Situated in the northwest of Laos close to the shared borderline with Thailand, Champasak is an essential site in history. Used to be the capital of the Kingdom of Champasak for more than two century, Champasak is home to a large number of wats or temples. A rough estimation shows that there are up to 20 temples in Champasak. The most significant, though, is Vat Phou. It is laid at the foot of Phou Khao mountain, which has a natural linga regarded as the home of Shiva, one of the principal deities of Hinduism. Here in Champasak, visitors may catch sight of freshwater dolphin, a super rare species only inhabiting in some parts of Mekong River.