Vat Xieng Khuan (Boudda Park)

This awe inspiring park is located on the shores of the Mekong River some 27 km outside of Vientiane a short drive past the Friendship Bridge.  

Contrary to its name, it is not a temple but rather a large park filled with concrete statues, many of which are truly gigantic. One, a statue of a reclining Buddha is more than 50m long! A very popular place for both Lao and foreigners, especially on weekends, it was started in the 1950’s when a monk built several huge statues depicting Buddhist and Hindu figures and characters in an attempt to unite the two faiths.

There is a nice restaurant as well as a gift shop on site and everyone is welcome to picnic and relax on the wide open grassy areas. A must see is the beehive shaped building depicting the 7 levels from hell to heaven. The stairs are steep inside and you should have a flashlight. You can catch a bus from the morning market for around 5000 kip; a tuk-tuk will cost around 300 baht.