Wat Si Ubon Rattanaram (Wat Si Thong)

Wat Si Ubon Rattanaram, still commonly called by its older name Wat Si Thong, is a royal temple on Uparat Road in Ubon Ratchathani, just south of the provincial hall. It’s free to enter, and its main draw is Phra Kaeo Butsarakham — a Buddha image carved from a topaz-coloured gemstone, kept inside a glass cabinet in the ordination hall and regarded as one of the province’s most sacred Buddhist objects.

The temple was founded in 1855 under King Mongkut (Rama IV), and its ordination hall was built to echo the design of Wat Benchamabophit in Bangkok — the “Marble Temple” — giving it a more formal, royal-capital look than most temples in this part of Isan. Belonging to the Thammayut order (the stricter of Thailand’s two main monastic lineages), it carries the classification of a third-class royal temple, a status the monarchy grants for sites of particular historical or religious weight. Morning and evening chanting still happens daily, and the grounds carry the quiet, unhurried pace of a temple that functions primarily for the local community rather than for tour groups.

Insider Tip: If your trip lines up with Songkran (13-15 April), come specifically for the Phra Kaeo Butsarakham water-pouring ceremony — the temple brings the image out of its cabinet for the public to bathe it, which doesn’t happen the rest of the year.

Dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered — and remove your shoes before entering the ordination hall. The temple sits within easy walking or tuk-tuk distance of central Ubon Ratchathani, so it pairs well with a stop at the Ubon Ratchathani National Museum a short ride away. Outside of Songkran, plan on 20-30 minutes here; most of the interest is concentrated in the ordination hall itself rather than sprawling grounds.