Wat Tham Pha Keung — Attraction in Khon Kaen Province

One of the best temples I have visited. Great view of the Wiang Khao basin and the sugar cane fields with an abundance of banana trees. The temple is kept immaculate and the older temple is just below. Here you can see the original rock and where ancient meditation took place. The teachings continue and many student hut style houses are present in the forest. Monks and students continue normal day to day life. From the market town of Phu Wiang head out to Nong Kham 11km. From Nong Kham the dinosaurs museum is around 4km and the temple 7km. Lots of temples can be seen in the whole surrounding villages. Nong Kham has a supermarket at the Fresh Market and you can stock up on all essentials to make a fantastic day within Wiang Khao and up in the...

Nestled on a hill within the Phu Wiang National Park, this temple is a remarkable destination. The ascent to the temple is not overly steep, but attention is required as you enter the temple gates. Once atop, a spacious parking area awaits before you ascend the stairway to the shrine. The standout feature is the elevated shrine itself, offering a panoramic view of the charming old town encircled by the lush Phu Wiang mountains. Within the shrine, a staircase leads to two more levels. The second level boasts a balcony for taking in the view, while the third level houses the sacred Emerald...

Maybe the most scenic of Phu Wiang's mountain monasteries. It is well developed with a good access road all the way up to the temple as well as a large parking lot fitting even dozens of busses. From this site you can overlook the entire bowl shaped valley forming Wiang Kao District. Part of the area has been afforested from degraded farmland and has since turned into a tropical forest again.

The abbot was very friendly and extended the kind of welcoming atmosphere that generally sets Phu Wiang apart from other more tourist centric locations.

If you go to see the dinosaurs don't...