3 notable sites ranked among the world's top 100
ພຣະທາດຫຼວງ
The Great Sacred Stupa is the most important national monument in Laos. The 45-meter gold-covered stupa is believed to contain a relic of the Buddha and represents both the Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty.
National symbol of Laos, featured on its coat of arms and currency. The single most important religious and national monument in the country.
The former royal capital of Laos contains 34 Buddhist temples (wats) blending traditional Lao and French colonial architecture. Each morning at dawn, hundreds of monks walk through the streets collecting alms from kneeling residents.
UNESCO World Heritage Site (entire city). The best-preserved traditional town in Southeast Asia with an extraordinary concentration of Buddhist temples.
The most elegant temple in Laos, Wat Xieng Thong features sweeping multi-tiered roofs that nearly touch the ground, intricate glass mosaics, and a rare reclining Buddha. The Tree of Life mosaic on the rear wall is a Lao national treasure.
The finest example of Lao temple architecture and the most important temple in Luang Prabang, serving as the royal temple of the Lao monarchy.