Wat Pa Phu Kon / The Blue Temple
Stunning Temple, Inspiring Location
Wat Pa Phu Kon sits on top of a hilly woodland in a remote part of Na Yung–Nam Som National Park. During the day its turquoise-green roofs shimmer the sunlight back through the forest like sunbursts off a mountain stream. At night the temple's warm yellow lights glow brilliantly against the blackened mountains, creating the illusion of a ship floating across dark ocean waters.
White Marble Reclining Buddha
The interior of the temple is no less striking than the outside. Within the Wihan, or main assembly hall, lies a 20m statue of a Reclining Buddha. This iconic image represents the historical Buddha during his last illness when he is about to enter nibbāna and gain release from the cycle of rebirth.
The statue was crafted entirely of Italian Carrara White Marble, sourced from the same quarries as Michelangelo's David, Sheikh Zayed Mosque and Marble Arch London. On auspicious occasions, dappled light shines through the stained glass ceiling, casting an array of mesmerizing patterns over the Buddha statue.
The Protector of the Forest
The opulence of Wat Pa Phu Kon's interior and exterior is equally striking to locals and tourists alike. The temple's name actually translates as Temple on the Hill of the Forest, and around it lies a third treasure: from its veranda you can gaze down on a valley made up of 400 acres of preserved forest that stretches out beyond the limits of your eyes, taking in woodlands that straddle the three provinces of Udon Thani, Loei and Nong Khai. On a clear day Laos is also visible to the North and North East.
The temple was designed as a monastery for forest preservation and to remind people about the essentialness of nature. Its hilltop location is a perfect perch from which to act as the forest's guardian, casting a protective gaze over the woodlands and animals that lay beneath it.
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The Building of Wat Pa Phu Kon
Wat Pa Phu Kon was built between 2010 and 2013, though the seeds that led to its creation were planted in 1984. Phra Ajarn Fan Ajaro, a famous Buddhist philosopher in Vipassana Meditation, sent a group of disciples on a pilgrimage to Sakon Nakhon and Udon Thani provinces. Here they were inspired by the work being done at the forestry temple Wat Pa Ban Na Kham Noi to protect forests from destruction through illegal logging, and established a forestry temple of their own while restoring 750 Rai of deforested land.
They were then directed to Phu Kon forest, which was at a point of significant degradation due to both legal and illegal logging. A decision was taken to build a second temple here to again drive preservation of the forest. Permission was granted by the Royal Forest Department in January 1987. Funding for the temple came from one single individual who donated the entire 320m Thai Baht (10m USD) for its construction.
Priceless Preservation
The quality of the design, the intricate details and the quality of the materials may be what draws people to Wat Pa Phu Kon, along with its remote location that makes it unparalleled for observing the night sky. However, what is truly priceless is the preservation of a forest that crosses three provinces and is now a protected home to several endangered animals and rare species of plants.
An Endeavor of Extraordinary Proportions
Building Wat Pa Phu Kon was an endeavour of extraordinary proportions, partly due to its hilltop location and the steepness of the approach making construction difficult, and partly due to the attention to detail in both design and selection of materials.
The marble for the Reclining Buddha was selected personally by Buddhist Monk Puttaborrisatsee, who oversaw the temple's entire construction, from a quarry in Carrara, Italy. There he selected a total of 43 blocks of white marble, each weighing between 15 and 30 tonnes. Shipping the marble back to such a remote location presented layer over layer of further challenges.
Due to the size of the Reclining Buddha, it was actually built first, with the wihan built over the top once it was finished. The cost of the Reclining Buddha alone is reported to be 50m baht.
Touring Wat Pa Phu Kon
The forest around the temple is dense with trees and bamboo, populated by several groups of wild monkeys and peacocks. The road to the temple is heavily tree lined, creating a pretty tree tunnel decorated with beams of sunlight breaking through. As you reach the top and break past the final trees, the splendour of both the temple and the panoramic forest view are laid out before you. The last section of road is also the steepest and should be taken with care.
The temple grounds are dominated by the Wihan, with several smaller buildings nearby housing the gift shop, restaurant and rooms for the monks. Within the temple grounds there are also a hospital, school and facilities for treating injured forest animals.
The temple entrance is guarded by two Chinese style Foo dogs, made from the same Carrara marble as the Reclining Buddha. These sit either side of the short staircase that leads up to the main temple area. Around the temple, most entrances to individual buildings are guarded by further marble Foo Dogs as well as intricately crafted pairs of metal Nagas.
Within the Wihan, the room containing the Reclining Buddha has four massive embossed double bronze doors on each side. A further 22 metal panels sit on the walls surrounding the base on which the Buddha statue sits — made from embossed, partially fire-gilded copper sheet, containing images of the Buddha telling the stories of his journey to attain the 10 perfections.
The splendour of the temple and majesty of the Reclining Buddha are captivating — it is easy to be so distracted by these as to completely miss the spectacular views of the forest below. The valley is especially breathtaking in early morning with the rising sun, and doubly impressive during winter months when it fills with wintery fog. Equally mesmerizing is seeing the temple on a cloudless night when the stars pour over it.
Chedi Prathom Rattanamahaburaphachan
On the road up to Wat Pa Phu Kon, a right junction takes you to Chedi Prathom Rattanamahaburaphachan, a 25-meter high golden stupa built Lanka-style, its design inspired by the architectural style and colour scheme of the Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom — the world's largest stupa.
The stupa sits on a plateau at the top of 200 steps. An inclined elevator to the left of the staircase offers an alternative to the steep climb for just 20 baht per person. Inside the stupa there are two floors of rooms, both with ornate domes richly decorated in gold and red. The orb at the top of the Chedi contains the Holy Buddha's relics.
Getting to Wat Pa Phu Kon
Wat Pa Phu Kon's gates are open from 5:30am, perfect for photographing the sunrise. However, the doors into the temple itself are only open between 8:30am and 5:00pm. Admission is free.
It is in a remote location within Na Yung–Nam Som National Park, about 120km from Udon Thani centre. The easiest way to get there from Udon Thani is by private car, car hire or tour group — the google map location is accurate and the temple is well signposted.
If travelling from Bangkok, it is possible to take an air-conditioned bus to Na Yung Bus Station, which is 8km from Wat Pa Phu Kon. The journey time is about eleven and a half hours, with buses generally leaving in the evening and arriving the following morning.
There is ample parking next to both Wat Pa Phu Kon and Chedi Prathom Rattanamahaburaphachan. You can find a small cafe and a roadside restaurant near the temple, both of which are more than adequate.
