Mount Phousi is the local elevation on the Luang Prabang promontory which stretches between the Mekong and the Nam Khan rivers where the Nam Khan meets Mekong. 355 steps lead to the monastery and temples that are sprinkled along the path and on top of the hill. At the summit the visitor is rewarded with a bird eye's view of the city layout. The tiny Wat That Chomsi waits to be explored.
Buddha statue and disciples
Marigolds in banana leaf are offered to the gods
in a side cave
the Big-Bellied Buddha
These little cages with birds inside can be bought along the way. Locals capture these tiny birds, mostly scaly-breasted munias, and sell them to tourists, who set them free on the mountain for "good luck". These birds assemble in rice paddies in large flocks, are easy to capture and thus provide some extra income.
View from the top of Mount Phousi towards Luang Prabang's main road.
Next to this monastery to the left is an Ashoka tree (Saraca asoca) with its beautiful orange flowers corresponding to the colour of the robes.
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