Wat Phu is a Khmer Historical site, approximately 49 kilometres South West of Pakse. Travel time from Pakse is around one hour and is an easy run on a motorbike, across the bridge and down the western bank of the Mekong. There is plenty of signposting on the way but if you’re in doubt just use the Google maps tracker. The historical site is approx. six kilometres back from the river and tucked in against Phou Khao (mountain). Once you arrive at the carpark you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how well set up the site is. There is an entrance area with the obligatory entry fee to pay plus a nice restaurant and souvenir shop. The entry fee is about USD 5 which includes a tuk-tuk ride along a grassy track between the Barrays. The distance from the entrance to the drop off point is roughly two kilometres. However there is little shade on the way so if you decide to walk, be prepared to perspire. The approach to the historical site itself is by way of a cobblestoned path which is flanked by evenly spaced metre high columns. This wide pathway is the approach to the palace ruins. If you’ve visited other Khmer sites in Cambodia or Thailand the similarities in building construction and art work are easily identifiable as one gets closer. The two opposing stone buildings are the North and South palaces with both being in various states of disrepair. Beyond the palaces is another stone pathway leading up to the seven sandstone terraces. At the top of the terraces is a sanctuary with some Khmer/Hindu carved figurines, similar to those seen at Angkor, on the outer wall corners. Within the sanctuary are a number of Buddha statues adding some colour to the rustic grey and brown hues of the sandstone. Behind the sanctuary are some interesting features. Directly to the rear is a flat granite cliff face with a number of small freshwater springs trickling out from the overhang. Along the base of the cliff a small track leads off to the right and ascends to a little plateau where a large footprint has been carved into the smooth face of the cliff. Apparently it is a representation of the Buddha’s foot. Dropping back down to the grassy flat area just behind the sanctuary, another trail leads off to the left where more rock carvings can be seen. The first and most imposing is that of an elephant, carved into a boulder almost the same size as a full sized tusked behemoth. Another flat rock has a depiction of a crocodile carved into it. The crocodile stone has acquired some notoriety as being possibly the site of an annual human sacrifice described in a sixth century Chinese text; the identification is lent some plausibility by the similarity of the crocodiles dimensions and those of a human. After taking some time to view the sanctuary and the surrounding stone carvings some nice photos can be taken from the edge of the plateau, looking out over the ruins and Barrays.