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 are as fantastic as you'd expect, especially at sunset. To enjoy them, take the first left after the bridge and either climb up the long staircase or take the 4.5km road route up the back. The temple buildings are also a pleasant sight, making it a good place for a wander.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
16.99 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…
29.21 MILES
One of our favourite national parks in Thailand, Pha Taem is named after and centred on a large cliff above the Mekong River. The cliff's ancient rock…
21.89 MILES
Tat Fan is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Laos. Twin streams plunge out of dense forest and tumble down more than 120m to form the Huay Bang…
29.02 MILES
These ancient rock paintings, which are at least 1000 years old but probably much older, sit on a cliff face down below the visitors centre. A fantastic,…
20.81 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…
18.31 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…
17.04 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
3.38 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…
Nearby Pakse attractions
1.35 MILES
This vast market near the Lao–Japanese Bridge is one of the biggest in the country. It's at its most chaotic in the food zones, but just about anything a…
1.69 MILES
This modest, tin-roofed building isn't much to look at from the outside, but the one-of-a-kind paintings inside are the reason to visit. They show Jesus…
2.04 MILES
The riverside Wat Luang is one of Pakse's largest temples and is notable for its old monastic school built in 1935, which has recently had a roof…
4. Champasak Historical Heritage Museum
3.38 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…
6.55 MILES
This temple just past the stone carvers in Ban Don Khoh is well worth a visit, not only for its 30m-tall gold-painted Buddha but also some of the…
6. Ban Saphai Handicraft Centre
9.4 MILES
Next to the boat pier, several weavers have their looms here and locally woven textiles and other crafts are on sale. Some people here can speak a little…
8. Chao Ratsadanai's Residence
14.33 MILES
This faded 1926 French Colonial building was once the residence of Chao Ratsadanai, the king's father.
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- path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
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