Rating: 4.5/5 (4 votes)

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 08:00 – 17:00

 

Wat Noen Kho is a community temple under the Mahanikaya order, located in Noen Kho Subdistrict, Klaeng District, Rayong. Rooted in the early Rattanakosin era, the temple grew out of local faith on a low hill once covered with “kho” trees, which gave the place its simple yet evocative name. The temple has long served as a quiet anchor for village life, where everyday devotion, seasonal rituals, and shared memories continue to shape a gentle rhythm of living.

 

According to local accounts, the sanctuary began taking shape around 1819 CE (B.E. 2362) and was formally established as a temple a few years later (B.E. 2367). On 10 August 1948 (B.E. 2491), it was granted the boundary of wisungkhamsima, marking its formal status within the ecclesiastical administration. Today, a few kho trees are still planted near the entrance, so visitors can literally see the living clue to the temple’s name as they enter the grounds.

 

The spiritual heart of Wat Noen Kho is a mandapa enshrining a replica of the Buddha’s footprint and a serene Buddha image in the Maravijaya posture. Nearby, a collection of everyday antiques — earthen jars, old ceramics, woven implements, and a stone mortar for medicines — is kept by the temple’s center as a modest, living archive of local life. These humble objects, once held by ordinary hands, now quietly retell how people cooked, preserved food, made and mended, and cared for one another in earlier times.

 

The original mandapa was a timber structure. As the years took their toll, the building was carefully rebuilt for safety while retaining the spirit of the old design. Parts of the original timber have been preserved by the meditation center as tangible reminders of collective effort: villagers and monks rebuilding together, grain by grain, beam by beam — a history you can actually touch.

 

On ordinary days, the temple yard is shaded by big trees. The elderly recite evening chants softly, children amble about with an intuitive sense of when to be quiet, lay supporters tidy up the kitchen for merit-making, and the bell punctuates time without hurry. On Buddhist holy days, the place livens up with candlelit circumambulations, yet the mood remains unpretentious — more like a neighborhood gathering than a grand ceremony. For travelers seeking cultural texture, this slow, steady faith is the real draw.

 

Beyond the sangha quarters, the surrounding landscape keeps its Eastern Seaboard charm: fruit orchards in season, small irrigation canals, and village lanes that still favor conversation over speed. A one-day plan is easy to craft: pay respects at the footprint in the morning, meander through a community orchard, then finish by the sea in late afternoon. One outing, three threads — religion, culture, and nature — woven without force.

 

Getting There From Klaeng town, follow the main route into Noen Kho Subdistrict; signs point the way for the final approach to the temple yard, where on-site parking is available. If arriving by public transport, take a bus or van to Klaeng Market and continue by local songthaew or taxi for the short final leg. During festivals or Buddhist holy days, plan to arrive a little earlier for easier parking and unhurried visits.

 

 

A: The mandapa enshrining a replica of the Buddha’s footprint and the Maravijaya Buddha image, plus a small, thoughtful display of local antiques curated by the temple.

 

A: The temple stands on a hill (“noen”) that once had many kho trees; a few are still planted by the entrance as a living reminder of the name.

 

A: Early morning is cool and quiet; late afternoon offers gentle light for photos. Buddhist holy days bring candlelit processions and community participation.

 

A: Take a bus or van to Klaeng Market, then continue by local songthaew or taxi for the short remaining distance to the temple.

 

A: Yes. The shaded yard, simple architecture, and unhurried pace make it a calm place for sitting, slow walking, and gentle contemplation.