Wat Sirindhorn Phu Prao
Ubon's Glowing Temple

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

Wat Sirindhorn Phu Prao sits on Phu Prao hill in Chong Mek subdistrict, Sirindhorn district, right near the Chong Mek border crossing with Laos. It's a forest temple founded back in the 1940s by a monk from the Lao side, then left abandoned for a while before being restored from around 1999. What turned this temple into a destination for the whole country is the image of the glowing Kalpapruek tree on the back wall of the ordination hall — a shot that has ranked among Ubon's most photographed sights for years.

What is the glowing Kalpapruek tree?

The back wall of the ordination hall is decorated with an image of the Kalpapruek, the tree of life in Buddhist tradition, designed by the artist Khunakorn Parinyapunno, who laid every mosaic piece by hand himself. Part of the inspiration came from the tree of life in the film Avatar. The tree is coated in a luminous compound (phosphor / fluorescent paint) that soaks up energy from sunlight during the day, then slowly releases a turquoise-green glow once the sky goes dark. There are no spotlights — the light comes from the wall itself.

The ordination hall is modelled on Wat Xiengthong in Luang Prabang, with each pillar carved with lotus motifs and creatures from the Himmapan forest, and the path up shaded by big trees. So even if you come during the day before the tree glows, there's still some lovely architecture to take in.

What time to go to see it glow

This is the question people ask most, and it's where a lot of visitors slip up — because the tree only "glows" clearly once the sky is dark enough. If you turn up in the late afternoon and leave early, you'll just see an ordinary mosaic wall and miss the green light altogether.

• The golden window, 6:00–7:30 PM — arrive a little before sunset and wait for the sky to turn deep blue (blue hour); the tree gradually glows green. This is the most beautiful stretch, because you can still make out the shape of the hall against the green light.
• After 7:30 PM — the sky is fully dark and the green light is at its strongest, but the background goes pure black. Good for anyone who wants a shot of the glowing tree on its own.
• Before 6:00 PM — look around the architecture, walk the grounds, catch the sunset view, then wait for the green glow. It's the smart way to manage your time, since you're not just sitting around waiting.

Getting there from Ubon city

The temple is about 70–90 kilometres from Ubon Ratchathani city, roughly a 1 hour 20 minute drive along the Ubon–Chong Mek route (Highway 217) heading toward the Chong Mek crossing, then turning up Phu Prao hill following the temple signs. The road up is a little steep but an ordinary car handles it easily.

• Private car / rental — the most convenient option, since no public transport runs all the way to the temple. Rent a car in Ubon city and drive yourself for the best control over your timing, especially for the night drive back.
• Chartered car / taxi — if you'd rather not drive, hire a car for the afternoon–evening half day and have it wait until you're done with the glowing tree. The price is negotiable depending on group size.
• Pair it with Chong Mek — since the temple is near the Chong Mek crossing, many people stop at the Chong Mek border market in the afternoon, then head up to the temple in the evening to make the most of the route.

Admission, opening hours, and what to know

• Open daily around 6:00 AM–9:00 PM — but if you're coming for the glow, aim for 6:00–8:00 PM.
• No admission fee — it's a temple; donate as you see fit.
• Dress modestly — this is a forest temple and a sacred site, so dress neatly and keep noise down.
• Bring mosquito repellent — it's a hillside temple with lots of trees, and the mosquitoes get fairly thick in the evening.
• A tripod — light is low in the evening, so if you want sharp photos, bring a tripod or find a steady surface to rest your camera on.

What else to see nearby

A half-day to evening plan