Vat Phou — Upper Sanctuary

The story behind the place

Vat Phou forms part of a historic landscape planned between mountain and river. The upper sanctuary is only one component of that much larger place. Its surviving doorways, carved lintels and broken walls reward a close look at the stonework without requiring an imagined complete temple. The World Heritage landscape preserves evidence of Khmer planning and religious life across many centuries, with the mountain forming an important part of the setting.

Find Vat Phou — Upper Sanctuary on the map, record the discovery in your travel journal and continue exploring nearby places.