Wat Xieng Ngeun is one of the small working temples tucked into central Vientiane, close enough to the riverfront and guesthouse streets that many travellers pass it without planning to. Its gilded ornament and quiet courtyard offer a quick reminder that the Lao capital is still threaded with neighbourhood religious life.
Do not expect the importance of Wat Si Saket or Pha That Luang. This is a gentle, low-key stop: take off your shoes where required, move respectfully around monks and worshippers, and use it to slow down between the city's larger sights.