Being perhaps the least remarkable of the temples in downtown Vientiane doesn’t necessarily make it any less interesting to visit.

Located directly opposite Chao Anouvong Park and the Chao Anouvong statue, Wat Xieng Nyeun is mostly overlooked by the crowds of tourists that flock to the better-known alternatives. It means visitors can get a more authentic glimpse of the daily workings of a Buddhist temple.

Less shaded than most of the other temples, it is best visited in the morning or evening when the light offers better photo opportunities of the temple’s nine-headed Naga statue, golden spires and intricate tombs.