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Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Place · Phou Si, Royal Palace & Wat Mai

Phou Si (hill and viewpoint)ພູສີ

The hill in the middle of the old town, about 330 steps to a stupa and a 360-degree view; go at opening or late afternoon and avoid the sunset crush.

go at hour · at opening or 15:30admission: unknownNot field-verified
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Key facts

Time on site
45–60 min
p95 90 min
Price
₭20,000–30,000
bring cash
Hours
unknown
see note below
Best time
at opening or 15:30
quietest window
28″ bags
Painful
Phou Si, Royal Palace & Wat Mai: painful
Getting there
Steps opposite the Royal Palace Museum, Sisavangvong Road
  • About 330 steps
  • River view
  • Avoid the sunset crowd
  • Go at opening or 15:30
  • Bring cash
  • Crowded at peak
  • Works with kids

Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.

Rules in force · 8Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…
  • Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
  • Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
  • Laos ↗Get the visa only from the official government e-visa portal or at the airport or border desk; lookalike sites charge extra.
  • Laos ↗Carry Lao kip in small notes; small shops, tuk-tuks and markets are cash-only, and Thai baht or US dollars are only accepted at some tourist businesses.
  • Laos ↗At dawn alms-giving, watch from across the street, keep quiet, never use flash and never touch a monk.
  • Northern Laos ↗Roughly Feb–Apr the north is hazy from crop burning: check the air quality before you book a viewpoint or a long day trip.
  • Luang Prabang ↗The old town goes quiet from about 23:00 and many guesthouses lock their door for the night: tell your hotel your arrival time and ask how to ring for the night staff.
  • Luang Prabang ↗Dawn alms-giving is a religious act, not a show: stay on the far side of the street, keep quiet, no flash and no touching.
Hours unknown
Map & directions
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Directions
From where I am

Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.

Plan

Open now, what it costs, what to know, how long it takes

Go now?

hours and prices: check on the day
Open
Hours unknown
Crowds

Quietest around 06:00–07:00 · go at opening or 15:30

Quietest Mon–Thu · busiest Sat · desk estimate

Tickets
  • Adult: ₭20,000–30,000 (2026 estimate; check)
Time to spend
45–60 min · up to 90 min if you linger
Directions Add to a day →

Know before you go

  • The hill rises about 100 m above the town; the main staircase has roughly 330 steps.
  • A gilded stupa crowns the summit.
  • Sunset is the busiest time; arrive by 16:00 for a place, or choose the morning.
  • There is little shade on the steps and none at the top.
  • Bring water; a few vendors sell drinks on the way up.

Best time of day

Go at opening or 15:30. Plan 45–60 min inside.

quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate, ordinary weekday

Weather here, next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Time on site

minutes

Minimum

30min

Worthwhile

45min

Typical

60min

p95

90min

Opening hours and the ticket window are not printed until verified; check at the foot of the steps.

Tickets & entry

2026 estimate · check the posted board
Where to buy
  • Buy at the entrance on the day.
  • Buy from the official site or the ticket desk; resellers add a fee for the same ticket.
  • Bring cash; cards may not be taken (check).

Official site ↗

Dress code
  • Modest at the temple.
  • Shoes: Off at the temple platform.

What to wear: dress-code checker

Photos
  • Yes.
What's closed
  • DailycheckOpens early in the morning and closes after sunset; confirm.
  • RaincheckSteps are slippery when wet.

“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.

TicketPriceNote
Entry₭20,000–30,000 (2026 estimate; check)Paid at the ticket window near the top.

How to do it well

  1. 1Take the main steps opposite the palace museum at 06:30–08:00 or after 15:00.
  2. 2Climb slowly; there are small temples and rest spots on the way.
  3. 3Stop at the ticket window near the top; the entry fee is small.
  4. 4At the summit, walk once around the stupa for the Mekong, the Nam Khan and the mountains, then come down by the same steps or the far side.

On the ground

Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work

Getting in

Stop
Steps opposite the Royal Palace Museum, Sisavangvong Road
Exit
—
Ticket
on site · official site · bring cash
Stairs
unknown
Shoes
Shoes on.

Crowds and switching

Crowd clock
Sunset draws crowds from about 16:30; quiet before 09:00.
Sensory load
4/5
Exposure
high

Bailouts

  1. heat

    Café on Sisavangvong Road (AC)

  2. crowd

    Wat Mai or the Mekong bank

  3. fatigue

    Stop at the halfway temple

Nearest rescue anchor: C — Phou Si foot, main-road steps (field-verify)

Step-free check

wheelchair: poor
  • Step-free entrance: no · no
  • Lifts: check · check
  • Accessible toilet: check · check
  • Wheelchair: no · no
  • Stroller: no · nopoor

About 330 steps; no alternative route.

Combine with

nearest first
  1. 3 minRoyal Palace Museum
  2. 5 minNight market

Walk the Phou Si, Royal Palace & Wat Mai area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes

Best photo time today

Sun times for today load in your browser.

Red lines

  • Steep steps: wear shoes with grip; no shoes on the temple platform at the top.
  • Keep off the fence at the summit.
More on the groundSkip it if · With kids

With kids

kids: okstroller: poor
with kids
Manageable for children who can climb; sunset is crowded and the summit has little railing.
child price
check

Skip it if

  • You cannot manage 330 steps.
  • It is sunset and you dislike crowds.

Deep dive

Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources

Questions and answers

answered by Voykit editors · dated
Best light?

About 06:30 or 16:00–17:30.

Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk

How many steps?

About 330 from the main entrance; take your time.

Sunrise or sunset?

Both are good; sunrise is far quieter.

Is it worth it?

Yes: it is the best place to see how the old town sits between two rivers.

Answers come from Voykit editors, not from other travellers.

Nearby

Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.

Sources