Just outside Ubon Ratchathani, near the bus station, lies Wat Nong Bua, a temple renowned for its architecture, rare in Thailand and unique in the region. It bears a strong resemblance to the Mahabodhi Bodhgaya in India, which served as the model for Wat Phra That Nong Bua. The 55-meter-high stupa, with its white, square base, is adorned with gold. It stands in the center of a square marble plaza, at the corners of which are smaller stupas. The central stupa was built upon a smaller stupa, which is now housed within the main stupa and can be visited. Surrounding these elements are other, less remarkable structures, including a large, newer ubosot with large round windows and a seated Buddha in front.

Free entry. Open from 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

To get there, you can take songthaew number 10, which will drop you off at the beginning of the alley leading to the temple. Songthaew number 11 stops 50 meters before. Tell the driver or other passengers that you want to go to Wat Phra That Nong Bua so you can get off at the right moment (when the songthaew leaves the main road and turns left after the university, wait 100 meters. The temple entrance is almost in the middle of the street).

Wat Phra That Nong Bua is a temple, and when visiting a temple in Thailand there are some rules to follow: appropriate clothing (knees and shoulders should be covered), take off your shoes when entering the building, be quiet, do not hug or kiss, do not point your feet at the Buddha statue, do not smoke.

How to get there

How do I get to Wat Phra That Nong Bua? Take songthaew number 10, which will drop you off at the beginning of the alley leading to the temple. Songthaew number 11 stops 50 meters before. Tell the driver or other passengers that you want to go to Wat Phra That Nong Bua so you can get off at the right moment (when the songthaew leaves the main road and turns left after the university, wait 100 meters. The temple entrance is almost in the middle of the alley).