Vat Phou Things to Do

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I presume this place is fairly deserted on an ordinary day, but I went there during the februrary festival when it was more crowded than the market place in Pakse. The temple itself is pleasantly situated, rising in tiers along the hillside in the jungle, and contains numerous excellent and well preserved rock carvings. A supposedly genuine Buddha's footprint on the cliff rocks and a crocoldile stone thought to have been used for human sacrifice may also be seen.

During the festival the locals pitch a fair at the foot of the hill and engage in various amusements and rituals.

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The main procession way to the Vat Phou covered with sandstone and pararelled with 2 long row galleries and posts called "Sao Nang Jaran" or Sao Nang Rieng". On the time I visitted this procession way was on renovation.

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From Vat Phou,I rode my bicycle to the South for Hong Nang Sida and Hong Tao Toa. I reached the first one with tired feeling,cuase the way to this building is a small road,a part of road was cutted by small canal.I passed some rice fields and local houses. And there 's no any sign for its.I just noticed the stone marking the Ancient way to Angkor Thom,cuase I know that those 2 places located on this way. Hong Nang Sida is a ruin where wasn't finished in building. After this place,I gave up to discover later,cuase I felt so tired. So I rode back to Vat Phou area and took a rest at the restaurant.

Inside the principal sanctaury is now housing the Buddha image.This sanctaury used to housed the statue of Siva Lingam as the symbol of God Siva. We can see so many Laos come with flowers to pay homage to this Buddha image.

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The main sanctaury built from sandstone. The style of this building is Baphuon style of Ancient Khmer,dated back to 16 Buddhist centuries (for front sandstone building,but for back side building where built from brick,it presumed to be built before the front one). Inside,it used to housed the Lingam statue as a symbol of God Siva.So all the decorations related with this god. On the wall outside,it decorated with carving sandstone depicted about Apsaras,guardians,gods and godessess of Hindu.Later,in 18 Buddhist centuries,it was renovated to be a Buddhist temple and housed the Buddha image instead of Siva Lingam statue.

Between the first terrace and second terrace located the temple guardian.This statue called "Phraya Kammatha" by local. The statue dated back to 18 Buddhist centuries.This statue is in standing position,the left hand places on chest and the right hand hold a stick. The name of this statue came from the local legend. On the time of building Vat Phou,it was the competition with building Phra Thaat Phanom in Nakhon Panom of Thailand.Phraya Kammatha was the head of project,but he couldn't won.So he punished himself by hitting his chest.

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The first step tp the main sanctuary was on renovation when I visitted. It 's a steep stairway built from laterite and sandstone. It covered with Frangipani tree which made the step 's more beautiful than a plain way.

This entrance have a beautiful stone carving on the pediment.Though it was destroyed but you can see some holes which tells the style of roof as the sloping and decorated with tile on wooden structure.