Wat Phu Champasak—Champasak, Laos
Posted by: 
Ianatlarge
N 14° 50.814 E 105° 49.326
48P E 588447 N 1641555
A major pagoda, the largest archaeological site in Laos, and a World Heritage Site, in southern Laos.
Waymark Code: WMCETX
Location: Laos
Date Posted: 08/30/2011
Views: 7
Wat Phu is a Kymer era pagoda in the southern Laos province of Champasak, just to the west of the small town of the same name. This site, which abuts a cliff face, has apparently been a temple since the 5th century CE, possibly earlier. During the early days of the expanding Kymer Empire, the pagoda and associated town were both re-founded on the Kymer model.
The temple was first constructed in its current form in the 10th century, with subsequent changes over the following centuries. The principal change was the conversion from Hinduism to Buddhism, which occurred in the 13th century. With the collapse of the Kymer Empire in the 14th century the pagoda fell into disrepair.
The size and significance of the pagoda, to be frank, is, in my opinion, ever so slightly inflated in the advertising material. What is now visible are two outlying buildings, referred to as 'palaces' on the eastern approach. Then a causeway to a not overly large central pagoda. There is a large Buddha image in this pagoda, that is still used by Laotians for worship. Behind (further to the west) on the cliff face, are a number of sacred sites: a sacred spring, a Buddha footprint, and a carving of a crocodile.
Entrance requires the payment of 30,000 kip ($4) for foreigners. There is a gift shop and museum on site. When I visited (August 2011) there were maybe a half dozen or foreigners plus a dozen Laotians paying their respects.
To reach this site, usually one bases oneself in the provincial capital of Pakse, 30kms to the north. There are buses running several times a day to Champasak town (the bus timetable is just a little vague), and then a bike to the pagoda. There are a goodly number of guesthouses and restaurants in Champasak, if you want to stay local. Waymark made at the causeway entrance ticket booth.
Open to visitors?: Yes
Photography Permitted Inside?: Yes
Statue of the Buddha present?: Yes
Related Website: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:Include in your log one or two complete sentences. Logs containing a few words like "visited it" are subject to deletion.
Photos of the shrine are strongly encouraged when permitted otherwise please refrain from taking pictures inside and in any case, generally have respect for the religious nature of the site.