Visit Wat Phra That Pha Ngao (Chiang Rai)

Located in the city of Chiang Saen about sixty kilometers from Chiang Rai, this temple is usually visited before or after visiting the Golden Triangle. Wat Phra That Pha Ngao is an ancient and sacred temple. A legend says that if someone gets sick and comes to pray the relics of the Buddha in this temple, he will heal. I did not test so i can not confirm ;). From the plateform with the white chedi perched on a small hill, you can enjoy a panoramic view over the Mekong River and Laos on the other bank. The name 'Pha Ngao' (or shaded rock) comes from the gigantic stone where the chedi is located precisely. In the center, inside the chedi, there are the ruins of the old brick chedi. Below, near the temple entrance is, on the right, the ordination hall with the remains of a statue of Buddha who should be around 1300 years old according to what the monk who was there during my visit told me. There are also some bricks of the old temple. But the most striking element of the temple is probably the library installed on a small pond where people can feed the fishes. The Lanna style interior decorated with red and gold paintings is really beautiful. Wooden boxes containing Buddhist texts from several countries are arranged, each carved in a style symbolizing its country of origin.