Buddha Park

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Geo: 17.97, 102.61

What a fantastic experience, I love Buddha Park!  

Funny how things just get you, Buddha Park was definitely that for me, one of the highlights of Vientiane from the very start.

 
I stopped a local bus on the main road and asked the driver for Buddha Park (everyone knows where the tourists want to go), so after a nod confirming my destination I jumped on board and grabbed a seat, the park is around 25km south of Vientiane and I was told it should take around an hour.  I love experiencing local transport and his one didn't disappoint, although the bus looked brand new with a donated by Japan sticker on the side, the people are brilliant, jumping onboard with their shopping which could be all sorts.  BBQ sticks of full fish or chicken, sacks of rice, live chooks clucking away in boxes, bags of strange looking fruit and veg and everyone wears hats although many just wear helmets from motorbikes they were on before the bus, they're a friendly, smiley bunch.

 
On the way to the park we stop at Friendship Bridge which is an entry point for Thailand and almost everyone gets off, the bus then parked up for a while and a number of tuk tuk guys came to ask me if I was going to Buddha park and tried to get me onboard for a fee.  Instead I stayed putt until the driver put me on another bus that was going to the park as he was going back to Vientiane, he charged me 6000 kip for his bus and 2000 kip for the other which is far cheaper than a tuk tuk from the city costing at least $10.  Friendship Bridge has its Immigration entry and exit points and the security seems tight, as I head on to the park we go under the bridge and straight away hit really rough sandy roads which take us the rest of the way.  Although I'm keeping my eyes peeled for Buddha Park there's no need as everyone tells me when to get off, it's funny they all want to help so I jump off and make my way to the park.

 
I'm in fits of giggles before I even get in, the scale of the park is so bizarre and strange that I can't believe it, curiosity gets the better of me as I dive in delighted and start taking pictures with the other tourists.  Although I don't really know anything about the park, it is also called Xieng Khuan and apparently contains over 200 Hindu and Buddhist statues, there's suggestions of a rouge monk who tried to combine the two religions and at one point fled into Thailand and built a similar park on the opposite side called Nong Khai, the artist name is Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat.  Although the statues appear to be very old, they're not apparently, only being built in the 1950s with the Thai version being 1978 so onwards to explore. 

 
I love the park straight away, I didn't expect the statues to be so big and so many and the massive 120 meter long reclining Buddha is incredible although a bit freaky with the head tilted up, resting on his arm, as soon as you enter.  There's a few tourists taking pictures and I manage to get one of the guys to snap one of me although you'd be hard pushed to even locate me in it!  At the top of the park is a massive pumpkin which has three stories inside which represent hell, earth and up into heaven so I make the climb entering through a 3 foot demons mouth to the viewpoint at the top, overlooking the whole park.  What a bizarre, odd, park, I'm dying to get down now and have a proper look around.

 
Buddha's, warriors, women, demons, animals… all sorts of statues are here and all are different scales and sizes but the huge ones intrigue me more, a massive warrior with his arms outstretched carrying a woman with long flowing hair is unbelievable, his shoes alone are all pointy and traditional and unique, wonderful.  Next one that catches my eye is a demon lying flat with a ball balanced behind him in his fins, or the sitting Buddha that has a robe on and a really white face that I swear looks real, so much so that I've shivers running up my spine.  Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesh and much, much more all around the park in all shapes and sizes and it's a truly unforgettable, strange and bizarre place to visit and has been m highlight of Vientiane.

 
After my hours spent in the park I sat down by the river watching machinery drag sand to the shores, while looking out into Thailand trying to see the neighboring park before I return to Vientiane.  I made my way out to the road again and sat waiting on a bus to appear which thankfully wasn't too long and I got bumped along the road back into town, the road seems to be why they're dredging sand in the river!

 
I'll let the pictures speak for themselves of this strange, magnificent place.

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Photos

Buddha Park
Giant carrying woman with hair flowing!! Check out his shoes and his height!!

Comments

[Filipina Mendoza]

how to go here from Inter city boutique hotel

[new_lands]

I seem to remember it being very straight forward. It is around 25km from your hotel. Use google maps, it locates both your hotel and Buddha Park. Enjoy