Exploring Phou Si

After a long 8 hour bus ride from Vang Vieng the day before, I awoke in the early morning ready to explore the spiritual heart of Laos – Luang Prabang. One of the first things I like to do when I get to a new place is to go for a walk and try to get my bearings, so after having a fresh croissant and coffee for breakfast at a small cafe, I made my way to Mount Phou Si – a hill that rises up from the centre of town. I had heard that you can get some really great views from the top, so I thought it would be perfect for me to work out the layout of the city.

Walking to the top of Phou Si

From the main street, opposite the National Museum (Royal Palace), a huge flight of steps rise straight up the hill. It was still quite early so the temperature was pleasant and the sky was slightly overcast, blocking the direct sunlight. I began my climb up the first lot of steps, passing two monks along the way. Surrounding me were beautiful tropical gardens, and when I got to the top I noticed that this was going to be a very peaceful walk. I paid the 20,000kip ($2.40) entrance fee and continued up the next set of steps, which zigzagged their way up the hill.

Steps going up the hill

The best views in Luang Prabang

Birds chirped in the trees above me while butterflies fluttered past, making their way between the lush plants and flowers. My legs had just started to get a little tired when I suddenly found my self at the top of the hill. Here there is a small temple – Wat Chom Si – and an old Chedi (Stupa) with a golden top, but most impressive of all were the amazing views. As I looked back in the direction I had come, I could see out over the old town of Luang Prabang, across the wide brown waters of the Mekong River to the green mountains beyond. On the other side I could see the rest of the city, with the Nam Khan River meandering through on its way to join the Mekong.

The Chedi (Stupa) at the top of Phou Si

View of the Mekong River

View of the Nam Khan

Exploring Wat Tham Phou Si

By this time the sun had come out to warm up the day, its rays beating down on me to add to the humidity. I began my way down the other side of the hill which would take me to the banks of the Nam Khan River. Once again steps zigzagged their way through beautiful lush gardens, and I appreciated the cool shade that the trees provided me.

The steps on the way down

As I got closer to the bottom, I came across several Buddha statues in the gardens along the path, and soon I realised that they represented different Buddhas for different days of the week, for example “Tuesday Buddha”. The golden statues sitting amongst the grey of the rocks and the green of the vegetation was beautiful, and it seemed as if they were part of the environment, a peaceful harmony between man and nature.

A reclining Buddha

These statues were all leading to the temple that sits on the side of the hill, Wat Tham Phou Si. Surrounding the temple were many Buddhist shrines and statues all sitting amongst the beautiful gardens. I spent a lot of time wondering around, following the different pathways. One such pathway led me to a shrine that was built from a cave, and as I entered the shrine I realised that I could go down further into the cave, where I found some interesting statues. From this shrine I wandered down another path where I passed Buddha’s footprint, a natural indentation in a rock that is shaped like a foot print and painted gold.

Dragon heads at the start of a stairway

Inside the cave shrine

Buddha’s footprint

Descending to the Nam Khan River

I could have wandered for hours, but I started getting hungry, so I continued my way down the hill, passing the temple and descending the final steps to the Nam Khan River below. From the banks of the river I looked back at the hill that had occupied my morning, two monks holding umbrellas walked past while a local woman slowly cycled by in the other direction. I walked along the river and I found a nice little restaurant right on the river bank, where I ordered a plate of fried noodles with chicken and a banana shake, costing me 20,000 kip ($2.40). I sat and looked out over the river as small boats went past and locals worked on their farms on the other side, and I knew that I was going to enjoy my time in Luang Prabang, the spiritual heart of Laos.

A sign showing how many steps to the top of Phou Si

Monks looking up at Phou Si