Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan)

Overview

Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan) is a surreal open-air sculpture garden located 25 km southeast of Vientiane along the Mekong River. Created in 1958 by the mystic shaman-priest Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat, it contains over 200 concrete Hindu and Buddhist statues ranging from the serene to the bizarre.

Highlights

• Giant Reclining Buddha: A 40-metre long reclining Buddha dominates the park, surrounded by a menagerie of devas, demons, and mythical creatures.
• Pumpkin Tower: A tall spherical structure that visitors can climb — the three levels represent hell, earth, and heaven, with views from the top.
• Hindu-Buddhist Fusion: Unlike most Lao sites, the park blends Hindu deities (Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma) with Buddhist imagery, reflecting the creator's syncretic spirituality.

History

Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat began building the park in 1958, funded by followers of his eclectic spiritual movement. After the 1975 revolution, he fled to Thailand and built a similar park (Sala Kaew Ku) across the Mekong near Nong Khai. He died in Nong Khai in 1996.

Visitor Tips

• Tip 1: Hire a tuk-tuk or motorbike for the 25 km journey from central Vientiane — allow 30–40 minutes each way.
• Tip 2: Visit in the early morning to avoid both tour buses and midday heat.
• Duration: 1–1.5 hours.