Vientiane’s iconic Wat Xiengkhuan, or ‘Buddha Park,’ has been recently spruced up featuring upgraded cement pathways and improved landscaping.

Built in 1958 by a monk who studied both Buddhism and Hinduism, the strikingly unique park is home to more than 200 sizeable religious statues of both Buddhist and Hindu deities. The park’s significant is not only of Buddha images but of Hindu gods as well as demons and animals from both beliefs. The highlights include Indra, the king of Hindu gods riding the three-headed elephant (aka Erawan and Airavata), a four-armed deity sitting on a horse and an artistic deity with 12 faces and many hands, each holding interesting objects. They are all equally impressive not only because of their enormous size but because they are full of interesting details and interesting motifs.