Peaceful Wat Nong Pa Phong is known for its quiet discipline and daily routine of work and meditation. The founding teacher, Luang Pu Cha, passed away in 1992, but he established nearly 100 branch monasteries and thousands of followers, including dozens of Western monks, who went on to establish branches in the UK, Europe and elsewhere. The temple is about 10km past the river. Sŏrng·tăa·ou 3 gets you within 2km; a motorcycle taxi (if one is available) should cost 20B.
The temple is cleverly designed so that the three-storey museum and golden chedi, where Luang Pu Cha’s relics are interred, are sectioned off from the interior of the monastery, so that visitors do not disturb the monks' practice. The museum displays an odd assortment of items, from Luang Pu Cha’s worldly possessions to world currencies, skeletons and fetuses (for reflection on birth and death).
