Phousi Hill

Mount Phousi, or Phousi Hill, is Luang Prabang’s most distinctive feature, rising up from the center of town. It’s one of the most popular places to watch the sunset, with incredible views of Luang Prabang, the Mekong, and the mountains nearby. If you want a more chilled out experience, it’s much less busy earlier in the day, and it’s also much cooler. On the way up, you can stop at a shrine with a statue of the reclining Buddha in a little grotto, or stop at several of the resting places along the way for a breather and a nice view. At the top of the mountain there’s an especially picturesque temple, called Wat Chomsi. Next to Wat Chomsi you can get flowers to make offerings to the Buddha, or buy caged birds to set free, which the Laos people believe brings you good luck in the future. I’m pretty uncomfortable with that practice and opted to skip buying anything at all.