WAT PHRATHAT BANG PHUAN

The area around Nong Khai is rich in temples, like this one perched on a hill some 20km from the city. Wat Phrathat Bang Phuan is one of the region's most revered temples. Legend has it that the main stupa, built in the 16th century, contains a sacred relic: Buddha's stomach. A dozen other chedi can be found on the site. A basin from which a water naga emerges is used during religious rites and ceremonies for its water, considered sacred. Monks still live here.