# Champasak (city)

Champasak City is the capital of Champasak province in Laos. The main attractions are the ruins of Wat Phu, located 8 km southwest of the city.

## Understand

Champasak is now an agricultural village along the banks of the Mekong river. It was the seat of the old Lao kingdom until the regime was overthrown in 1975. On the roundabaout on the main street is a memorial remembering the departure of the former royal family. There are some typical Lao houses made of wood and several French colonial houses, built for Prince Boun Oum and his father Chao Ratsadai. Most people come here to visit Wat Phu / Vat Phou although it can also be visited by daytrip from Pakse.

## Get in
### By boat

It is a 2½-hour ride on longtail boats from Pakse.

### By bus

Champasak lies at a distance of 28 km from Pakse. The new road (built 2017) has reduced the travel time between the two cities to less than one hour. Minibuses go in the morning (but sometimes until 14:00) from Pakse's Talat Dao Heuang bus station (at 15.1148, 105.8156) to Champasak. Alternatively, one can take a southbound bus from Pakse Southern Bus Terminal (until 15:00) to reach Ban Muang on the eastern side of the Mekong river. A small ferry shuttles across the river to Ban Phaphin, 2 km north of Champasak.

## See

* 14.848333105.8222221 Wat Phou (ວັດພູ). 8:00-18:00. A ruined Khmer-Hindu temple complex with Champa influences. One of the oldest places of worship in Southeast Asia. Centred on a sacred spring, the first megalithic stone structures had been built probably as early as the second century BCE, consisting of two stone cells, a carving of a crocodile, serpent stairs, and several offering platforms. One of the first pre-Angkor brick buildings onsite was erected in the early 7th century and became the focus of all consequent building activities. Most of the other surviving buildings date from the Angkor period, in the 11th—13th centuries. 50,000 kip. (updated Feb 2025)
* Wat Nyutthitham.
* Wat Phuthawanaram (8 km South of the city).

## Do

* Champasak eSPAce bien-etre, ☏ +856 20 56 499 739. Coconut oil massages on the riverbank.
* 14.89911105.880891 AD Learning Centre, ☏ +856 02097530098. A social enterprise providing education, including in English. Similar to Big Brother Mouse in Luang Prabang. Always in need of supplies and volunteers. Drop by! Opposite the check-in restaurant, on the same block as Khamphouy Guest House. (updated Feb 2025)
* 14.89953105.881612 Théâtre d'ombres de Champasak (Shadow Puppet Theatre), ☏ +8562055081109. Shadow puppets show on Tuesday and Friday at 8:15pm. 1h15 show for 100.000kip/$5 per adult (free for kids). The story of Ramayana is told in Lao with traditional music played live. The movie Chang is played on Wednesday and Saturday with the soundtrack played live by the musicians. 8:15pm, 1h15 movie for 100.000kip per adult. Some subtitles in English. 📍 Situated next to the tourism office in Champasak, Laos. Plenty of parking space, guesthouses and restaurants near (book/visit before the show as Champasak sleeps early) On from November 2024 to February 2025 during the high season. LAK 100,000. (updated Feb 2025)

## Sleep

There are several smaller guesthouses and hotels in Champasak, often located at the river side of the main road.
* Residence Bassac, Ban Amart Champasak, ☏ +856 30 54 07 587. Restaurant, wifi, river views.

## Go next

Pakse is 30km north. The nearest border crossing is the Chong Mek/Vang Tao crossing into Thailand, 70km north-west.