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An Ubon Temple Trip
The Glowing Wat Phu Prao + Wat Thung Si Mueang

Ubon Ratchathani is more fun for temple-hopping than you'd expect. In town you get an old temple with a rare wooden scripture hall built on water, and out on the hills there's a temple whose glow-in-the-dark Kalpaphruek tree turns green at dusk — an image that's become the face of the province. We've laid it out as a 2-day plan: an easy first day around the in-town temples, then a longer drive out toward Chong Mek on day two to catch the glowing tree at exactly the right moment.

🛕 In-town temples✨ Glow-in-the-dark Kalpaphruek tree🚗 Easiest with a car
An Ubon Temple Trip The Glowing Wat Phu Prao + Wat Thung Si Mueang

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

Up front, the two headline temples sit in opposite directions. Wat Thung Si Mueang is right in the middle of town, within walking distance of several other temples, while the glowing Wat Phu Prao is in Sirindhorn District, about 70 km away toward the Chong Mek border crossing — a little over an hour by car. So if you want both without rushing, splitting it into two days is by far the most comfortable way. This plan is built for people with their own car or a rental. You can still do it without a car, but you'll need to charter one — we've written up how at the end.

The 2-Day Plan at a Glance

Day one focuses on temples in and around town — an easy, no-need-for-an-early-start kind of day. You'll cover Wat Thung Si Mueang and Wat Maha Wanaram, then add a forest temple or two if you still have the energy. Day two is the highlight: drive out toward Sirindhorn in the afternoon, stop off along the way, and reach Wat Phu Prao before sunset to watch the Kalpaphruek tree slowly start to glow as the sky goes dark.

  • Day 1 — In-town temples: Wat Thung Si Mueang (the island scripture hall + Phra Chao Yai Si Mueang) → Wat Maha Wanaram (Phra Chao Yai In Paeng) → Thung Si Mueang park in the evening
  • Day 2 — Forest temples + Phu Prao: Wat Nong Pa Pong → Wat Pa Nanachat → drive out to Sirindhorn → the glowing Wat Phu Prao at dusk
  • Short on time — you can cut it to a single day: morning at Wat Thung Si Mueang, then drive straight out to Phu Prao in the afternoon to wait for the glow
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Day 1 — Temples in Ubon Town

No need to rush today — the in-town temples open early and sit close together. Start at Wat Thung Si Mueang, the heart of the in-town temple cluster, then work your way to the others. Getting around town is easy by car or motorbike, and there's enough parking.

Day 1

Old Temples in the Heart of Town

08:30
Wat Thung Si Mueang — pay respects to Phra Chao Yai Si Mueang in the assembly hall, then walk over to the scripture hall on the waterThe wooden scripture hall in the middle of the pond is the highlight, built over water to keep ants and insects from getting at the palm-leaf manuscripts. The old ordination hall beside it has aged murals worth a look. Take your shoes off before entering the hall.
10:00
Wat Maha Wanaram (Wat Pa Yai) — pay your respects to Phra Chao Yai In Paeng, the guardian Buddha of UbonIt's only a few minutes from Wat Thung Si Mueang. Phra Chao Yai In Paeng is a large Buddha image in the subduing-Mara posture, deeply revered by locals, who often come to make vows about work and studies.
11:30
Break for lunch around townUbon is a genuine food town — this area has everything from Vietnamese kuay jab to mooyor sausage. Pick a nearby spot and refuel before the afternoon.
13:30
Wander to a few small temples around town as you like, or head back to rest at your hotelUbon's afternoon sun is harsh — no need to push it. Save your energy for a walk around Thung Si Mueang in the cooler evening instead.
17:00
Thung Si Mueang park — stroll in the cool evening air and see the Candle Festival monumentThis central plaza is where Ubon locals come to exercise and walk in the evening. If you're here during the Candle Festival in July, it's especially lively.

