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Pha That Luang
Svelte and golden Pha That Luang is the most important national monument in Laos; a symbol of Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty. Legend has it that Ashokan missionaries from India erected a tâht (stupa) here to enclose a piece of Buddhas breastbone as early as the 3rd century B
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Lower Level
A modern sala built by Chao Boun Oum in the 1960s stood at the western side of the great baray (ceremonial pond; nǎwng sá in Lao) until it was recently dismantled, revealing the sandstone base of the ancient main entrance. From here begins a causeway-style ceremonial promenade, fla
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Tha Bak Bomb Boats
About 18km east of Ban Khoun Kham, Tha Bak sits near the confluence of the Nam Kading and Nam Theun rivers. The town itself is pretty, and pretty quiet; the real reason to stop is to take photos of the river or get out on the incredible bomb boats. The name is slightly misleading,
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Wat Xieng Jai & Wat Namkeo Luang
In local wats, look for typical Tai Lü details such as silver-stencilled patterning on red pillars and ceilings, and the use of long vertical prayer flags.The most visually striking monastic buildings are at Wat Xieng Jai and Wat Namkeo Luang . The latter features an entry porch ag
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Wat Sibounheuang
Wat Sibounheuang, the towns most evocative monastery, sports a lopsided gilded stupa and reclining Buddha in a delightful garden setting where the bare-brick ruins of the tiny original sǐm are reckoned to be from the early 14th century. The new sǐm is covered in murals, including
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That Phum Phuk
The red-gold stupa you see when first approaching the small and historic That Phum Phuk is a 2003 replica. Right beside it lies the brick and stucco rubble of an earlier version, blown over by the force of a US bombing raid during the Second Indochina War. Judging by the ferro-conc
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Tham Phu Khiaw
A kilometre or so north of Muang Khong, in some hills more or less behind the mayors office, a trail leads to Tham Phu Khiaw. The cave – actually more of an overhanging ledge – contains some old Buddha images and is the object of local pilgrimages during Lao New Year in April. To f
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That Dam
Sitting at the centre of a quiet roundabout near the centre of Vientiane, legend has it that the stupa now known as That Dam was once coated in a layer of gold. The gold is said to have been carted off by the Siamese during their pillaging of 1828, after which the stupa took the ‘b
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Wat Phu Champasak
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 natural setting, these small Khmer ruins evoke a more soulful response. While some buildings are more than 1000 years old, most da
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Wat Ong Teu Mahawihan
This temple is one of the most important in Laos. It was originally built in the mid-16th century by King Setthathirat and is believed to occupy a site first used for religious purposes as far back as the 3rd century. But like almost every other temple in Vientiane it was destroyed
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Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham
Beside the palace, Wat Mai is one of the citys most sumptuous monasteries. Its wooden sǐm (ordination hall) has a five-tiered roof in archetypal Luang Prabang style, while the unusually roofed front verandah features detailed golden reliefs depicting scenes from village life, the R
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Tat Faek
At Km 14.5 on Rte 11 to Attapeu youll see a turn-off on the left to Tat Faek, a 5m high waterfall with two pools in which you can swim. Swimmers should use the one above the falls, as a diabolical-sounding puffer fish known as the pa pao is believed to lurk in the pool below. Local
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Tham Xieng Liap
Turning off Rte 12 at Km 14 (before a wooden bridge) youll come across a sign pointing to the cave. Follow the dirt track south for about 400m near the village of Ban Songkhone (about 10.5km from Rte 13), to the stunning limestone cave Tham Xieng Liap, the entrance of which is at t
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Tat Fan
Tat Fan is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Laos. The twin streams of the Huay Bang Lieng plunge out of dense forest and tumble down more than 120m. The viewing point is at Tad Fane Resort , a jungle lodge that looks down onto the falls from the top of a cliff opposite. Th
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Kao Rao Caves
Well signed beside Rte 3, 1.5km east of Nam Eng village, is this extensive, accessible cave system of which a 700m section is open to visitors. The main limestone formations include old stalactites encrusted with crystal deposits. Curious corrugations in the floor that now look lik
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Wat Hin Mak Peng
Overlooking a lovely stretch of the Mekong, this vast forest temple is centred on a cliff rising out of the river. The very peaceful temple is respected by Thais because of their reverence for the founding abbot, Ajahn Thet, a disciple of Ajahn Mun Bhuridatto . Several monuments in
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Ban Nam Di
Although barely 3km out of Luang Namtha, this hamlet is populated by Lao Huay (Lenten) people whose womenfolk still wear traditional indigo tunics with purple sash-belts and silver-hoop necklaces. They specialise in turning bamboo pulp into rustic paper, using cotton screens that y
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OckPopTok Living Crafts Centre
Just beyond the extensive Talat Market, a tiny lane leads 200m towards the Mekong emerging at the excellent OckPopTok Living Crafts Centre, a beautifully laid-out traditionally styled workshop where weavers, spinners and batik makers produce top-quality fabrics. Free tours of the c
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Khoun Kong Leng
Nestled amid the limestone karsts of the Phu Hin Bun NPA is the stunningly beautiful Evening Gong Lake. The luminescent green waters spring from a subterranean river that filters through the limestone, making the water crystal clear. You must ask at the village before swimming in t
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Heuan Hin
On the Mekong River south of Savannakhet is this set of Cham or Khmer ruins (the name means Stone House), built between AD 553 and 700. Apart from a few walls, most of the stones of this pre-Angkorian site now lie in piles of laterite rubble. No carvings remain, the only known lint
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