Wat Phou Temple
Wat Phou Temple is one of the best Khmer temples outside of Cambodia. It is an entire complex of ruined shrines dating from the 6th to 13th centuries. Although a UNESCO-initiated archaeological excavation has already been undertaken here as the temple is to be rebuilt, little else has been done, so it is possible to wander among the ancient temples in a small crowd of pilgrims who are not confused by the arrival of tourist buses.
General Information
In the language of the Lao people, Wat Phou means “Mountain Monastery”. Indeed, the complex is located at the foot of Lingapar Wat Mountain. Although it is primarily a Buddhist temple, some sandstone reliefs depict Hindu deities. The temple is arranged in three main tiers on the hillside, and they are connected by a long, stone-paved road leading from the ruined royal palace at the foot of the hill to a stone staircase that gets steeper as you ascend. On either side of it are ruined stone columns and pedestals with images of mystical nagas (water serpents). There are ruined pavilions, Khmer statues half peeking out of the grass, and fantastic carvings depicting Buddha, Vishnu, Shiva and Kali.
.The stairs to the main sanctuary of the temple are decorated with plumerias, which is the national tree of Laos. The sanctuary is surrounded by beautiful mango trees. Every year in February, a festival is held at Wat Phou where thousands of pilgrims from Thailand, Cambodia and Laos itself gather for a week.
