Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WARIN CHAMRAP TEMPLES
The famous monk and meditation master Luang Pu Chah Subhaddo, a former disciple of Luang Pu Man, known
for his simple and direct teaching method, was born in this area. During his exemplary life, Ajahn Chah, as he's
best known, founded the following two famous forest monasteries and hundreds more around the world.
Peaceful
Wat Nong Pa Phong
( dawn-dusk) , his home for most of his monastic life, is known for its quiet
discipline and daily routine of work and meditation, and some Thai-speaking Westerners live here. Spread around
the huge and healthy forest are the golden
chedi
where his relics are interred; an interesting modern, open-sided
bòht
; and a three-storey
museum
( 8am-4.30pm) displaying an odd assortment of items, from his
worldly possessions to sea shells to ancient artefacts to world currencies. The temple is about 10km past the river.
Sŏrng·tăa·ou
3 will take you there, if you tell the the driver where you're going.
A Western-oriented wát opened in 1975 specifically for non-Thais; English is the primary language at
Wat Pa
Nanachat
(
www.watpahnanachat.org
; dawn-dusk) . There's nothing really to see here, but visitors,
if they dress and act respectfully, are welcome to drop by and chat with a senior monk most days between 10am
and noon and can join in other regular teaching activities. Those with previous meditation experience are wel-
come to apply to stay here (write to: Guest Monk, Wat Pa Nanachat, Ban Bung Wai, Amphoe Warin Chamrap,
Ubon Ratchathani 34310). Guests must follow all temple rules including eating just one meal a day and rising at
3am, and after three days men must shave their heads. A
sŏrng·tăa·ou
from Warin Market or any Si Saket bus can
drop you on Rte 226, 400m from the entrance. The wát is in the forest behind the rice fields.
Festivals & Events
Ubon's famous
Candle Parade
(Kabuan Hae Tian)
began during the reign of King Rama V when
the appointed governor decided the rocket festival was too dangerous. The original simple
designs have since grown (with the help of internal frames) to gigantic elaborately carved
wax sculptures. The parade is part of
Khao Phansaa
, which usually happens in July.
Prize-winning candles go on display along Th Srinarong next to Thung Si Meuang for
three days after the parade and most of them will be parked at the city's temples for sever-
al months after. Construction, also done on temple grounds, begins about a month before
the parade. The festival is very popular with Thai tourists and the city's hotels are booked
out long in advance.
fair than that in Nakhon Phanom.
Sleeping
Sri Isan Hotel
HOTEL
$
