Where We Be
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| Wat Phou -- Champasak, Laos |
| Look closely and you can see an elephant carved into this massive boulder |
| At Bassa Muangkham Guesthouse we slept on the hardest bed we've ever experienced. You could knock on the mattress like it was wood! On the plus side, the place had AC and Mekong river views. |
| The quiet town of Champasak is about 8 km (5 mi) away from Wat Phou. A tuk-tuk or songthaew is the easiest way to get between the two. |
| The scary monster in the middle is the stuff of Khmer nightmares |
| The carvings over the door lintels are detailed and impressive |
| This Buddha inside the temple looks ridiculously happy! |
| The temple itself is small but picturesque in its ruined glory. A Buddha statue sits in front of it, draped in gold beneath an umbrella to ward off the sun. |
| The mists rolled in as we were hiking. This is the view from the top looking down on the two palaces and artificial lake (or baray). The visitor center is on the far side of the lake. |
| We just love these worn and weather-beaten steps |
| Now it's time to start climbing. The stone path is wonderfully jumbled and ancient feeling, and the flowering trees to either side make it feel like you're entering a secret domain. |
| We visited at 7 am to beat the heat and crowds. After rounding the artificial lake, you follow this ancient stone path leading straight to the temple. |
| Before heading uphill you can visit two small palaces on either side of the stone path. (No one knows what they were really for, so "palaces" will do.) |
| The same temple from the other side. Don't you think ruins look even more evocative in black and white? |
| This carving of a crocodile may have served as the site of human sacrifice. It's just a short walk away from the temple. |
| Wat Phou, the "Mountain Temple," is located at the base of Mount Lingaparvata. From the visitor center it's a pleasant walk around the lake to get to the site. |
| And no wonder -- look at all these fine flower offerings |
| Behind the temple is a cave with a constant drip of water that is considered sacred since it comes from the peak of Lingaparvata |
| We did most of our dining at Inthira Hotel (left). We also tried lap chicken (spicy minced chicken, a Lao specialty) at a local cafe (right) on the Mekong. |
There's really only one main reason to come to
Champasak in southern Laos and that's Wat
Phou. Located 8 km southwest of town, the
temple was built by the Khmer and is one of
the oldest archaeological sites in Laos. It's a
precursor to the much bigger temples built by
the Khmer in Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It's fun
to see some of the same design elements here
that are used on a grander scale at Angkor Wat.
But what really makes Wat Phou special, in our
opinion, is the setting. It’s located in a lush
valley with a mountain rising behind it. In fact
the name Wat Phou means “mountain temple.”
You climb steep stone stairs to get to the
temple, which is small: you can walk around it
in a minute. The worn steps are overarched by
lovely flowering trees (at least in March). It's a
relatively easy climb if you take it slow and go
early in the morning when it's cooler.
Champasak in southern Laos and that's Wat
Phou. Located 8 km southwest of town, the
temple was built by the Khmer and is one of
the oldest archaeological sites in Laos. It's a
precursor to the much bigger temples built by
the Khmer in Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It's fun
to see some of the same design elements here
that are used on a grander scale at Angkor Wat.
But what really makes Wat Phou special, in our
opinion, is the setting. It’s located in a lush
valley with a mountain rising behind it. In fact
the name Wat Phou means “mountain temple.”
You climb steep stone stairs to get to the
temple, which is small: you can walk around it
in a minute. The worn steps are overarched by
lovely flowering trees (at least in March). It's a
relatively easy climb if you take it slow and go
early in the morning when it's cooler.
(Not my photo)
