Pha That Luang is an important national symbol of Laos. The structure has been built, damaged, destroyed, rebuilt, damaged, rebuilt many, many times; thus the current structure (some 45 meters in height) is actually not old. The stupa gleams a golden color, with the top pinnacle coated with gold leaf; the rest is covered with gold paint. The stupa is situated a fair distance from the commercial center of Vientiane, requiring a taxi or tuk-tuk ride or a long walk. Visitors can enter the compound for a fee of 30,000 kip and walk around the stupa. There are also artifacts and replicas of ancient statues on display. At an adjoining temple, there are beautiful mural paintings depicting facets of the life and enlightenment of Lord Buddha. Also a nearby large reclining Buddha.

The stupa itself is impressive. The very top spire is actual gold. There are covered walkways around the stupa that hold Buddha statues. Our guide told us it was good luck to walk around the whole complex once.

You can't visit Vientiane and no visit this impressive stupa. Just beautiful and you do have to pay to enter but you can take photos from the outside as you cant actually enter it anyway as it is a solid structure. It is beautiful and inside the area there are more buddhas etc but the whole area is well kept and nice and open with no litter which was nice.

My hired tuktuk driver drove me here ater visiting the Patuxay Monument. There is a lot to see in this attraction where I began visiting first the area with reclining Buddha, other Buddhas, temples, and more statutes. Took several pictures here. The Golden Stupa has an entrance fee of 30,000 kips per person. Near the entrance are antique statues of Buddha and other sculptures. There are several altars with statues of Buddha. In front of the Stupa is a small park with a statue of a famous person , perhaps a hero or a royalty.

This place is considered a must-visit when in Vientiane. However, my experience was somewhat mixed. The day I visited, the place was relatively quiet and serene, but the heat was intense, making it a bit uncomfortable to fully enjoy the surroundings. While the location has its charm, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it lacked a certain uniqueness and didn’t seem to have been well-maintained or thoughtfully invested in. The overall atmosphere felt a bit underwhelming, as if it hadn’t received the attention it deserved in terms of upkeep and enhancement.