Description
Wat Wong Sri Daram (วัดวงศ์ศรีดาราม) is an Isaan village temple well-worth visiting. Located in Dong Mafai village, about 20 minutes from Sakon Nakhon city, the temple is notable for its large reclining Buddha statue, which is kept in excellent condition within a glass walled pavilion. Although the doors to the pavilion are usually closed, they are not locked. You can slide them open to take a photo and leave a donation.
If you are impressed by this Reclining Buddha, you'll find an even larger one, measuring about 18 meters, at Wat Khok Lo Noi Wanaram (about a 10 minute drive away). However, that Reclining Buddha is in a less pristine condition, because it is housed in an open air pavilion and more exposed the elements of nature.
Wat Wong Sri Daram also exhibits a number of Buddhist and Hindu statues, the likes of which you won't see at other Sakon Nakhon temples. For example, the Singha lions protecting the bell tower have a very unusual appearance that reflects the traditions of Northeastern Thailand folk art.
This Isaan folk tradition is also seen in the intriguing gold monkey statues that are positioned in front of a sculpture of the Buddha. The temple also displays on one of its outer walls an Apsonsi, a half-woman half-lion mythical creature. And near a barbed wire fence at the corner of the temple, you'll find a statue of Arjuna, the son of the Hindu god Indra, who is known for his skills at archery. To view our full gallery of temple photos, please visit our Wat Wong Sri Daram Photo Gallery.
If you happen to get lost while trying to find this Buddhist temple, note that Wat Wong Sri Daram is also referred to Ban Dong Mafai locals as Wat Noi (วัดน้อย), so if asking for directions, it would be best to ask where Wat Noi is: Wat Noi yoo tee nai? Lastly, if you're touring around this part of Sakon Nakhon, we would highly recommend traveling another 15 minutes in the direction of Udon Thani to visit Wat Chaeng Saeng Arun to view their large collection of Buddhist statues.
