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ByPetra Udomprasert Updated on

The Ultimate Guide to Phousi Hill in Luang Prabang

Everybody and their mother always say it. You haven’t arrived in Luang Prabang until you’ve been up Phousi Hill.

Yes, it’s a hill, offering the most epic panoramic view of the city you can possibly get. Getting up there for sunrise was one of the most magical experiences I had in Luang Prabang. Sunset was equally beautiful, but in a different way.

Since you’re here, I’m sure you’ve already read (or heard) about the hill from somewhere, right?

I have good news for cultural travelers. There are Buddhist temples and a handful of interesting things on the way up, including another temple at the top. So yeah… sorry, hikers, but showing up in shorts and tank tops are out of the question.

The ticket to the 328-step climb costs 30,000 Kip. Let’s look at everything else you need to know before visiting to make sure you’re no longer confused about its three entrances!

What’s On Mount Phousi?

Good question to start with. There are a handful of interest points at the top and on your way up.

  • Panoramic view of Luang Prabang
  • Wat Chom Si (Generally known as Pa That Phousi)
  • Wat Tham Phousi

Wat Chom Si is the small temple at the summit, where you can watch the sunrise and sunset. Wat Tham Phousi is the picturesque cave temple where you’ll pass on your way up (or down).

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Tall golden Buddha statue, with both hands raised in a gesture of blessing, stands on a decorated pedestal at Wat Tham Phousi on Phousi Hill in Luang Prabang. Two other gold statues sit beside it, including a reclining Buddha against a rocky hillside surrounded by dense green trees.

A Quick Cultural Introduction to Phousi Hill

Phousi Hill has always been in the center of Luang Prabang. It’s 150 meters high (492 ft) and was originally known as Phou Suang.

Word has it that many hermits and sages used the hill as their place for meditation. Because of this, the hill became known as Phousi (the Lao/Thai word for sage is Rue Si) among local residents over time.

Today, it is one of the top attractions in Luang Prabang, and inarguably the best place to watch sunrise and sunset.

Things You Should Know

  • Dress for a temple visit (sleeved top, covered shoulders, pants that cover your knees)
  • You don’t need a guide for the visit, so no need to hire one.
  • Sometimes you’ll see local merchants at the trailhead selling Beer Laos to foreigners. Don’t freakin’ give them your money. I know it’s mood up at the top, but imagine drinking beer in a church because it’s pretty. That’s ridiculous!

Mount Phousi Visitors’ Information

“Will I make it up there for the sunrise if it opens at 6?” Right? I’m not sure how this really works, but I got there a bit before 6 AM and there were at least 10 people already at the top when I arrived. They let me in early, too.

Hand holding a printed entry ticket for Phousi Hill that reads "Tourist attractions ticket That Phu Si" with a fee of "30,000 Kip" in front of the entrance turnstiles.

I’d say go at 5:45 AM for plenty of time to hike. The sun usually doesn’t rise until 6:20 or 6:30 AM, and it’s almost never a clear sunrise due to the city’s characteristic morning mist.

Three Entrances and Two Ways Up

Did that sound confusing? Yeah, me too.

So there are three entrances to the trails up Phousi Hill. I made a map to help my fellow geography nerds understand where everything is. I guess there are technically four entrances… Oh dear.

Map showing the four entrances and hiking routes to the summit of Phousi Hill, including Wat Chom Si, Wat Tham Phousi, and the main entrance on Sisavangvong Road.
The main entrance and trail are in pink, the rest are 3 other entrances that merge into the second trail.

The first and most famous entrance is right on Sisavangvong Road across from the Royal Palace. This is also the most direct trail up, with 328 steps.

Steep brick staircase climbing through dense trees along the main entrance trail on Phousi Hill in Luang Prabang.

The second entrance is on Kingkisarath Road, some people call it Phousi Road, by the Nam Khan River. You’ll see a sign for Wat Tham Phousi right at the foot of the stairs. This trail has 355 steps in total and will lead you through the cave temple.

Wooden sign reading "Wath Thammothayaram Thamsouvannakhouha," marking the trailhead to Wat Tham Phousi on Phousi Hill surrounded by trees.

The third entrance starts at Wat Siphoutthabat Thippharam, across from Cafe Toui, or through a small alley next to B82 Bar. Walking through this temple can feel a bit confusing. Notice the little blue signs for “Phousi” and keep following them!

Temple courtyard at Wat Siphoutthabat, with small golden stupas and a staircase marked by blue signs pointing toward the trail up Phousi Hill.
Can you spot the little blue signs for Phousi?

After climbing a set of stairs from the temple, you’ll reach Wat Tham Phousi and join that trail.

My Recommended Route

If you’re going for the sunrise, go up through the main entrance from Sisavangvong Road and come down through Wat Tham Phousi. If you’re going for sunset, go up from Wat Tham Phousi (or Wat Siphoutthabat) and use the main stairs to exit.

There’s a reason for this. Going for the sunrise means you need to get up there fast, with more time to spare afterwards. Meanwhile, you can plan to arrive hours earlier than the sunset and take your time to explore the trail, then get down fast later.

Golden Buddha statue with multiple serpent heads behind it sits beneath a large tree along the front trail of Phousi Hill, surrounded by rocks and greenery.
This is the only sight along the first trail. A stop here won’t take you longer than five minutes.

The main entrance is almost straight up with no other attractions but a toilet stop. There’s one Buddha image there, but all you need is a quick photo snap. If you’re in a hurry, the main stairs is your best friend!

The Summit: Wat Chom Si

Wat Chom Si is more widely referred to as Pha That Phousi. It includes the beautiful golden stupa that you’d see before anything else on your ride from the airport (or train station) into the city.

