In typical Lao style, it took forever for us to get from Vientiane to Champasak. We ended up taking the public day bus rather than the private night bus. One thing Joylani and I have learned to appreciate is the change in landscapes as we travel. Its something you miss out on when flying or traveling by night. Anyways, it was something like 9 or 10 hours to Savanahket and then another 4 hours to Pakse, where we spent the night in a really nice hotel. The next morning, we took a sawngthaew to Champasak, which took two hours and included being transported on a makeshift car-ferry.
After finding a guesthouse and eating lunch in the village of Champasak, we hired a sawngthaew to take us out to the ruins. The ruins were the reason we came to Champasak, which is just a small village across the Mekong from the main highway. The temple, called Wat Phu is about 15 km from town. We passed through a couple villages and past bright green fields of rice. I haven’t yet brushed up on my Khmer history or learned what I need to know for Angkor next week, so I don’t know much about the ruins. At a small visitor’s center at the site, we did learn that it was a Hindu temple built by the Khmers and dates back to the 11th century. Exploring the ruins was incredibly hot. As a sidenote, we’ve definitely felt the gradual change in temperature as we’ve gone south and its only going to get hotter.
The ruins weren’t huge, but they were set at different elevations over a kilometer or two, so we climbed many stairs. Although the structures were mostly intact, the temples were lived up to the term ruins. Many stones and walls had fallen down and have not yet been restored, although an Italian team is working on certain sections. Seeing the ruins in a state of disrepair made them more attractive in my opinion. The huge black volcanic bricks spilling onto the red dirt and dry gold grass, with the jungle-clad hills and deep blue sky as a backdrop.
The ancient stone paths were uneven and the staircases were buckling under their own immense weight on the hillside. Gnarled leafless plumeria trees gave the place a desolate look, while littering the grounds with the fragrant white and yellow flowers. Locals sold goods and snacks, as well as took care of the Buddhas. Partway up the hill, where the highest temple is located, we were afforded an awesome view of the plains below, which stretched out to the horizon. Looking out there, I saw the temples, and then nothing but farmland and small villages under a clear blue sky- I can’t imagine the view being much different when the temples were built.
Champasak wasn’t mind-blowing like its cousins at Angkor, or even great. But it was the first ruins we’ve seen since Hampi, which was nice and reminded me that I really like ruins. And it was peaceful, because barely anyone comes to Champasak. It was a nice stop on our journey south and we both thought it was a pleasant surprise.