Wat Wichian Bamrung

Wat Wichian Bamrung, in the town of Wichian Buri in southern Phetchabun province, was founded in 1928 as Wat Tha Nam — “Landing Temple” — after the river pier it stood beside. The name changed once the ordination hall was built in 1953, and the temple received its most recent royal land consecration in January 2006. Entry is free.

The temple’s landmark is Phra Phuttha Sai Yat Wichian Buri Sri Rattana Ming Mongkol, an outdoor reclining Buddha around 50 metres long and 5 metres high, gilded and facing east. A relic said to come from the Buddha’s collarbone is enshrined inside the image. Behind it stands a memorial to three Ayutthaya-era royal siblings — King Naresuan the Great, Princess Suphankanlaya and King Ekathotsarot — a reminder that this stretch of the central plains sat on historic royal travel routes long before Wichian Buri existed as a town.

Because the reclining Buddha sits in the open rather than inside a hall, it’s visible, and photographable, at any time of day, which makes this one of the more low-key, unhurried stops in a region better known for its hill scenery further north around Khao Kho and Nam Nao. Locals visit for merit-making rather than tourism, and outside Buddhist holy days the grounds are quiet.

Insider Tip: Late afternoon light works best for photographing the reclining Buddha. It faces east, so it’s backlit for most of the morning.

Wichian Buri sits well south of Phetchabun’s better-known hill attractions, so this is more a stop en route between Lopburi or Saraburi and the provincial capital than a standalone destination. Reach it by car or motorbike from central Wichian Buri; dress modestly and remove shoes if entering any covered hall. Combine it with Si Thep Historical Park if you’re tracing the province’s older history, or with Wat Phra That Pha Son Kaew if you’re continuing north toward Khao Kho.