Where Buddha meets Shiva – Buddha Park in Vientiane
Vientiane doesn’t offer too much to its visitors but one landmark is very impressive: The Buddha Park
The park looks very ancient once you have traveled the 25 kms outside of Vientiane but in reality it’s only a little over 50 years old. Luang Pu Bunela Sulilat, a priest-shaman who integrated Hinduism and Buddhism started this park in 1958.
The statues are made of reinforced concrete and sometimes look very bizarre in their design.
There are some very notable statues like a giant pumpkin and a reclining Buddha. In the Giant Pumpkin you will find three levels that represent Hell, Earth and Heaven. Visitors are able to walk through those three levels and reach Heaven at the top of the statue. The entrance is also very remarkable; visitors have to enter through the mouth of a demon head.
How to get to the Buddha Park
The easiest way to get to the Buddha Park is by taxi and costs around $ 10.00. Alternatively you can also travel by public bus from the Talat Sao Bus station for $ 0.50. Buses depart every 20-30 minutes.
Are you interested in monuments like the Buddha Park in Vientiane? Leave your opinion in the comments below!
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This is probably one of the strangest places I’ve ever been…it reminded me of some bizarre Buddhist/Hindu/Alice in Wonderland garden. I also got caught in the middle (literally) of a fistfight on the bus heading back into town. So maybe that added to the weirdness of the outing…
Alana Morgan – Gen Y Wanderer recently posted..Why You Should Travel During the Rainy Season
That’s the coolest. Would love to visit this park. My favourite statue is the last one. I can just see people doing very silly photos with that one.
TammyOnTheMove recently posted..A typical Saturday in the Penh
I have been here, awesome place and awesome photos.
Kemal Kaya recently posted..1000. Yorum
Looks amazing! good tip for when I travel to Laos in 2013! Always great photos Sebastian!
ellie recently posted..khao yai
I was toying with the idea of skipping Vientiane but this looks like it could make a nights stay worth while. For less than a dollar on the bus it seems like a bargain.
Thanks for sharing.
Neil Barnes (@packsandbunks) recently posted..A Travel Blogger Interview with Arianwen of @BeyondBlighty
Sebastian, this is so cool! I’ve never seen so many sculptures so close together in a park. And the entrance through the demon mouth is so much fun. Surely, the priest-shaman had a sense of humour.
Not sure how I just found this post (got a bit excited clicking around on the interweb), but love your pictures! Just posted a Buddha Park instagram, how random. Yes, I was one of those people doing a whole series with the open-mouth Buddha, haha Great read, will click around more on your site, looking for more good stuff!
Thanks Nienke!
Great images in the post. Completely loved them.
Looks a bit like the Garuda Wisnu cultural park in Bali, though I think the statues in Bali are mostly metal. This park looks a little more interesting too.
ChinaMatt recently posted..Happy Birthday, Buddha