Wat Si Saket Religious Site

Hours: Daily 8am-5pm

Admission: Approx. 5,000 LAK (~$0.50) (typical foreign visitor fee)

Wat Si Saket is an early 19th-century Buddhist temple in central Vientiane, Laos, founded in 1818. It is notable for its extensive collection of Buddha images and its survival of the 1828 attack that destroyed many other temples.

The temple features a long, pillared cloister lined with rows of small seated and standing Buddha statues numbering in the thousands, as well as an ornate ordination hall. The complex provides close-up views of the statues and traditional Lao temple architecture, including tiled roofs and painted woodwork.

Commissioned by King Anouvong (Chao Anouvong) in 1818, Wat Si Saket was built in the Siamese architectural style and later sheltered its Buddha images during the 1828 Siamese occupation of Vientiane. Its relative survival has made it one of the city’s best-preserved historic temples.

The temple is located in the heart of Vientiane, a short walk from the riverside and the city’s main administrative and market areas, within easy reach of other central landmarks.

• Founding date: Built in 1818 on the orders of King Anouvong (Chao Anouvong).
• Buddha images and survival: The temple contains thousands of Buddha images displayed in its cloister and halls and is one of the few Vientiane temples to survive the 1828 sacking.

Wat Si Saket is in central Vientiane on Lan Xang Road, within easy walking distance of the Mekong riverfront and the Presidential Palace (about a 5-10 minute walk).

From Wattay International Airport take a taxi or tuk‑tuk to the city centre (roughly 10-15 minutes). Many visitors reach the temple on foot from nearby central stops such as the Talat Sao (morning market) area.

• Go first thing in the morning when the temple is cooler and you'll often see local monks and devotees - that's when the cloister and inner galleries feel most peaceful.
• Don't miss the temple's cloister galleries: Wat Si Saket's long enclosed galleries contain thousands of small Buddha images and classic Lao murals that many visitors only glimpse briefly.
• Combine your visit with a short walk to nearby Haw Phra Kaew and the Presidential Palace area - they're very close, so you can see several of Vientiane's main historic sites without extra travel.