Nestled between forested mountains and winding rivers, Laos may be a little known southeast Asian country today, but its ancient stones speak volumes. Laos harbors a deeper, older spiritual past—one rooted in Hinduism and the monumental legacy of the Khmer Empire. The most iconic example is Wat Phou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in southern Laos. Built as a monumental city complex between the 6th and 12th centuries, this sprawling site was originally dedicated to Shiva and aligned with the sacred peak of Phou Kao, echoing the cosmic symbolism of Angkor Wat.
Laos’s sacred landscape offers an intimate view into Southeast Asia’s fusion of some Indian ideas with the creative aspects of its indigenous beliefs. Laos is a land where river mists part to reveal centuries of spiritual grandeur carved in stone.