The Buddha Park is definitely a must-see attraction if you’re visiting the capital. It’s also called Xieng Khuan what can be translated as Spirit City. In the park you’ll see hundreds of sculptures of all sizes. Most of the sculptures embody deities and demons from Hinduism and Buddhism. But there are also some sculptures of humans and animals. Some of the highlights are a forty-meter-long reclining Buddha, a huge Yaksha and a scene depicting various Apsaras and Devata. Not to mention the giant pumpkin you surely won’t miss.
What about the giant pumpkin?
The pumpkin we’re talking about is a large bell-shaped sculpture. You can enter it via the mouth of a demon. As you can see in the picture below it’s a quite scary entrance. The pumpkin consists of three levels. You can walk through the corridors and climb the staircases, explore all of them. Its different levels symbolize earth, heaven and hell. Admittedly a bit scary but goes well with the mystical aura around the entire Buddha Park. A great alternative to the other attractions in Vientiane!
Other interesting sculptures in the Buddha Park
The giant pumpkin is definitely the main attraction of the Buddha Park in Vientiane, but there are other impressive sculptures. Let‘s take a look at the best ones together. One important note: If you know a lot about Buddhism and Hinduism, you might recognize some of the deities depicted.
Lying Buddha
If you traveled around Southeast Asia before you definitely saw one or more statues of Buddha before and even lying ones aren’t that uncommon. So it’s not that much of a surprise that there’s also a lying Buddha in this sculpture park. It may not be as impressive as the one in the Wat Pho temple in Bangkok, but with its 40 metres it’s still one of the more notable and unique sculptures in the park. We really liked its laid-back vibe.
More Buddhas
The lying Buddha is by far not the only statue that you’re going to see in this park. After all Buddhas are everywhere in Xieng Khuan. If you have problems distinguishing Buddha statues from sculptures of demons, humans or other gods, just take a look at the head covering. Pretty much all the Buddhas in the park have a small bump on top of their head.
Arjuna
Arjuna is one of the best examples that the Buddha park doesn’t only depict deities. He’s a mortal human, but also a hero that stands for duty, courage, and righteousness. His weapon, a bow and arrow, highlights his role as a warrior. According to legend, Arjuna fought in the Kurukshetra War with his brothers, where he played a key role in defeating the evil Kauravas.
Yaksha
Yaksha play an important role in Buddhism and Hinduism. They’re considered protectors of natural elements and treasures. In this picture, you can see a very huge Yaksha, that is most likely a guardian. Similar Yaksha are all over Southeast Asia. If you’ve ever been to the airport in Bangkok, you might have noticed giant Yaksha statues at the entrance. That’s a symbolic representation of their protective role. Even many Yaksha look ferocious, they’re benevolent protectors. In Laos, they’re often seen in front of temples and other religious sites, so it’s no surprise there’s also one at the Buddha Park.
Apsaras and Devata
If you’re interested in Buddhist or Hindu art, you’ll definitely come across Apsaras and Devata. That’s because they’re important figures in both religions. As you can see from this picture, the female Apsaras are often depicted as beautiful celestial beings. They’re comparable to the nymphs from Greek mythology. Devata are a bit different. They’re deities with cosmic forces. Apsaras and Devata are often portrayed together, because they both represent different aspects of the divine .
Varahi
The sculpture with a boar head is most likely Varahi or Varaha. They’re both important deities in Hindu mythology and with a boar head and human body. Their role is a bit different. Varaha holds the earth on his tusks, saving it from destruction, and therefore known as the Earth Boar. Varahi, on the other hand, is a fierce and protective goddess, often associated with strength. Even after asking around, we could not find out which of those two this sculpture in the Vientiane Buddha Park represents. We assume it’s Varahi, since she’s holding the head of a demon or a similar creature, what fits her role as vanquisher of evil.
History of the Buddha Park
Yes, the first time we were there, we also thought that the Buddha Park must be many centuries old. In reality this is not the case. In fact, the park was actually built in 1958 by Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat. Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat was a mystic, a spritual sculptor and a shaman devoted to both Hinduism and Buddhism. He mixed elements of the two religions and created something completely unique. Because of that and his charisma he had devotees all over the country. With them he built the Buddha Park. In 1975 Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat fled from the Communist party and left Laos.
Get ready for a fully renovated sculpture park
The Buddha Park remained largely untouched since its creation in the late 1950s, but in 2017 it got its first renovation in decades. Just one year later, everything was completed, and the results are pretty decent. Nothing changed about the overall charm of the park. They probably didn’t even alter the sculptures themselves. What changed is the overall infrastructure. Visitors can expect improved pathways and modern restroom facilities.
How to get to the Buddha Park
The Buddha Park is located about 25 kilometers southeast of Vientiane near the Thai-Lao border. You can get there by taxi, tuk tuk or bus. The bus is definitely the cheapest option. Should you choose a taxi (hard to find) or a tuk tuk, you will have to pay much more. With negotiating skills however, you can certainly negotiate a good price. If you want to take a bus, just head to Talat Sao Bus Station and watch out for bus number 14. Tell the bus driver in advance that you’re heading to the Xieng Khuan Park, so he can let you out at the right station.
Opening times
From what we know the Buddha Park is open every single day from 08:00 to 17:00. The only exception is Sunday. Should you come on Sunday, you‘ll have to come a little bit later or earlier, since the park is open from 10:00 to 15:30.
Entrance fee
Over the years, the entrance fee changed many times. That’s understandable, since the currency of Laos has frequently lost value, but don’t worry, since you won’t have to pay a lot. At the moment, the price is 60.000 kip, which is less than 3 US dollars. The only downside is the huge distance from the center of Vientiane. You can definitely not walk here, unless you’re used to long-distance hikes, and even with a bicycle you’ll take a lot of time.
How much time you're going to need at the Buddha Park in Vientiane
Even if you want to see all sculptures in Xieng Khuan, you won’t need a lot of time. That’s not because there aren’t many things to see. To be honest, there are a lot, and some of them are super impressive. The reason you’re not going to spend a lot of time here is the size of the park. Unless you’re really interested in every detail, you definitely won’t need more than one hour to explore everything. After all, the focus is on the sculptures and not the park itself. There aren’t many beautiful flowers, trees, or similar landscaping elements. The surroundings are kept quite simple, since that‘s what the creator Luang Pu Bunleau Sulilat intended.
What else can you do here
The Buddha Park is quite big and therefore you can spend some time here. Fortunately, there are good opportunities to relax and recharge your energy. In the park you’ll find a restaurant and some stalls where you can buy snacks and drinks. You’ll definitely need the latter, because it can get pretty hot. Especially inside the pumpkin, sweating is inevitable. Next to the park are huge rice and flower fields that you can pass through. If you want to see more, you can just drive to the Mekong. Just remember that you should not stay there at night, since the river is located on the border and it’s forbidden to stay there after dusk. If you do anyway, you might get serious problems with the border authorities.