Phu Si Hill Sunset in Luang Prabang

Phu Si Hill, or Chomsy Hill in Luang Prabang, is one of the must-visit places to catch the amazing sunsets in the entire city. Its location right in town makes it easily accessible to everyone.

Located just opposite the Royal Palace Museum, this hill is only about 100 meters high. Stairs lead to the top, which overlooks the town of Luang Prabang.

The main staircase up Phu Si Hill.

Phu Si Hill

At Phu Si (Poo See) or Chomsi Hill, the main entrance is by the main road, and you will see a concrete staircase that leads nowhere surrounded by beautiful trees. You will often encounter local Lao vendors selling various items along the way up.

Some Lao people usually sell jewellery or snacks as you make your way up the stairs to Mount Phu Si Hill. They are not aggressive, but they are very nice. I saw several tourists buying some items from the vendors. I stopped to see some of their wares but bought nothing.

I’m taking a moment to pose on the stairs.

The walk up Phu Si Hill is pretty relaxing and not strenuous. I saw elderly people and even children making their way up the little mountain, so it is easy to climb.

The best time to start here would be recommended at about 3.00 to 4.00 pm to explore the area and get your spot for the sunset.

Also known as Chomsy Hill. A ticket counter is halfway up.

You will find a ticket counter halfway up Phu Si Hill or Chomsy Hill. They charge 20,000 KIP (USD 2.00) per person. So you purchase your tickets here and continue to the top, which holds the That Chomsi Temple.

This temple was originally built in 1804 by King Anourathurath and restored twice. During the final restoration in 1926, the 328-step concrete staircase to the top was completed.

Some of the Buddha statues.

Exploring Phu Si Hill’s top, you will come across various other smaller temples and Buddhist shrines. Some intriguing Buddhist statues in multiple positions also make great photography subjects again, if you are out to explore, it is recommended to make your way here at about 3.00 pm.

Buddha’s Foot.

Walking around the hill area, you will notice a few signages about ‘Buddha’s Foot’. It’s quite a goose chase, and every turn you make, there will be another sign, and eventually, after 15 minutes, I find it. If you had a personal guide, he or she could give you complete information about the Buddha’s Food at Phu Si Hill.

Apparently, there is also an old Russian-made anti-aircraft gun 30 meters East of the main temple. I missed it, so if you are into guns, you could look for it. Other parts of the hill area hold intriguing statues and walkways with nagas as rails on both sides.

The large crowd was waiting for the sunset.

When the time is about right, you would make your way to the main area of That Chomsi Temple. There is a seating area made from concrete steps, and part of the viewing area has a metal fence around it.

So, the best spot to choose would be right at the end of the metal fence. There is also a large rock right at the end, which most young travellers climb on to get their picture taken. I would advise you to be careful if you wish to try it.

Honestly, when I got there after exploring the hill, I was shocked to see hundreds of people armed with cameras and camcorders waiting eagerly for the sunset. Getting a place was pretty hard then. I had to inch near some nice Germans by the very friendly rails.

Luang Prabang Sunset.

And the result of my Luang Prabang Phu Si Hill Sunset. It was not too bad, as the sky was a little cloudy that day. Then again, I have seen some gorgeous sunset pictures from other travellers who had been here on better days.

View of Luang Prabang town.

The other nice thing about being up on Phu Si Hill is that you can literally see the entire town of Luang Prabang, from the great Mekong River to the streets and homes. If you have binoculars on hand, they will serve you well here.

View of Luang Prabang. Do you notice the red tents? The Night Market.

As the sun began to set, I looked around and saw the handicraft night market set up along one of the main streets in Luang Prabang. You could tell by the red tents lined up in a row. Oh yes, it is a must-visit night market, which is open daily in town.

After the Luang Prabang Sunset, we made our way down, but this time, we took one of the paths through various temples, and eventually, we would pass some homes and a few more temples that led out into the main road of Luang Prabang town.

Not to worry, as there is some signage to indicate this. So, an alternative to coming down the same way up.

Conclusion

Anyone planning to try to catch the famous Phu Si Hill Sunset in Luang Prabang should probably make their way up earlier than the usual crowd. When I got up there at about 4.00 PM, a small crowd was gathered at the photography spot, all waiting for the sun to set.