Thanks to Lao Air and their weird flight schedules, I managed to visit Vat Phou during an overlay on my way to Siem Reap (Angkor). I arrived in the evening and stayed in a hotel on the outskirts of Pakse along the Mekong River. From there I went by cab the next morning to the site.

The temple is built along the slopes of a mountain, quite scenic when you approach it. First you pass a long baray. At the end of the baray you arrive at the big temple ruins which boast nice stone works. Climbing plenty of stairs will take you first to the mid and then to the upper level where the holy spring is. As pointed out by Els some steps are downright dangerous as they are way to steep and narrow. You get some great views of the site as you climb.

Around 9 a.m. I had reached the upper level with the spring. In the meantime the temperature had already become unbearable, so instead of roaming around I decided to descend. After a very brief stop in the on site museum (no AC, worse than outside) I headed back to my ride.

There are several other components scattered around the main temple complex, e.g. ruins of an ancient town. Seeing the site is title “Associated Ancient Settlements” my hunch is that these are also part of the inscribed area. The little I read seemed fairly interesting to explore. But the weather and me having to get back to the airport took that option off the table.

Getting There

The central hub for the area is Pakse which boasts an international airport. Specifically, you can fly to Siem Reap. You could even manage to visit Vat Phou as a single night excursion from Siem Reap, assuming you have a multiple entry visa for Cambodia.

There are also daily flights to Vientiane and direct flights to Luang Prabang. I managed to book a flight from Phonsavan (Plain of Jars) to Siem Reap with overnight stops in Vientiane and Pakse for 180€.

Pakse is also well connected by bus. However, it's stuck in the South Eastern corner of Laos, so getting anywhere in Laos by bus will take some time.

From Pakse you can join a tour or take a public bus to Champasak (2h).

In my case, being short on time (flight for Siem Reap left at 13:00h the same day) I opted for a car with driver. The road to Champasak is in good condition; they even have modern toll booths along the way. Travel time one way is less than one hour. I was picked up at 7:00h and we arrived before the official opening hour at 8:00h. You can even enter earlier, but then the ticket price goes up 10% (55.000 vs 50.000 Kips).

I booked the car via my hotel for 60 USD. A travel agency in town offered the ride for 75 USD. My hunch is that you should be able to get a driver for 50 USD including all costs, but I didn't want to take chances.

While You Are There

Pakse is the gateway for Si Phan Don (4000 Islands) and the Bolaven Plateau. It should be noted, though, that the area around Pakse has an increased Malaria risk and Dengue fever has also been recorded.

In any case I would recommend taking in the sunset on the Mekong the night before. Stellar.