Vat Phou: Southeast Asia’s Hidden Archaeological Gem

via National Geographic, 25 May 2024: Laos’ Vat Phou temple complex rivals Cambodia’s Angkor Wat in architectural and historical significance. Located near Champasak, this UNESCO World Heritage site predates Angkor Wat, showcasing intricate carvings and structures from the Khmer era.

As travelers enter the sprawling 96,000-acre site, they walk between two large rectangular water reservoirs opening into a broad esplanade with two Khmer-style stone buildings. Designed for worship and rituals, they have gabled roofs and carved lintels depicting scenes from the Mahabharata, a third-century Indian epic.

Moving further into the complex, you’ll pass a crumbling shrine dedicated to Shiva’s Mount Nandi, then climb stone steps with balustrades shaped like nagas (mythical river serpents) before arriving at the upper sanctuary. Carved with apsaras (dancing deities) and Hindu gods, the moss-covered shrine once held a large linga that was watered by a spring trickling out of the stony hillside. In the 13th century, after the Khmer Empire fell, the linga was replaced with a Buddha statue.

Source: This ancient temple in Laos rivals Angkor Wat—without the crowds