The Vat Phou Champasak is a second world heritage site in Laos. Bring your yourself in Pakse, Travelers should take on a bus on southern bus station to Pakse city in Champasack, or you can get on internal Lao Airline flight to Pakse airport. The Vat Phou location from Pakse city about 43 Km and take area around 1 hour by car, Tuk Tuk and by Song Thaew
How to get to Song Thew?
First of all, you have to go to Daohueg market, and find songthaew from Champasak to Pakse (ຈຳປາສັກ-ປາກເຊ) or ask people around the market said: (Pai Wat Pou) means I want to go to Vat Phou temple. The price for car service around 15,000 Kip -20,000 Kip, the service will start at 08:00 -15:00.
Along the road to Vat Phou, you will see the scenery is beautiful with Champa flower trees more than 100 years stand along the road waiting to warm welcome visitor to visit.
Vat Phou Festival
Every year the temple will celebrate Vat Phou festival the local called Boun Vat Phou. The festival is during the full moon of the 3rd lunar month (in the middle of February at the same time with Elephant festival at Xayyabouly Province and That Sikothabong in Thakak district, Khammuane Province). During 3 days festival, millions of Laos people gather to the grounds of the vat Phou temple to pray respect to the Buddha and bring offerings, surroundings are filled with food and drink stalls, there are traditional Laos dance and musical performance, the game is shown and other entertainment.
And at night also have candlelight procession around the temple. If you go there at festival season is easier to go, just go to market and ask someone there and there will find car for you to share with another person, but the price about 50,000 Kip or over 50,000 Kip/ person, but on the way back just ask the car who going to the city and follow them to the city, Lao people are kinds and friendly, if you ask for help they’re going to support you as they can.
Other option and easy way to rent motorbike /Car /Van, but if you are a solo traveler just rent a motorbike and follow by GPS to Vat Phou is go through Phousalao Temple and cross to Mekong river bridge on the right-hand side.
Entrance fee:
Admission ticket is about 30,000-35,000 Kip for foreigner and for Lao about 20,000-25,000 Kip. The ticket includes a ride by golf cart to the entrance gate of the temple, less than 1 kilometer away also have an umbrella, then there will drop off and pick up you at pond area next you have to climb up to the mountains.
Highlight: You can see the beautiful view, historic and ancient temple call Vatphou, making by stone, beautiful Champa tree and flowers, green mountain and trees. There is a lake on the ground level of Vat Phou.
Are you hungry at Vat Phou area? If you are hungry or thirsty. Don’t worry about it, there are a lot of local food for your testing, I will recommend you to try Lao noodle (Kao Pound)
And there also have a souvenir shop for you to shop and buy if you like. You may go back to Pakse for staying at a hotel or you may stay at any guesthouse nearby Vat Phou.
I visit here with my two friends and I met a foreigner accidentally, she is lovely with her smile. I wish she has a happy trip in Laos for next destination.
“I Love this trees I never see this before, Solo traveler said. while we met her”.
Location: Vat Phou Champasak, Pakse district, Champasak province, Laos.
Opening Status: Monday–Sunday, 8:00 AM to 16:00 PM