The Million Bottles Temple in Sisaket

The Million Bottles Temple in Sisaket is about 60 km from Sisaket, toward the Cambodian border. It is a Buddhist temple, just like there are thousands in Thailand. However, something is quite unique: It was build with empty bottles! Thousands and Thousands of bottles. Beer bottles, red bud bottles, pepsi bottles, and also some pictures are done with caps bottles.

This is maybe the most beautiful and famous but there are 15 to 20 buildings around with bottles.

The Million Bottles Temple in Sisaket, also known as Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew

The Million Bottles Temple, also known as Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew, is a Buddhist temple that stands out for its remarkable construction materials – recycled beer bottles. I was founded in 1984 by a group of Buddhist monks who had a vision of creating a place of worship that also promoted environmental consciousness. Over the years, the monks and local volunteers collected millions of discarded beer bottles, which were then meticulously cleaned and used as building blocks for the temple’s structures. The result is a stunning display of sustainable architecture, with intricate patterns and vibrant colors created by the different bottle types and hues.

This give you a good example of their work.

If you are around Sisaket in Thailand, this worths visiting it. It is a very special temple and you won’t see anything like this anywhere else. We asked a monk why did they started to make building with bottles? He simply said that it was better than throwing them in the garbage! A good example of reincarnation….

Conservation and eco-friendly place

Aside from its unique construction, the Million Bottles Temple also serves as a center for education and community development. The temple offers programs and workshops on environmental conservation, recycling, and sustainable living, aiming to raise awareness among locals and visitors alike. Moreover, the temple actively engages with the local community by supporting various initiatives that promote eco-friendly practices. For example, they collaborate with nearby villages to develop sustainable tourism products and services, providing economic opportunities for the residents while ensuring that the natural environment is protected. If I was in the area of Sisaket, I would also visit the Aquarium of Sisaket. It’s probably the best in Isaan. You will find around 40 of our pictures here about the million bottles temple in Thailand here. Have a look, it is unique. These pictures are from 2014 and tons of temples were still under contruction: http://www.flickr.com/photos/50651722@N03/sets/72157649420845146/

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A Temple Built from Recycled Glass

Wat Lan Khuat (วัดล้านขวด) – literally ‘Temple of a Million Bottles’ – is one of the most distinctive temples in Thailand. Located near Khun Han in Sisaket province, the temple was built over many decades by monks who collected discarded beer and liquor bottles and used them as building materials. The green and brown glass creates a jewel-like mosaic effect on the temple buildings, walls, and decorative structures. On sunny days, the light plays through the glass in ways that ordinary construction materials cannot match.

What You’ll See

The main buildings are constructed with hundreds of thousands of Heineken and Chang beer bottles fitted together with cement. Mosaics made from bottle caps decorate interior walls and columns. The temple grounds include a crematorium, meditation halls, monks’ quarters, and several decorative structures – all featuring the distinctive bottle-studded exterior. The monks continue to accept bottle donations, and the temple reportedly contains over 1.5 million bottles to date. Far from being gimmicky, the temple feels genuinely serene and well-maintained.

Getting There

Wat Lan Khuat is located about 30 km south of Sisaket city near the town of Khun Han, off Highway 226 toward the Cambodian border. Sisaket is about 140 km from Ubon Ratchathani and around 360 km from Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat). The temple is free to visit and open daily. It combines well with a visit to Khao Phra Wihan National Park (Preah Vihear) just across the Cambodian border, one of the most spectacular Khmer temple sites in the region.

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