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Laos forum

Buddhist monasteries in Laos/Vietnam

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Posted by galeforce on 15/5/2008 at 19:39

I am planning a trip to Laos and Vietnam in September 08. Does anyone know any buddhist monasteries in Laos (preferrably) or Vietnam that offer accommodation and/or meditation retreats for lay people?

#1 galeforce has been a member since 15/5/2008. Posts: 1





Posted by wanderingcat on 18/5/2008 at 10:32

don't know of any Lao monasteries that offer accommodation to tourists.

for meditation, Wat Sok Pa Luang in Vientiane has short sessions for foreigners by English-speaking monks on Saturday afternoons. think that's the closest thing Laos has to the type of meditation retreats for non-locals offered in Chiangmai & Northeast Thailand.

for longer retreats, you'll hafta ask around in Vientiane (there's a Wat that has meditation instructors but i cannot recall the name, maybe starts with 'N') or Luang Prabang. but can you speak Lao? the retreats that i know of are meant for training Lao monks & novices, not laymen.

#2 wanderingcat has been a member since 21/10/2006. Posts: 730
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Posted by agarlao on 19/6/2008 at 08:25

Your best bet is Wat Pah Nakoon Noi outside Vientiane. This is the main forest monastery in Laos and oversees Wat Sok Pah Luang mentioned above. Several foreigners have spent time there, mainly French. Some of the monks who live in the monastery speak English and are very experienced in teaching meditation. If you need any help, contact me at agarlao@yahoo.com.

#3 agarlao has been a member since 13/6/2008. Posts: 30

Posted by jesperzac on 10/12/2008 at 06:42

Hi Galeforce,

Did you ever embark on this trip and did you indeed find a monastery which offered accomodation and most importantly training/teaching in meditation?

I have never meditated before, but is very determined to learn it and cannot think of a more suitable place, since I anyway wish to visit Laos.

Thanks for advising.

Best regards,
Jesper

#4 jesperzac has been a member since 10/12/2008. Posts: 1

Posted by Indoluso on 14/1/2010 at 04:39

Hello,

We're going to SE Asia this summer and we've heard about monasteries in Laos which offer accomodation, even for a couple of nights, however we've been searching but found nothing. We aren't looking for a spiritual retreat, we have not enough time for that, just a new experience which we think would be sleeping a couple/four nights in a monastery.

If anyone knows about anything share it please!

Cheers!

#5 Indoluso has been a member since 22/12/2009. Posts: 133

Posted by agarlao on 14/1/2010 at 11:15

Wat Pah Nakoon Noi as mentioned above. Any taxi/tuk-tuk driver will be able to take you there.

#6 agarlao has been a member since 13/6/2008. Posts: 30


Posted by Indoluso on 14/1/2010 at 17:30

Thank you very much for your answer. I just forgot saying that we probably won't be going to Vientiane or Luang Prabang unless we'll find some really cheap flights (due to time restraints), we'll stick to southern Lao. If you know one in the region we'll be glad to hear about it. Otherwise we'll hope for cheap air tickets that'll take us to north Lao.

Cheers!

#7 Indoluso has been a member since 22/12/2009. Posts: 133

Posted by PatyDifusa on 29/4/2015 at 22:25

Thanks for the information. It has been very useful, I'm currently in the monastery. I would only like to add that you can arrive here in the public transport, taking the bus in Da Laat Sao shopping center station, it departures at 11, but schedule can change, so better get there early and check. The bus will leave you on the main road from there to the temple is 3,5km walk.
Check with the bus driver the time for the bus to come back.

#8 PatyDifusa has been a member since 27/3/2015. Posts: 4

Posted by MADMAC on 30/4/2015 at 11:19

I know a place in Thailand where you can become a monk - but you didn't ask for that.

#9 MADMAC has been a member since 6/6/2009. Posts: 6,957
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Posted by exacto on 30/4/2015 at 14:27

MADMAC,

The original post is from 2008, so galeforce could have been a monk for many rainy seasons already. But, as this is a common question, please do include that info on Thai temples that accept westerners. Someone will definitely benefit from that knowledge. Cheers.

#10 exacto has been a member since 12/2/2006. Location: United States. Posts: 2,762
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Posted by MADMAC on 30/4/2015 at 22:26

I didn't look at the date - funny how **** resurfaces.

Here's the place:

http://www.thaipulse.com/blog/thailand-places/attractions/wat-nong-pa-pong-in-warin-chamrap-ubon-ratchathani-province-thailand/

#11 MADMAC has been a member since 6/6/2009. Posts: 6,957
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Posted by LeGoff on 26/11/2015 at 01:34

@PatyDifusa : Hello !
Were you talking about Nakoon Noi ?
I want to go there but haven't been successful with the public buses.
If so, can you let me know how much you paid for the trip and it's duration ?

Thank you very much for the help !

A.

#12 LeGoff has been a member since 26/11/2015. Posts: 1

Posted by Rapha on 8/12/2015 at 00:35

Hey there!



Thanks a lot for that detailled and good insifhts. I am also in Lao and want to go to Wat Pah Nakoon Noi.

But I didn't find it on google maps nor did I find any asress or map of it.



How did you guys get there? Or is there a map avalaible somewhere?



Thanks,

Raphael

#13 Rapha has been a member since 8/12/2015. Posts: 0


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