World’s biggest gong at Wat Tham Kuha Sawan
World’s biggest gong at Wat Tham Kuha Sawan
The temple has some interesting (architecture) structures, and currently (March 2016) world’s largest gong (their advertising) is under construction, almost finished.
Location :
15.3220304,105.4887539 = 15°19’19.3″N 105°29’19.5″E
(chedi with the golden spires พระธรรมเจดีย์ ศรีไตรภูมี)
Wat Tham Kuha Sawan, Khong Chiam district, Ubon Ratchanthani province
วัดถ้ำคูหาสวรรค์ อำเภอโขงเจียม จังหวัดอุบลราชธานี
Directions:
Went by car with driver by googlemaps. Should be easily accessible by public transport from Ubon Ratchathani to Khong Chiam, and then walking.
Entrance from main road (hwy 2222), the landscape in the background is Lao across Mekhong river:
Phra Thamma Chedi Sri Traiphum พระธรรมเจดีย์ ศรีไตรภูมี, picture of which on the internet raised my interest in this place:
This one looks nice, too. Unfortunately it was locked, couldn’t even get on upper level for a better look of the area.
The temple grounds are decorate with strangely shaped wood, rocks and plants:
World’s largest gong:
On the way from Pibun Mangsahan พิบูลมังสาหาร to Khong Chiam on hwy 2222, we passed at least two gong factories that had large (about 3 m diameter) gongs displayed for advertising, similar to those in the pictures on the banner.
For other wats with big gongs or bells in Thailand, see here:
http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2015/05/unusual-wats.html
The wat has a cave with corpse of monk in glass coffin:
Nearby (1.5 km by air, at Wat Khong Chiam) is where the Mun มูล river flows into the Mekong แม่โขง river. They have different colors, there is a Two-Color River View Point. When I went during dry seasons, I couldn’t see it due to rocks and an island, but on satellite image on google maps (taken during rainy season) you can clearly see the two colors. (Sign at the site says April is best, boats for hire, can even go across to Lao.)
Further reading:
http://www.tourismthailand.org/Attraction/Wat-Tham-Kuha-Sawan–893
http://www.thailandguidebook.com/ubon-ratchathani/wat-tham-kuha-sawan/
Copyright 2016 ChristianPFC
You can read full article here: http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2016/04/worlds-biggest-gong-at-wat-tham-kuha.html
