Buddha Park, located 26km from the city center, was our main destination for that day. We decided to use the public transportation to get there and it turned out to be an easy and cheap solution. First you need to go to the central bus station which is divided into two parts: CBS1 and CBS2. You can easily find an information boards about bus routes and prices with the description in English. It was necessary to get bus number 14 from the CBS2 part of the bus station and after around 40 min of a bus ride we arrived to Buddha Park. All tourists on the bus were going there and the women selling tickets on the bus very loudly shouted the name of the stop and took care that all tourists are out :D The bus also passes the immigration office next to the Friendship Bridge on the border with Thailand. Our visit in Buddha Park took around 1,5 hour and we caught the bus back on the other side of the street where we got off.

Buddha Park is a sculpture park with more than 200 religious statues made of concrete. A huge dome-shaped sculpture consist of three levels: the lowest showing hell, then middle one is an earth and heaven on the top with nice view over the whole park. Huge demon’s mouth are the entrance to this scary place. It is really narrow inside and probably always very crowded. For me it was bizarre place, especially after visiting hell :) The park was created by monk who studied both Buddhism and Hinduism. That’d why this place is full of Buddha images, Hindu gods, demons and animals common in both beliefs. You can easily buy there a snack or chill out in cafe nearby the Mekong river.

Enormous reclining Buddha (40 meters long) is one of the biggest attractions of the park

Buddha Park in Laos Buddha Park in Laos

The way to the view terrace was through a dark hell :O

Panoramic view of the Buddha Park

After nice lunch in the city center we walked to check Patuxai, a war monument, victory gate surrounded by a nice green park with fountain. It is possible to walk to the top of the monument and admire the view of the city. That’s exactly what we did :) On the way to the top you can buy souvenirs and clothes from the local vendors. The monument inside is not well maintained, many bird nests destroyed the paintings on the ceiling.

Practical information:

  • Bus ticket to Buddha Park - 6 000 Kip per person, one way
  • Entrance ticket to Buddha Park - 15 000 Kip per person
  • Entrance to Patuxai - 3 000 Kip per person