The sim of Wat That has an impressive front façade.
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 That Travel Info
Wat That is one of the most ornate Lao temples in Luang Prabang. Its official name is Wat Phra Mahathat, which translate as Monastery of the Great Relic. Wat That is located along the Chao Fa Ngum Road, the main road in Luang Prabang, near Nam Phou, the town fountain. There is a short flight or steps from Chao Fa Ngum Road that leads to Wat That. Alternatively, you can enter it via the adjacent Buddhist temple, Wat Hosian.
Wat That has a lovely Laotian style sim (main hall) with lacquered and stenciled columns. The gable is ornately decorated. On the roof of the sim is a metal ornamentation called Dok So Fa which common among Laotian temples. The Dok So Fa is said to symbolise the universe. The Dok So Far of Wat That is in the form of fifteen spires.
From the front entrance, you can see a seated Buddha image. Behind Wat That is a chedi. I visited Wat That while Luang Prabang. On the whole, I did Wat That twice, the second time when the sky was a clear blue, and came back with the shots for this AsiaExplorers documentation.
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.
The sim of Wat That.
Side view of the sim of Wat That.
Monks line Chao Fa Ngum Road outside Wat That while it was still dark, in preparation of Binthabat, their morning alms round.
The back portion of Wat That's sim.
The chedi of Wat That.
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).
