Around 100 km west of Udon Thani, in the Na Yung district, Wat Pa Phu Kon is a hillside forest monastery best known for an enormous reclining Buddha carved from a single piece of white Italian marble. The drive out is long but the road is good, and the temple's setting in the wooded hills is a contrast to the flat agricultural landscapes around the city.
Visitors must remove shoes and dress modestly, in keeping with the temple's role as a working meditation centre. Combine with a stop at the Nam Som Forest Park on the way back.