The Exhibition Hall near the ticket office showcases dozens of lintels, naga (mythical water serpents), Buddhas and other stonework from Wat Phu and its associated sites. Detailed descriptions are in English, plus the building includes clean bathrooms.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.63 MILES
Bucolic Wat Phu sits in graceful decrepitude, and while it lacks the arresting enormity of Angkor in Cambodia, given its few visitors and more dramatic…
6.52 MILES
The Khmer temple ruin of Uo Moung, beside a small tributary of the Mekong, is believed to have been built late in the 9th century during the reign of the…
26.33 MILES
Se Pian NPA is one of the most important protected areas in Laos. The 2400-sq-km park boasts small populations of Asiatic black bears, yellow-cheeked…
3.27 MILES
About 5km south of town along the Mekong stands the oldest active temple in Champasak, and one of the most interesting in southern Laos. The soaring Thai…
2.66 MILES
Where the road to Wat Phu turns away from the Mekong, the remains of the Champasak's ancient city ('Muang Kao') begin. Founded in the mid-5th century by…
Champasak Historical Heritage Museum
18.76 MILES
Highlights here include ancient bronze drums, stone carvings unearthed up on the Bolaven Plateau, stelae with Tham script dating from the 15th to 18th…
1.04 MILES
An easy 2km walk to the south of Wat Phu – follow the signs from near the main gate – stands Nang Sida temple, which probably dates from the middle of the…
17.12 MILES
The centrepiece of this hilltop temple across the Mekong from Pakse is the giant golden Buddha statue looking out over the city. The views from his perch…
Nearby Southern Laos attractions
0.63 MILES
Bucolic Wat Phu sits in graceful decrepitude, and while it lacks the arresting enormity of Angkor in Cambodia, given its few visitors and more dramatic…
1.04 MILES
An easy 2km walk to the south of Wat Phu – follow the signs from near the main gate – stands Nang Sida temple, which probably dates from the middle of the…
2.66 MILES
Where the road to Wat Phu turns away from the Mekong, the remains of the Champasak's ancient city ('Muang Kao') begin. Founded in the mid-5th century by…
3.27 MILES
About 5km south of town along the Mekong stands the oldest active temple in Champasak, and one of the most interesting in southern Laos. The soaring Thai…
4.95 MILES
About 300m south of the fountain circle you'll find the large former home of Chao Boun Oum (the king's younger brother), built in 1952 in French colonial…
6. Chao Ratsadanai's Residence
5 MILES
This faded 1926 French Colonial building was once the residence of Chao Ratsadanai, the king's father.
6.52 MILES
The Khmer temple ruin of Uo Moung, beside a small tributary of the Mekong, is believed to have been built late in the 9th century during the reign of the…