MEUANG FEUANG

Words by Jason Rolan

Images by Phoonsab Thevongsa

The road curves, and suddenly it emerges from the mist—a limestone spire thrust skyward like a shark’s fin breaking the surface of an ancient sea. Here in landlocked Laos, millions of years from any ocean, Meuang Feuang rises as if conjured from myth itself.

The Nam Lik River winds through this karst landscape, its jade waters reflecting the impossible angles of stone that have captivated travelers and inspired generations of local storytellers. Each peak tells a tale, each formation holds a legend passed down through centuries of pilgrims who have journeyed here seeking something beyond the ordinary.

Along the riverbank, adventure seekers slip their kayaks into crystalline currents while swimmers find refuge in natural pools carved by time itself. But Meuang Feuang offers more than outdoor thrills—it serves as a spiritual crossroads where ornate temples burst with color and gold, drawing devotees from across Thailand and Laos to worship beneath these ancient guardians of stone.

This is where geology becomes mythology, where the sacred and sublime converge in one of Laos’ hidden corners.

GETTING THERE

Meuang Feuang is a 2-hour drive from Vientiane