Place · Wat Xieng Thong & Nam Khan
Wat Senວັດແສນ
A quiet temple between Wat Xieng Thong and the river: 15 minutes for the Lao-style hall and the courtyard; go after Wat Xieng Thong.
Key facts
- Time on site
- 15–20 min
- p95 30 min
- Price
- Free or ₭10,000–20,000
- adult, 2026 estimate
- Hours
- unknown
- see note below
- Best time
- 08:00 or 17:00
- desk crowd estimate
- 28″ bags
- Painful
- Wat Xieng Thong & Nam Khan: painful
- Getting there
- Kingkitsarath Road, a few minutes' walk from Wat Xieng Thong
- Quiet temple
- Lao style
- After Wat Xieng Thong
- Works with kids
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 8Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…
- Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
- Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
- Laos ↗Get the visa only from the official government e-visa portal or at the airport or border desk; lookalike sites charge extra.
- Laos ↗Carry Lao kip in small notes; small shops, tuk-tuks and markets are cash-only, and Thai baht or US dollars are only accepted at some tourist businesses.
- Laos ↗At dawn alms-giving, watch from across the street, keep quiet, never use flash and never touch a monk.
- Northern Laos ↗Roughly Feb–Apr the north is hazy from crop burning: check the air quality before you book a viewpoint or a long day trip.
- Luang Prabang ↗The old town goes quiet from about 23:00 and many guesthouses lock their door for the night: tell your hotel your arrival time and ask how to ring for the night staff.
- Luang Prabang ↗Dawn alms-giving is a religious act, not a show: stay on the far side of the street, keep quiet, no flash and no touching.
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, what it costs, what to know, how long it takes
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Hours unknown
- Crowds
Quietest around 08:00 or 17:00
MonTueWedThuFriSatSunQuietest Mon–Thu · busiest Sat · desk estimate
- Tickets
- Adult: Free or ₭10,000–20,000 (check)
- Time to spend
- 15–20 min · up to 30 min if you linger
Know before you go
- Wat Sen is an active temple in the Luang Prabang style, with a school for novice monks.
- It is less visited than Wat Xieng Thong, which makes it a good stop for a quiet moment.
- Entry is small or by donation (check).
- Dress modestly and take shoes off before the hall.
Best time of day
Plan 15–20 min inside.
quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate, ordinary weekday
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Time on site
Minimum
10min
Worthwhile
15min
Typical
20min
p95
30min
Opening hours are not printed until verified; the temple is normally open in the daytime.
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- Buy at the entrance on the day.
- Buy from the official site or the ticket desk; resellers add a fee for the same ticket.
- Dress code
- Shoulders and knees covered; shoes off inside the halls.
- Shoes: Off.
- Photos
- Ask before photographing monks.
- What's closed
- WeeklycheckOpen daily in general.
- CeremoniescheckHalls may close.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.
| Ticket | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Free or ₭10,000–20,000 (check) | — |
How to do it well
- 1Walk south-west from Wat Xieng Thong for about 7 minutes along the road.
- 2Enter the courtyard and remove shoes before the hall.
- 3Look at the hall's stencilled and gilded decoration and the carved doors.
- 4Sit for a few minutes; monks study here, so keep quiet.
On the ground
Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Kingkitsarath Road, a few minutes' walk from Wat Xieng Thong
- Exit
- —
- Ticket
- on site · official site
- Stairs
- unknown
- Shoes
- Shoes on.
Crowds and switching
- Crowd clock
- Quiet all day; a few tour groups pass mid-morning.
- Sensory load
- 2/5
- Exposure
- medium
Bailouts
heat
Nam Khan-side café
rain
Covered veranda
Nearest rescue anchor: B — Wat Sen courtyard
Step-free check
- Step-free entrance: partly · partly
- Lifts: check · check
- Accessible toilet: check · check
- Wheelchair: partly · partly
- Stroller: yes · yesok
Steps at the hall; earth paths.
Combine with
- 6 minCafé on the Nam Khan bank
- 7 minWat Xieng Thong
Walk the Wat Xieng Thong & Nam Khan area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
Best photo time today
Sun times for today load in your browser.
Red lines
- Shoulders and knees covered, shoes off inside.
- Do not point your feet at Buddha images or touch monks.
More on the groundSkip it if · With kids
With kids
- with kids
- Short and easy.
- child price
- check
Skip it if
- You are short of time and have seen Wat Xieng Thong.
Deep dive
Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources
Questions and answers
Best time?
Any time; mornings are calmest.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Is it worth a stop?
Yes, for 15 minutes after Wat Xieng Thong.
Is there a fee?
A small fee or donation; check at the gate.
Nearby
Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.
- ClusterWat Xieng Thong & Nam Khannearest point: Wat Sen courtyard10 m · 1 min walk
- PlaceWat Xieng Thong250 m · 4 min walk
- Sleep areaNam Khan riverside260 m · 4 min walk
- ClusterPhou Si, Royal Palace & Wat Mai550 m · 9 min walk
- PlacePhou Si (hill and viewpoint)660 m · 11 min walk
- PlaceRoyal Palace Museum (National Museum)760 m · 12 min walk
Sources
- officialUNESCO — Town of Luang Prabang
- secondaryWikivoyage — Luang Prabang