Champasak is a small tiny village south of Laos situated along the Mekong River. I took a bus from Savanakhet. Upon reaching the pier, we took a small boat across the river to the other side. It was an adhoc trip that I did not prebook the accommodation. But thankfully, a tuk tuk driver took me south along the main road to a local guesthouse. It was a decent room around USD 10 per night. I remember vividly there was a big dining cum hanging out area at the back of the guesthouse, facing the river, a perfect spot for tranquil river view scenery.
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| Reaching the pier to Champasak |
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| Locals waiting to cross the river on a boat |
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| A typical local life |
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| A peaceful morning |
I rented a bicycle from the guesthouse to explore Wat Phu, the key attraction in Champasak, a mini version Angkor Wat on top of a hill. It was a few km ride to the temple under the scorching heat. Riding along the sleepy road was exhilarating for me, as I did stop along the way to snap pictures of old traditional houses with farms and buffalos.
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| Local mini bus |
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| A local house |
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| Tranquility |
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| A mini pond |
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| Mesmerising scenary |
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| Local houses along the main road |
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| A heaty day |
Though Wat Phu looked simple from outside, upon entering the front yard, an ancient history was revealed with majestic Angkor Temples and ruins. The path lead uphill to the another temple on top of a hill. It was like mini hiking. To me, it was a slow biathlon as I had to cycle for about an hour followed by a mini hiking. The view from the top was fabulous.
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| Entrance to Wat Phu |
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| Path to the top |
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Halfway up
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| Temple on top |
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View from the top
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| Exit to lower ground |
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| Glorious Wat |
I met a fellow guesthouse backpacker from England. At night, we rode bicycles together to the town centre to watch a local performance amid a pitch dark surrounding. Sitting quietly along the river bank in pitch dark, listening to the calls of the insects with milky star high above, gave me a sense of peace and joy in a remote area. It was the most memorable tranquil moment I ever had in my travel.
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| Live cinema |
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| Local performance |
The next morning, I woke up to watch a beautiful sunrise from the river bank in the guesthouse. Later, it was time to say goodbye to the quiet village which is one of the places I adore the most.
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| Dawn |
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| Perfect sunrise |
Wowzers! The Wat was captivating with its hidden courtyard and royal structures. Live cinema over the bank with insect symphony across the constellation of stars? Lovely and truly an unforgettable memory. Champasak eh.. there is supposed to be a tourist destination perhaps less visited. The idyllic and fiery blazing landscapes when dawn strikes must be fantastic! Thanks for sharing.
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