Wat Dane Soung temple, Houakoua, Vientiane

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1995 pts.

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Not famous spot. Knwon almost only on the Explo Guide!
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The Dane Soung Plateau is believed to have been an important spiritual centre of ancient Vientiane-Viengkham... Now it is a lonely place, with a single monk (his name is Soubane) who dotted the area strange rock formations and underground caves with many little Buddha statues and shrines.

My experience, Explo description:

At the heart of this 2km2 site is Wat Dane Soung itself, a small jungle temple built beneath a rocky overhang.

Believed to have been established in the first millennium by the Mon, this ancient jungle temple features a number of Dvaravati-style Buddha images carved into the rock face, several of which have recently been painted gold.

A new wat has been constructed close by to house a Buddha Footprint which was discovered in the early 1980s by local people, although the original temple is still used from time to time for the ordination of monks. Construction of the new wat began in 1986, but it is still unfinished today due to lack of funds.

100m (NE) from the new wat, you can discover some ruins : in the early 1990s the Lane Xang Hotel in Vientiane built a restaurant at the site with a view to developing tourism here, but according to local people they failed to carry out the necessary ceremonies to appease the local spirits and as a result the building burned down before it could open to the public. You can still observe the foundations of this building may still be seen today.

50m from there (N), you can follow numerous little trails and walk among the strange rock formations, trying to discover the Buddha and little shrines that might hide under the rocks or inside little caves...

My personal recommendations:

200m (NE) from the wat, you will reach the edge of the Plateau, with an amazing view on the plain. This is a ideal place to rest, meditate or have a pic nic !

How getting there:

From Vientiane, go North on the road N°13 (going to Luang Prabang). Drive 22km (see the milestones) and you will reach the Houakoua village.

Pass the bridge and, just after, turn left on a sealed road and pass Ban Naxone village.

Drive west to Ban Nagnang. Go through the village till you see the school on you right.

Take the dirt track on the right. You will reach a dam and a little lake.

You must leave you car at the lake tourist area car park and go further 3km (W) by feet or motorcycle.

Use a motorcycle only if the weather is dry and if you are a good driver : the track is very bad.

You can drive from Vientiane to Dane Soung temple with a motorcycle. Rent it at PVO car rental (see related article).

A tip to eat:

Pic nic at the site or in Nagnang village.

A tip to sleep:

No place to sleep.