Stunning Temples to Visit in Southeast Asia
In today’s article we will present to you several stunning temples to visit in Southeast Asia.
Stunning countries are all over the world, but the ones in Southeast Asia have something special.
Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, these are few of them that are filled with ancient history, world heritage sites and ancient temples.
And those temples are something worth seeing and they offer an unique experience.
They can even make you feel like Lara Croft when she traveled to Cambodia to get the Triangle of Light.
So let’s get straight to business and see which are those!
10Pura Besakih,Bali, Indonesia
And we begin our top 10 with this amazing temple, Pura Besakih.
Also known as the Mother Temple of Besakih, Pura Besahik is the largest and holiest temple of Hindu religion, located in Bali, Indonesia.
It features 23 separate Hindu temples, built on the southern slope of the volcanic Mount Agung.
And each year, there are several festivals, around 70 to be more specific, held here.
In 1995, Mother Temple of Besakih was nominated as a ‘World Heritage Site‘.
Gold, gold everywhere! –>
9Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang, Laos
Located on the northern tip of the peninsula of Luan Phrabang, Laos, Wat Xieng Thong represents one of the most important of Laos’ monasteries.
Also known as the Temple of the Golden City, it features over 20 structures, and pavilions, residences and shrines are included.
And to make it look even more stunning, the Buddhist temple is embellished with ornamental shrubs, trees and a large variety of flowers.
You can say it looks like a royal palace. Actually it was. Wat Xien Thong was built in 1559 and before 1975, it acted as a royal palace.
Not only the temple, but the entire city of Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Pha That Luang is a temple completely covered in gold.
8Pha That Luang, Vientiane, Laos
An entirely temple covered in gold. Beautiful!
The Buddhist stupa temple Pha That Luang is located in the centre of Vientiane, Laos.
Some people said it was built in the 3rd Century, to house the breastbone of Buddha.
The temple is made of 3 levels, the first measuring 223 feet by 226 feet, the second one is 157 feet along each side, and the 3rd level is 98 feet along each side.
The entire temple measures 147.6 feet in height, from ground to pinniacle.
Its surrounding area is gated, in order to keep traffic out.
It is a shame that this temple was damaged. –>
7Wat Rong Khun, Chiang Rai, Thailand
Foreigners know this temple as the White Temple.
Designed in 1997 by Chalermchai Kositpipat, Wat Rong Khun is a contemporary Buddhist temple located in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand.
Although is less than 20 years old, it is one of the most stunning temples in Southeast Asia.
Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat said : ‘I wished to build a temple like heaven. It is paradise on Earth, the human world can touch.‘
This year, on May 5, Wat Rong Khun was heavily damaged by the earthquake that struck the province, in Mae Lao and its designer decided to demolish the whole temple and not rebuild it. We hope he will reconsider.
6Temple of Literature, Hanoi, Vietnam
Located in Hanoi, northern Vietnam, the Temple of Literature hosts Vietnam’s first national university, named ‘Imperial Academy’.
Built in 1070, the beautiful temple is one of the several temples in Vietman which are dedicated to Confucius, scholars and sages.
It covers on area of over 54000 square metres, featuring the Literature lake, Giam park, and some interior courtyards, surrounded by a brick wall. Its Great Gate opens onto 3 paths.
The centre patch was reserved for the monarch, the one to its right is for military Mandarins and the one to its left for the administrative Mandarins.
Did you know that it is featured on the back of the 100.000 Vietnamese dong banknote?
5Bagan Temples, Myanmar
Bagan is an ancient city located in the Mandalay Region, Myanmar. And it was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan, from the 9th century to 13th century.
Over the course of 250 years, Bagan was filled with over 10.000 religious monuments.
The Bagan Temples are something worth seeing! Especially if you’re with your loved one and wish to watch the sunrise.
The Bagan Temples create a breathtaking silhouette against the sky.
As we said, there are lots of temples in Bagan, but the most imposing ones are the Dhammayangyi Temple and the Gawdawpalin Temple.
For a bit sport, how about 272 steps to climb?
4Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Many of you heard of the amazing Batu Caves.
It is a limestone hill located 13 kilometres north of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is also the name of the nearby village.
The hill features several caves and cave temples, and we’re about to tell you more about that.
Dedicated to Lord Murugan, Ramayana cave features a 50-foot tall statue of Hanuman, a Hindu God.
And if you want to enter the cave, there are 272 steps you need to climb. A little sport never hurt anybody.
3The Baroque Churches of the Philippines
Four Spanish-era churches in the Philippines are united and there you have the Baroque Churches of the Philippines.
It consists of San Agustin Church (Manila), Santa Maria Church (Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur), San Agustin Church ( in Paoay, Ilocos Norte) and Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Church (located in Miag-ao, Iloilo).
In 2003, these 4 stunning churches were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
They have an impressive story. The Baroque Churches of the Philippines were more like a fortress, rather than religious structures, as they had been subject to attacks by hence, rebellions or just local revolts.
And yes, they look more like a fortress.
The next stunning temple is considered the world’s largest religious monument. Lara Croft knows!
2Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia
First a Hindu, then a Buddhist temple, Angkor Wat temple complex is actually the largest religious monument in the world.
Built in the 12th century by the Khmer King Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat is was designed to represent the home of the devas in Hindu mythology, Mount Meru.
Angkor Wat, meaning ‘Temple City’ or ‘City of Temples’, features 3 structures.
The outer one, is a 1024 by 802-meter wall, surrounded by a 30 meters apron of open ground and a moat measuring 190 meters in width.
The central structure is higher than the city, made of 3 rectangular galleries, each level being higher than the last.
Remember that movie starring Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft? And her trip to a temple in Cambodia? It’s the same one.
Are you ready for #1?
1Wat Arun, Bangkok, Thailand
We think this is the most stunning temple in Southeast Asia.
It has a very funny, and very very large name. Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan, or short Wat Arun, is located in Bangkok Yai district of Bangkok, Thailand.
Its name derives from the Hindu GoD Aruna, ‘the radiations of the rising sun’.
The temple features several towers, supported by demons and monkeys, which we find them quite interesting.
Its central prang symbolises Mount Meru. The satellite prang is for the wind God, Phra Phai.
Those demons are from the Ramakien, and the white figure is named Sahassa Deja and the green one, Thotsakan.
The Buddhist temple is well-known for its reflective porcelain-covered tower surface, and you also can view that, but foreigners must pay an entrance fee of $1.55.
These were the 10 Stunning Temples to Visit in Southeast Asia!
We hope you enjoyed our article and we will like to know your opinion about this top list, so make sure you leave in the comment section below!
Stay tuned for more to come!
