Buddha Park, also known as the Cultural Park Xieng Khuan.

The Cultural Park Xieng Khuan is a popular tourist destination, established since 1958 (B.E. 2501), located about 25 kilometers from Vientiane city center and approximately 7.3 kilometers from the Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge. Tourists call it Buddha Park, but the Laotians know it as Wat Xieng Khuan. The area is not very large, but it contains many interesting features, such as concrete statues depicting the life of Buddha, various postures of deities, and numbers that guide visitors to view the statues in sequence. There are images of headphones, as if there is an audio guide available at certain points, but it is unclear if they are still in use as no one seems to be wearing headphones. There are numerous statues, with Lao inscriptions narrating stories on the concrete bases. However, there are no Thai or English translations, making it difficult to understand some of the stories, as some statues look unusual and seem to have their own tales. It's a pity because if we could understand them, the visit would be much more enjoyable. There is a round building resembling a pumpkin or a monk's alms bowl that tourists can enter. One must crawl and climb very steep and narrow stairs. Inside, the 'pumpkin flesh' area has walkways with small square windows to look out and enjoy the view, as well as to peek at the statues in the 'pumpkin seed cavity' area. It's a very interesting and well-designed space. The 'pumpkin seed cavity' is divided into three levels. The top level features deity statues with serpent tails, likely representing the divine realm. One level down might represent the human world, including giants. The lowest level is hell, with various forms of soul torment based on the sins committed. Walking through to the back, there is a flower garden and a small longboat museum with two impressive boats on display. These boats, 55 paddles in length, have won several competitions, but since the COVID outbreak, there have been no races and no storage, so the Buddha Park has preserved them here for tourists to appreciate Lao boat racing culture. Additionally, there is a restaurant and drink stalls with seating next to the Mekong River. The atmosphere is pleasant, with a great view and cool breeze. There are plenty of seats available to accommodate large tour groups, delicious food with a diverse menu, and reasonable prices, similar to any other restaurant outside. Free restrooms are available inside, clean and sufficient in number. You can drive here comfortably as there is ample parking space right in front of the Buddha Park. If you don't have a car, you can take air-conditioned bus number 14 from the morning market. Buses run every half hour, costing 12,000 kip or 24 baht, and the journey takes about 40 minutes. The entrance fee for Buddha Park is 15,000 kip or 30 baht for Laotians and 40,000 kip or 80 baht for foreigners. It's very worthwhile.