Champasak province is the economic, cultural, and tourist hub of southern Laos. Ruled by various kingdoms in the past, the province has an interesting history to discover, notably a series of Khmer ruins, collectively named as the Champasak Cultural Landscape. Vat Phou, an ancient Khmer temple complex standing in the middle of a lush landscape has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and includes the oldest temple in Laos dating to the 5th century.