Sala Kaew Ku

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Sala Kaew Ku

Thai name : ศาลาแก้วกู่

GPS : 17.88754868,102.78109073 (See on the map)

Presentation

The Sala Kaew Ku sculptures park is located 6 km east from Nong Khai on Highway 212 Its visit is certainly the most suprising one to do when you come to Nong Khai city. In the Wat Khaek's garden, are dozens of huge cement statues. These sculptures are the work of Lao Bun Luang Pu Leua Surirat, who purchased the land in 1978 shortly after being expelled from his native Laos where he started to build a similar park near Vientiane called Buddha park. Synthesis of Buddhism and Hindu ideologies, the park is supposed to be the representation of a fantastical journey into the mind of a shaman. It contains Buddhas images, Vishnu, Shiva, goddesses with multiple arms, Naga snakes and all kinds of human-animal hybrids. The most iconic sculpture in Sala Keoku is the one of Buddha sitting on the body of a seven-headed snake.

All the statues here were erected according to the instructions of Luang Pu Bun Leua Surirat and inspired by his dreams. It took him twenty years to build this park.

Practical information about Sala Kaew Ku

Entrance fee: 20 THB
There is no public transportation going to Sala Kaew Ku but most local buses going to the east of Nong Khai can drop you off at the intersection on Highway 212 leading to the park. From there there is still one kilometer to walk to reach the park entrance. Otherwise, the easiest and cheapest way to come is to take a bicycle, it's very easy to find. Most guesthouses in Nong Khai offer free bicycles to their customers. Otherwise, a tuk-tuk will take you there, wait an hour and take you back to town for 150 THB.
There are maps of the park explaining the details of each statue but strangely there are not available at Sala Kaew but some guesthouses or motorbike rental companies have them.