The ancient temple complex of Vat Phou is located in the southern part of Laos, not far from the Mekong River, the major town of Pakse and the small community of Champasak. It is one of the 2 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Laos, the other being Luangprabang. I crossed the Thai border to spend a few days in Laos just to see this ancient wonder.
amazing reflections at vat phou
Traversing the ancient temple complex, I could not help but gape at the scene. It was not because I had to walk nearly 1 kilometer from the entrance just to get to the temples, or that there was a series of disjointed steps that led to the elevated sanctuary on the way to Mount Phu Kao. Rather, the source of my amazement was the sheer enormity of the site. By far, Vat Phou is the most scenic among the ancient Khmer ruins dotting Indochina. With a base at the foot of a mountain, the ancient rulers could not have chosen a better location.
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