On what to wear to temples

Several of the in-town temples are royal temples, so dress modestly — skip the shorts and tank tops. Women will feel more at ease carrying a shawl, especially if you plan to go in and pay respects inside the halls.

Day 2 — Forest Temples, Finishing at Phu Prao

Day two is all about the glowing temple, but the glow doesn't kick in until dusk, so you've got plenty of daytime to fill. We spend the morning into the afternoon on the forest temples of Luang Pu Cha first — quiet temples with shady trees, a completely different mood from the in-town ones — then drive out to Sirindhorn in the late afternoon to reach Phu Prao right before sunset.

Day 2

Forest Temples → the Glowing Wat Phu Prao

08:30
Wat Nong Pa Pong — a forest temple in the Luang Pu Cha Subhaddo tradition; walk among the shady trees and soak up the calmIt's in Warin Chamrap District and has a Luang Pu Cha museum to visit. It's very quiet — please keep the silence and stay composed, as you would at a practicing temple.
10:00
Wat Pa Nanachat — a branch temple where foreign monks spend the rains retreatIt's in Ban Bung Wai, Warin Chamrap, set up by Luang Pu Cha for foreigners to practice. It's a working monastery, not a photo spot, so visit quietly and respectfully.
11:30
Find lunch around Warin, then fill up on fuel and get ready for the long driveThis afternoon you'll be driving out of town to Sirindhorn, so eat well and use the restroom first — there are fewer shops ahead.
13:30
Drive toward Sirindhorn District, the road to the Chong Mek crossing (about 70 km from town)Reckon on a little over an hour. The road is good and easy to drive, and there's the Sirindhorn Dam along the way for a photo stop to kill time if you arrive early.
16:30
Arrive at the glowing Wat Phu Prao — see the ordination hall, the Kalpaphruek tree, and the view while there's still daylightWhile the sun's still up you can see the Kalpaphruek tree on the back of the hall in its normal colors, plus the view across to Laos in the distance. Walk around to fill the time until the sky goes dark.
18:15
Wait for dusk — the Kalpaphruek tree slowly glows green as the sky darkensThis is the moment you've waited all day for. The glowing tree shows clearest once the sky is fully dark, and the darker the moon, the clearer it gets. You can stay and shoot photos until around 19:30.

How to photograph the glowing Kalpaphruek tree

The glow comes from a luminescent material that soaks up sunlight all day, so you have to wait for full dark to see it clearly. Use a recent phone in night mode, or if you've got a camera, set it on a tripod and use a slow shutter for a crisp green shot. Avoid shining a flashlight straight at the tree — it washes out the glow and disturbs everyone else trying to take photos.

The Glowing Wat Phu Prao — What to Know Before You Go

Its official name is Wat Sirindhorn Wararam Phu Prao, but everyone calls it the glowing temple. What people come to see is the wall on the back of the ordination hall, made into an image of a Kalpaphruek (golden shower) tree using tiles coated in a luminescent material. It soaks up sunlight by day, then releases a green glow after dark in the shape of a full, towering tree. It's genuinely beautiful, and it's become a symbol of Ubon.

  • Location — Sirindhorn District, on the road to the Chong Mek crossing, about 70 km from Ubon town
  • When to go — arrive before sunset (around 16:30–17:00) so you catch both the daytime view and the glow; you can stay until around 19:30
  • Glows brightest — once the sky is fully dark; the clearer the night and the darker the moon, the more vivid it is
  • Entry fee — no admission charge, but there are donation boxes if you'd like to make merit
  • Heads up — it's a hilltop temple, and the final stretch of road up is fairly steep; drive carefully on the way back down after dark

Honestly, on long weekends and during festivals it gets very crowded and the parking fills up fast — a weekday is far more relaxed. And don't expect the glow to be the intense green you see in color-edited photos. The real thing is lovely, but it's a soft green; the naked eye picks it up clearly once the sky is fully dark.