Golden stupa of Pha That Phousi at the summit the hill, photographed from below.

The stupa was built by King Anurutha of Luang Prabang in 1804.

The temple is tiny, literally just one small Viharn where you can pay respect to the Buddha, and the golden stupa right outside. Don’t forget to take your shoes off if you’re entering the Viharn!

Golden Buddha statues and offerings, arranged on the altar inside Wat Chom Si at the summit of Phousi Hill.

The northern corridor offers a view of the Mekong River and has multiple seating areas, from benches to the few steps of stairs.

Misty morning view of the Mekong River and rooftops of Luang Prabang seen from the summit of Phousi Hill.
Foggy sunrise view of the Mekong River and forested hills across the water.

The corridor to the south of the stupa is my favorite spot. You can see the Visun neighborhood and Nam Khan here, magical views. But it’s a really tiny space, just enough for you to stand there with people squeezing by.

Nam Khan River winding past lush hills and traditional houses in Luang Prabang, viewed from the lookout.
Look how magical the view is on the Nam Khan side!

Wat Tham Phousi

The temple’s official name is Wat Thammathayaram Thamsouvannakhouha, but you don’t need to memorize that. It’s just an FYI kinda thing. Breathe.

Main altar of Wat Tham Phousi, built into a cave on Phousi Hill, featuring several golden Buddha statues and offerings arranged before the rock wall.

Not counting the amazing views of Luang Prabang from above, this temple is exponentially more interesting than Wat Chom Si. It’s main altar isn’t inside a Viharn, but snugged into the mountainside, partially under a cave.

Wooden ticket booth with a sign reading "Phousi Ticket Office," where visitors pay the 30,000 Kip entrance fee to climb the hill.

After passing another collection of golden Buddha images, you’ll reach the ticket office for Phousi Hill. If you’re going up from this temple, you’ll have to pay 30,000 Kip before continuing up the stairs.

Row of golden Buddha statues seated beneath a rocky cave overhang at Wat Tham Phousi, with incense pots placed in front.
Golden Buddha statue beneath a large tree root at Wat Tham Phousi, with another seated Buddha visible on a rocky ledge behind it.
Central golden Buddha statue surrounded by kneeling monk figures in prayer at a small shrine along the Wat Tham Phousi trail.

As you continue up towards the summit, you’ll pass several more golden Buddhas. They’re all quite striking against the surrounding rocks and greenery.

Small white shrine entrance for Buddha’s footprint on Phousi Hill, with a sign reading "Imprint of Buddha Foot" above a gated walkway beside the temple structure.
The shrine with Buddha’s footprint inside

On the lower level of this temple (after a hundred steps of VERY steep stairs up from Phousi Road), you’ll also find a tiny shrine with Buddha’s footprint inside.

Brick staircase descending through dense greenery from the Buddha footprint shrine toward Wat Siphoutthabat.
Stairs from the Buddha’s footprint shrine down to Wat Siphoutthabat

From behind this shrine is where you can descend the third trail down to Wat Siphoutthabat.

Should You Go Up For Sunrise or Sunset?

I can’t tell you what you’ll like more, so I’ll just explain the difference.

Sunrise in Luang Prabang is magical, but moody. One of the main characteristics of the city is its low-hanging fog in the morning, so the chances of seeing a golden sunrise is quite low.

Wide sunrise view of Luang Prabang’s Visun neighborhood and river valley covered in morning mist, seen from Phousi Hill.
This is my favorite shot from the first visit back in 2022. How magical is this?!

But watching the faded, muted sunrise on this hill was one of the most memorable moments from my first visit. Everything felt so frozen in time, with the low roofs (skyscrapers are not allowed), motorcycles, and low traditional tunes playing from the city below.

Sunset is very different. As you’d expect in other places, it’s equally vibrant and intense here, as well as more crowded. Much, much more.

I prefer watching sunset from a river cruise, with the bright colors reflecting off the water right in front of me. Just a note.

Is Phousi Hill Worth Your Time?

Phousi Hill is absolutely worth a visit at least once on your Luang Prabang trip. Like I said, you’re not really in the city until you’ve been up there!

A visit only takes less than two hours for a fit hiker. I went at 6 AM, watched the sunrise, and was on flat ground again by 7 AM.

I highly recommend taking a peaceful walk straight into old town after, maybe stop by Wat Sene Khao Soi for breakfast, Lulalao for a cup of coffee, and visit Wat Xieng Thong before it gets too busy for the day.

Enjoy time in nature? Then you can’t miss Kuang Si Falls!

Check out my Laos Cultural Travel page for more ideas on Luang Prabang and Vientiane.

Plan the Rest of Your Trip to Laos

Below are resources to help you get ready for your trip. If you’re still looking for somewhere to stay in Luang Prabang, here’s my guide to the best walkable areas.

Don’t forget to check your visa requirements for Laos!

Grab My Trip-Planner Template

To help streamline your planning process, I’ve decided to share the template I’ve created and have personally used to plan my own trips. You can grab a copy of it for free below!

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Golden Buddha statues at a cave shrine on Phousi Hill in Luang Prabang surrounded by large tree roots and rocky cliffs. Text overlay reads "Laos Cultural Travel Ultimate Guide to Phousi Hill" and "PolyglotPetra.com".

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Petra Udomprasert is a career immersive travel blogger and the founder of Polyglot Petra. Believing in travel as a force that inspires empathy and respect in our world, she writes travel guides that deeply explore the history and culture of every destination she visits, leveraging her fluency in five different languages to access the local perspective. Through her immersive guides and localized language tips, she has helped tens of thousands of travelers enjoy trips that leave lasting positive impacts on their lives.