Temples of Laos: Wat Inpeng, Vientiane

Wat Inpeng is one of four temples that sit close to each other in the centre of Vientiane, close to the river front. Although it is located right in the main guest house area of the city, I noticed that most people seem to just walk past the temple. I decided to take a closer look, and I was quite impressed with what I found.

The main gate into the temple

Because there were no other tourists there, I really wasn’t sure if I was allowed to enter, however the few monks that were sitting in the gardens didn’t seem to mind me taking a look. Obviously not a main tourist site, there was no information about the history of Wat Inpeng. To me it doesn’t look all that old, however what I found most impressive was the beautiful artwork that decorates the temple.

One of the statues guarding the stairway

Artwork on the walls and roof

Decorations at the entrance

The main doorway into the temple – closed

The doors to the temple were closed, but I was happy to have been able to see the incredible artwork on the outside, before wandering around the gardens, which I always find to be a very peaceful experience.

A shrine in the gardens

An old shrine in the gardens. This looks like the oldest part of the temple.

Just because no one else goes to a certain place, it doesn’t mean that there is nothing there to see. You should always find out for yourself, you might be pleasantly surprised.