Wat Sirindhorn Wararam Phu Phrao

A green-blue glow rises from the rear wall of this hilltop ordination hall after dark, and the trick is not electricity: the temple’s famous Tree of Life mural is painted with phosphorescent pigment that absorbs sunlight through the day and releases it at night. Timing is the single fact that matters most here — the paint needs a full charge of daylight and then genuine darkness to show clearly, so a daytime-only visit misses the reason most people come. The effect has made this hilltop temple, in Sirindhorn district near Ubon Ratchathani, one of the province’s most photographed religious sites.

The ordination hall, whose design draws on Wat Xieng Thong in Luang Prabang, is worth seeing in daylight first — the murals and architectural detail are easier to read without needing a flash. As evening sets in, the phosphorescent paintwork on the rear wall begins releasing the sunlight it absorbed during the day, and the branching Tree of Life gradually emerges glowing out of the dark. Reports on exactly when it peaks vary — some visitors describe it as visible from soon after sunset, others say it needs closer to 19:30 for full darkness to show it off properly. Planning to arrive an hour or so before sunset and staying into full dark covers both.

Watch out: The glow is genuinely dimmer through a camera lens than it appears to the naked eye. A phone camera in low-light or night mode captures it better than a standard shot; bring a tripod if you want a clean long-exposure result.

Despite the crowds the glow effect draws, the temple keeps functioning as a working place of worship — locals come for regular prayer, and the courtyard has a quieter, more contemplative feel once the initial photo rush around the ordination hall thins out.

Insider Tip: Combine the visit with the Chong Mek border crossing into Laos, a short drive further on — many day-trippers pair the two rather than making a dedicated round trip from Ubon Ratchathani city just for the temple.

Most visitors drive themselves or join an evening tour from Ubon Ratchathani city, since public transport doesn’t run reliably out to Sirindhorn district after dark. Bring a torch for the walk back to the car park — lighting around the temple grounds is minimal outside the illuminated hall itself.