Buddha Park in Laos

On December 12, 2019 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Laos5 Comments

Located near Vientiane, Laos is a park that is filled with sculptures representing Buddhist and Hindu images. Built in 1958, the park is a popular tourist attraction for those who travel to Vientiane. Buddha Park is also called Xieng Kuan or Spirit City and has over 200 statues of various sizes. We visited the park with a guide who was able to explain the meaning behind many of the different statues, which made the experience even more interesting.

Two Reclining Buddhas (They are Farther Apart then It Looks)

One of the main sculptures is a large, round building with a demon face as its entrance. It is a three story building meant to represent Hell, Earth, and Heaven. To enter the building, you walk through the mouth of the demon, also referred to as the jaws of hell. There are many statues inside each of the levels and when you make it to the top you are rewarded with views of the entire park. Another focal point of the park is a large, reclining Buddha statue. We saw many similar such statues in Laos, but this one was definitely interesting.

Even though the park is only a little over 60 years old, the statues look as though they are centuries old. The park is near the Mekong river, which separates Laos from Thailand. The same sculptor also built a park in Thailand after fleeing Laos in the 1970’s, but the park in Laos is the original park. To fully enjoy the park and take time to see the details of the statues from various angles, you should plan on spending 2 to 3 hours in Buddha Park. It is certainly a fascinating experience and is a contrast to visiting all of the various temples (wats) that are in Vientiane.

Pha That Luang – Golden Buddhist Stupa in Vientiane Laos

On December 5, 2019 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Laos1 Comment

Located in the heart of Vientiane, the capital of Laos, is an enormous, golden stupa dedicated to Buddha. Built in the 1500’s, the stupa has a holy relic that is believed to be the breastbone of the Lord Buddha, making it a great national treasure of the Laotian people. At one time the entire stupa was supposed to be made of gold, but today only the top pinnacle is covered with gold leaf while the rest of it is painted gold.

Photograph on Display of the Buddhist Festival in November

Stupas are shrines that house relics or ashes of Buddhist monks or in special cases like Pha That Luang, the Lord Buddha himself. Several wars have caused significant damage to the stupa and it has been repaired and rebuilt several times. What you see today was rebuilt following WWII and is truly an impressive sight. In November, there is a Buddhist festival that brings thousands of people to Vientiane for three days of celebration. Our visit was actually about a week after the celebration had finished.

Walking the grounds of Pha That Luang only takes about an hour, but it is definitely a highlight of any visit to Vientiane. You will often find people making offerings to Buddha and praying as you visit this historic site. Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, Pha That Luang is beautiful and the architecture is quite fascinating.

Our First View of Pha That Luang from Outside of the Exterior Wall

Many Temples in Vientiane, Laos

On November 26, 2019November 25, 2019 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn LaosLeave a comment

On our first full day in Vientiane, Laos, we spent a majority of the day visiting temples, of which there are many. It is amazing how beautiful each of them were and unique and similar at the same time. With so many details to see, you could spend hours admiring the architecture and the art of the temples. Obviously, we saw a lot more than just the temples, but that was certainly a large part of our first day in Vientiane.