Your base for this tourist attraction is the Unesco World Heritage town of Luang Prabang, Laos. For tourist information about Luang Prabang, go to Luang Prabang Travel Guide. To prepare for a trip to Laos, read also the Laos Travel Guide. Looking for budget accommodation there? Use AsiaExplorers Budget Accommodation Guide, the no-frills website to cover your budget accommodation needs.
Wat Sop Travel Information
Wat Sop is one of the smaller monasteries in Luang Prabang. It is located on Khounxoa Road right next to Wat Sensoukharam. Like the many other temples, I visited it while doing the documentation of the sights in Luang Prabang for AsiaExplorers. I arrived at Wat Sop in the late morning, just close to noon. By then the the monks was partaking of their midday meal, the final meal for them for the day.
Wat Sop is said to have been built by King Theng Kham, who reigned from 1479-86, to commemorate the death of his father, King Sao Takaphat Phene Phao, who reigned from 1438-79. King Sao Takaphat was killed in battle. Wat Sop has been renovated a few times since then. Its gable is decorated with gold leafy design. The sim was expanded in the 1950s with the addition of side peristyles.
If you're going to Luang Prabang, you'd be glad to know that the town is quite small. You can go to most places on foot if you want to. Otherwise, you can also catch a tuk tuk to take you around. As for accommodation, they range from very simple, basic beds to boutique hotels. You can visit the Luang Prabang Hotels guide for a list of budget accommodation.
Front façade of Wat Sop showing the leaf design of the gable.
Buddha image within the small sim.
Novices partaking of their midday meal at Wat Sop.
5 Days 4 Nights Romantic Luang Prabang Tour
Explore Luang Prabang, Pak Ou, Kuang Si Waterfalls on this 5 day 4 nights tour, provided by Exotissimo Travel in conjunction with AsiaExplorers. Details here. (This tour is conducted only until September 2012).
