Vietnamese tourists suggest 5 destinations not to be missed in Laos

Patuxay "Arc de Triomphe", Wat Xieng Thong, Kuang Si waterfall, Buddha statue garden are places not to be missed when coming to Laos.

Tran Ngoc Tuyet (travel blogger Nau), born in 1995, spent 7 days visiting three destinations including the capital Vientiane, the ancient capital Luang Prabang and the town of Vangvieng of Laos with her friends in early December. She said that the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year is a good time to travel to Laos because it is the dry season, the weather is not too hot and there is little rain. She shared some destinations that should not be missed, combined with advice from Thanh Thu, a tour guide from Vietnam.

Patuxay Victory Gate

Vietnamese tourists suggest 5 destinations not to be missed in Laos — **Patuxay "Arc de Triomphe".** Photo: NVCC

Patuxay "Arc de Triomphe" also known as "Vertical Runway", is located on Lan Xang Road, the largest avenue in the capital Vientiane. This place is also called "Champs Elysee of the East" by tourists. At the beginning of the street is the city hall, at the end of the street is That Luang stupa, a world cultural heritage, a symbol of Lao Buddhism. In addition, this place also has the largest market in Vientiane, Morning Market, and the Vietnamese Embassy.

Patuxay was formerly known as the Anousavary Monument, built from 1962 to 1968. The monument honors the soldiers who died in the war against the French with many characteristics of Lao architecture and culture.

Wat Xieng Thong

This is an ancient temple that is very important to the people of the ancient capital of Luang Prabang. The temple is located at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, dating back to the reign of King Setthathirat in the 16th century. The main temple has a curved roof, combined with small shrines of the same architecture, creating a beautiful landscape. The inside and outside of the main hall are meticulously decorated with gold borders on black lacquer. The name of the temple means "golden city".

Every year, on the occasion of Bunpimay, Lao people organize a procession of the Prabang Buddha statue from the Museum to Wat Xieng Thong yard so that everyone can bathe the statue with perfume, showing respect to the Buddha.

The temple is open daily from 8am to 5pm. Entrance fee: 20,000 Kip (about 24,000 VND) per person. Visitors are advised not to wear off-shoulder clothing, shorts, or short skirts. Traditional sarongs can be rented at the temple. Remove your shoes before entering. The temple is located between Khem Khong and Sakkaline streets, within walking distance from the center of Luang Prabang's old town.

Kuang Si Falls

Nearly 30 km south of Luang Prabang, the complex consists of 3 waterfalls, the main waterfall is 60 m high with a strong stream of water pouring down creating a white landscape. The waterfall is also surrounded by mountains and forests creating a beautiful natural picture.

Most visitors congregate around the lower pools and picnic areas, or you can go to the small wooden bridges with great views to take photos. Follow the wooden stairs to the left and you will reach the top of the falls. Note that the water is very fast flowing. Visitors can also take a dip in the layers of blue water. Note that some areas are forbidden to swim because the locals consider them sacred.

Entrance fee: 20,000 Kip (about 24,000 VND) is symbolic, used to clean up and preserve the natural landscape of the falls. Another small note is that visitors should bring swimsuits. There are many changing rooms and showers. The dry season is the best time to visit here when the waterfalls are not too fast.

Buddha Park

About 25 km from the center of Vientiane is the Buddha Park with many unique statues. Buddha Park has the official name Xieng Khuan, built in 1958.

More than 200 sculptures and works of art made of reinforced concrete ranging in size from small to large, including sculptures of Buddha, some Hindu gods, as well as sculptures of humans, demons, animals and mythical creatures. Most of the sculptures and Buddha statues in Buddha Park face east, depicting death or demons facing west. One of the most prominent sculptures is a three-headed elephant, an image with special significance in Buddhism in Laos, the land of "million elephants".

Entrance fee to the sculpture garden is about 5,000 Kip (about 6,000 VND) and an additional 3,000 Kip (3,500 VND) if you want to take photos. Parking lots cost about 3,000 Kip per car. Opening hours are from 8am to 5pm every day of the week.

Nam Xay Scenic Spot

Nam Xay Viewpoint is located 8 km from the center of Vangvieng town. To get here, visitors have to climb about 300 m, about 45 minutes. Note, the road is quite steep and rocky. This is one of the places to enjoy the scenery and especially the beautiful sunset in Vangvieng. Visitors can combine to go to Tham Jang cave nearby.

Tickets to Nam Xay are currently 20,000 Kip (about 24,000 VND).

According to vnexpress.net

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