Wat Thung Si Mueang — a Rare Scripture Hall on the Water

If the glowing temple is the wow of the night, Wat Thung Si Mueang is the kind of old you can enjoy all day. The highlight is the scripture hall on the water — a wooden library for holding manuscripts, set in the middle of a pond. It was deliberately built over water so ants and insects couldn't climb up and eat the palm-leaf scriptures — a piece of old-world ingenuity you'll only find at a handful of places in Thailand.

  • The scripture hall on the water — a wooden building in the middle of the pond, blending Thai, Burmese, and Lao craftsmanship; genuinely beautiful and genuinely old
  • Phra Chao Yai Si Mueang — an old principal Buddha in the assembly hall, dating to the early years of Ubon's founding
  • The old ordination hall — an aged hall with murals to see, a reminder that this was once a place where the town's craftsmanship was taught
  • Location — right in town, near Thung Si Mueang park, with an easy walk on to other temples and places to eat

If You Want to Add More Temples

Ubon has plenty more temples to see. If you've got time to spare, work a few extras into the plan based on whichever tradition appeals to you.

In town

Wat Maha Wanaram (Wat Pa Yai)

A royal temple housing Phra Chao Yai In Paeng, the guardian Buddha of the city and deeply revered by Ubon locals.

Warin Chamrap

Wat Nong Pa Pong

A forest temple in the Luang Pu Cha Subhaddo tradition, focused on practice and quiet, with a museum to visit.

Warin Chamrap

Wat Pa Nanachat

A branch temple where foreign monks spend the rains retreat; quiet and peaceful, best visited respectfully.

Temple-Hopping Without a Car

For in-town temples like Wat Thung Si Mueang and Wat Maha Wanaram, a motorbike taxi or a ride-hailing app gets you there easily. But the glowing Wat Phu Prao is 70 km out and you need to stay until dark, and public transport doesn't reach it conveniently. The easiest option is to charter a car or buy a half-day afternoon-into-evening tour — several operators in town run programs specifically to take you out and wait for the glow.

  • Rent and drive yourself — the most flexible, and you control the timing; good if you're up for the longer drive
  • Charter a car with a driver — relaxed, and you don't have to drive back in the dark; ask at your hotel or a car-rental shop in town
  • Half-day glowing-temple tour — someone gets you there and times the glow for you; good if you're traveling solo or would rather not drive

Want a well-located place to stay in Ubon town as a base for temple-hopping?

See the Top 10 Ubon hotels →

FAQ

What time does the glowing Wat Phu Prao open, and when should you go?

The best plan is to arrive before sunset, around 16:30–17:00, to see the daytime view first, then wait for the sky to darken so the Kalpaphruek tree starts to glow. It's clearest once the sky is fully dark, and you can usually stay and take photos until about 19:30.

How far is the glowing Wat Phu Prao from Ubon town?

It's in Sirindhorn District, on the road to the Chong Mek crossing, about 70 km from Ubon town — a little over an hour by car. The road is good and easy to drive, but the final stretch up the hill is fairly steep, so drive carefully on the way back down after dark.

Can you visit the glowing temple and Wat Thung Si Mueang in the same day?

Yes, but you need to time it well, since they're in opposite directions. We'd suggest doing Wat Thung Si Mueang and the in-town temples in the morning, then driving out to Sirindhorn in the afternoon to wait for the glowing temple at dusk. If you'd rather not rush at all, splitting it into two days is far more comfortable.

How should you dress for temples in Ubon, and is there an entry fee?

Dress modestly — skip the shorts and tank tops, especially at the royal temples — and women will do well to carry a shawl. Most temples have no entry fee, just donation boxes if you'd like to make merit.

Can you do an Ubon temple trip without your own car?

For the in-town temples, a motorbike taxi or a ride-hailing app will get you there. But the glowing Wat Phu Prao is far out and you have to stay until dark, and public transport isn't convenient. The easiest option is to charter a car with a driver, or buy a half-day tour that takes you out specifically to wait for the glow.

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