by a private van or rent a bike. I decided to go there by public transport since I have a detailed town map. According to the map, I would need to take a local Vat Phou bus at the Dao Heuang Market, located few kilometer from my guesthouse.

A map taken from the guesthouse.

The private mini van tour costs about 250,000-300,000K. That's 10 nights staying here!

After about 45 min walk, I came to this Dao Heuang Market. The local market looked massive with some sections where there's a daily dry and wet market and even shops selling household and China electronic products. I was persuaded by the local minivan driver to go Wat Phou since I asked them the exact location of the bus station. The price offered by them is about 150,000-200,000K. They seemed to recognize me as Japanese or Korean. I just walked away from them recklessly since I wasn't interested and I was impatiently looking for the bus.

Strangely a group of local songthaews were parked in the center of the market area. Not a single sign in English was written there.

After asking around the locals, I could notice the songthaew written "Wat Phou Champassack-Pakse". There's one songthaew leaving soon but it was so extremely packed with the local people, some school kids and the top was filled with some vegetables and grocery goods. This kind of scene is pretty much the same as what I have seen in the travel documentary on tv. LOL.

I thought of having a better ride so I just rejected their offer and waited for the next songthaew. I was the only foreigner on this songthaew. I paid for 20,000K. That's really cheap compared to those private tour (at least 250,000K) that I asked around. The only thing is I just needed to wait until the songthaew is full. In other words, I waited till almost noon!

Some local aunties were kept gossiping away. I could only use my limited body language to communicate to them. I even noticed a lady was holding a dead hamster alike creature in a plastic bag. It seemed like she gonna cook it for dinner?? XD

VAT PHOU (WAT PHU) ວັດພູ

TICKET : 45,000 KIP

TIME : 08:00 AM - 16:30 PM

Vat Phou (Mountain Temple) is used to be part of the Khmer empire. No wonder the building architecture had some Angkorian influence in its building style. It was built before the Angkor Wat. Vat Phou is known to be the finest Khmer temple outside Cambodia. Vat Phou was listed as the UNESCO World Heritage Site in year 2001.

This place is quite deserted on an ordinary day as the songthaew passed through villages and drove on some unpaved roads. There's even a toll counter before getting into Vat Phou. Finally I have reached the entrance of Vat Phou. I just realized the ticket on board is only 30,000K. I just mistakenly bought the expensive VIP ticket for 45,000 K (with a free golf cart service).

The notice board in Vat Phou.

This small exhibition hall houses quite a collection of artifacts. No photo inside but free water.

This place is very huge! The golf cart picked me up after visiting the hall and drove passed two big barray (water reservoir). This is one of the barray. It was used to store water during the ancient days.

The site map.

Beautiful view nobody's around!

These small pillars are known as "Lingga", which symbolize fertility.

People-less view.

The Southern Palace.

The Northern Palace : the restoration work is supported by the Indian government Ministry of External Affairs.

Visiting Vat Phou has a completely different atmosphere than the Angkor Historical Park (located in Siem Reap, Cambodia) that I have visited a year ago. According to the info, Vat Phou has attracted more than 100,000 visitors annually where as Angkor park has attracted more than 2 millions tourists per year! So obviously the visitors to Vat Phou is so much lesser than those in Siem Reap. No surprise there isn't any tour bus or a big crowd of tourists flooding into the temple. It was good for me to have a peace of mind while admiring the whole park. :)

Besides, during my previous trip to Siem Reap I have not really seen any Khmer temple that has such a beautiful landscape. I could understand why it must be preserved and listed as a heritage site of Laos.

Walking closer to the hill.

A slope with many uneven stone path on terrace.

According to info, in the early days Vat Phu was associated with the Hindu religion and later it was converted to a Buddhist sanctuary remained till today. Every year around February during the full moon, a pilgrimage ceremony is held here and attracts many Buddhist worshippers.

The view from the terrace walkway, with 2 palaces on the left and right, further up is 2 large barrays (artificial lakes for religious use, they represent the ocean surrounding the earth and serve as a reservoir), looking the furthest end is the Mekong River.

I just found out this is the temple guardian. This statue is called "Phraya Kammatha" by local.

The 7 headed Naga (snake headed serpent) is common in Lao/Cambodia.

Few local young girls, one of them has an iPhone. But they couldn't speak much English.

The main sanctuary on the hill.

I walked further right there are some chaotic huge rocks in different sizes scattered all around the area, located near to the cliff.

An elephant carving on this huge stone. I was wondering how could this be done?

Two snakes(?)

A crocodile shaped surface.

I spotted a green snake was taking a nap under the rock. The surrounding was so peaceful till out of a sudden a scorpion was crawling on the rock and I was so freaking out. Without a second thought I made a quick move away from rocky area. Phew!!

I walked back to the main sanctuary. There are many fine carvings on the top panel of each door.

The creature called Kara (bottom left) and Indra (right) is the Hindu God of war, riding a three-headed elephant.

In the middle of the top panel above the door shows a Vishnu (God of destruction) riding on a garuda (bird creature) . On the left is the statue of apsara (ancient dancing fairy).

Although some are restoration works, I was really impressed with the carving. Hope the future generation could continue to maintain the beauty of this temple.

Buddhas in the sanctuary.

The temples were built in honour of the Hindu God Shiva.

There's a stone carved with

Shiva - God of War (center)

Vishnu - God of Destruction (left)

Brahma - God of Creation (right)

Around the hill.

Could notice the back of the sanctuary was badly damaged.

The Buddha's Foot below is an elephant carving.

The steep steps going down the hill.

The stunning view had made the climb all worthwhile!

A magnificent view near the sanctuary. The beauty of Vat Phou was truly unforgettable!

Frangipani...gonna miss this place...

On my way back, I couldn't get any songthaew back to the town as the temple is located in an unknown remote village! I was lucky enough to hitch a ride back on a local lady's 4-wheel drive with her family. She is able to speak English and her family had even visited Malaysia last year. I expressed thankful for the free ride and wished them all the best.

Previously I was quoted with the tour price 300,000K and yet I have only spent 65,000K for the transport + ticket. Hence, I have saved more than 200,000K! LOL.

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B) WAT LUANG

The largest Wat in Pakse city. It is just walking distance to my guesthouse and VIP bus station. Later I discovered the bus station is only 5 minutes walk from this Wat Luang. Later I felt that I have been cheated by the tuk-tuk again for paying 10,000K!!

According to wikipedia :

It is the best place to see a monk alm giving ceremony as you may be one of a handful of watching tourists as opposed to the multitudes at a similar ceremony in Luang Prabang.

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WHAT TO DO HERE?

Pakse (Pakxe) is the biggest city in the Champasak province and a major transport hub for southern region in Lao. Here is a good stopover point for travelers who plan to go to the Bolaven Plateau, Vat Phou, Si Phan Don, Sepian National Protected Area, or heading to neighbouring Thai city, Ubon Ratchathani.

It was early and I took a good rest in the morning. In the afternoon, I rented a bicycle to explore the city.

A mini mart that sells grocery things, and alcohols.