Phu Si Hill Sunset in Luang Prabang

Phu Si Hill or Chomsy Hill
Luang Prabang, Laos

Phu Si Hill or Chomsy Hill in Luang Prabang is one of the must visit places to catch the amazing sunsets in the entire Luang Prabang. The fact that Phu Si Hill is situated right in town makes it easily accessible to everyone. Located just opposite the Royal Palace Museum, this hill is only about 100 meters high with stairs provided all the way to the top overlooking the town of Luang Prabang.

Phu Si Hill main staircase up

At Phu Si (Poo See) or Chomsi Hill, the main entrance is by the main road and you will see a concrete staircase that leads to nowhere which is surrounded by beautiful trees. In most times, you will encounter local Lao vendors selling various items along the way up.

Phu Si Hill - Locals selling jewellery and other items

Some of the Lao people are usually selling jewellery or even snacks as you make your way up the stairs to Mount Phu Si Hill. They are not aggressive but very nice as I saw a number of tourist buying some items from the vendors. I stopped to see some of their wares but did not buy anything.

Phu Si Hill - Me taking a moment to pose at the stairs

The walk up Phu Si Hill is pretty relaxing and not strenuous. I saw elderly people and even children making their way up the little mountain so it is an easy climb up. Best time to start here would be recommended at about 3.00 to 4.00pm to explore the area and also to get your spot for the sunset.

Phu Si Hill - Also known as Chomsy Hill. A ticket counter halfway up.

Walking halfway up Phu Si Hill or Chomsy Hill, you will come across a ticket counter. They charge 20,000 KIP (USD$2.00) per person. So you purchase your tickets here and continue to the top which holds the That Chomsi Temple. This temple was originally built in 1804 by King Anourathurath and restored twice where on the final restoration in 1926, the 328 step concrete staircase to the top was completed.

Phu Si Hill - Some of the Buddha Statues

Exploring the top of Phu Si Hill, you will come across various other smaller temples and Buddhist shrines. Some interesting Buddhist statues in various positions also make great photography subjects. Again, if you are out to explore, best to make your way here at about 3.00pm.

Phu Si Hill - Buddha's Foot

Walking around the hill area, you will also notice a few signages about 'Buddha's Foot'. It's quite a goose chase and every turn you make, there will be another sign and eventually after 15 minutes, i found it. I guess if you had a personal guide, he or she would be able to give you full information to this Buddha's Food at Phu Si Hill.

Apparently there is also an old Russian made anti aircraft gun 30 meters East from the main temple. I totally missed it so if you are into guns and such, you could go look for it. Other parts of the hill area hold interesting statues and walkways with nagas as rails on both sides.

Phu Si Hill - The large crowd waiting for the sunset

So when the time is about right, you would be making your way to the main area of That Chomsi Temple. They have a seating area made from concrete in steps and part of the viewing area has a metal fence around. So the best spot to choose would be right at the end of the metal fence. There is also a large rock right at the end which most young travelers would climb on to get their picture taken. I would advise to be careful if you wish to try it.

Honestly, when I got there after exploring the hill, I had a shock as there were hundreds of people armed with cameras and camcorders waiting eagerly for the sunset. Getting a place was pretty hard then. I had to inch my way next to some nice Germans by the rails who were very friendly.

Phu Si Hill - Luang Prabang Sunset

And the result of my Luang Prabang Phu Si Hill Sunset. Not too bad as the sky was a little cloudy that day. Then again, I have seen some really beautiful sunset pictures from other travelers who had been here on better days. One of them can be found at Ferdz Site.

Phu Si Hill - View of Luang Prabang town

The other nice thing about being up on Phu Si Hill is that you can literally see the entire town of Luang Prabang. From the great Mekong River right to the streets and homes. If you have a binoculars on hand, it would serve you well here.

Phu Si Hill - View of Luang Prabang, notice the red tents? The Night Market.

As the sun begin to set, I looked around and saw the handicraft night market all set up along one of the main streets in Luang Prabang. You could tell by the red tents all lined up in a row. Oh yes, it is a must visit to this night market which is open daily in town.

After the Luang Prabang Sunset, we made our way down, but this time, we took one of the paths that too you through various temples and eventually you would pass some homes and a few more temples that lead out into the main road of Luang Prabang town. Not to worry as there are some signages to indicate this. So, an alternative to coming down the same way up.

General tips for Phu Si Hill

• Make your way there early, best to go about 3.00pm.
• If the sun sets at about 6.00pm, be at the main spot about 5.30pm.
• There will be hoards of tourist on weekends, so be prepared.
  
• Get the best spot by the railings near the edge. This is so no one can stand in front of your camera as some of them just love to do.
• There is a nice rock by the edge where daring travelers love to sit and pose there. Please be careful if you intend to pose there too.
  
• Bring your own snacks and drinks.

Other General information:

• Phu Si Hill opens from 8.00am to 6.00pm.
• Located right in front of the Royal Palace Museum.
  
• Entry Fees are 20,000 KIP (US$2.00) per person.
• There is a small snack and drink counter near the top temple.

My other Laos and Luang Prabang blog postings:

Luang Prabang Town Part 1
Whisky Village in Luang Prabang
Pak Ou Buddha Caves in Luang Prabang

Talat Sao Morning Market in Vientiane
Food in Vientiane
Patuxai Arch in Vientiane
That Luang Stupa (Golden Stupa) in Vientiane
Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan) in Vientiane

~ jrhogan

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