The Temples of Bangkok

Heading to Bangkok and interested in visiting the temples? A visit to Bangkok is not complete without a thorough venture into one of the most important aspects of the Thai culture – religion.  The temples, or “wats” as they are called in Thai, are extraordinary and impressive.  The time that was spent when creating these temples is evident in the intricate details. There are a lot of temples in Bangkok but these my temple tour focuses on the main three: The Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun.

Getting around Bangkok is easy and reminds me a lot of the subway system in New York – only better.  Bangkok has a underground system – the MRT – and an above ground system called the BTS or Skytrain.  Get a one day pass – costs 150 baht – so you can jump on and off as needed. Otherwise, you pay based on distance/how many stops you are traveling.

What to Wear

Keep in mind that Bangkok is generally always hot and humid – even in the “cool” season. Because you will be walking between the temples, my advice is to wear what you feel comfortable being in all day.  Do keep in mind that Bangkok is not near the beach so don’t dress like you are going to the beach.  I suggest either pants and a sleeved shirt or a maxi dress with a sarong or lightweight sweater to cover your shoulders. The Grand Palace has free sarongs there for you to use with a 200 baht deposit.

Temple Tour of Bangkok

The best way to take a tour of the temples, which are down along the riverside is by taking the river ferry – it is without a doubt the most convenient way to get around and it is pretty!  To get there, you need to get to the river.

Getting to the Chao Phraya Express Boat and the temples:

Helpful Tip

The BTS Skytrain uses the train’s final stops as a point of direction, so make sure you know which way you want to go and what the final stop is on that line.  For the Sukhumvit line, the final stops are Mo Chit and Bearing.  For Silom, they are National Stadium and Wongwian Yai. You can download this map and print it to bring with you.

Enjoy the View Along the Riverfront

First stop is the Grand Palace via Tha Chang pier.  Admission fee (500 baht) for the Grand Palace is the most expensive of all the other temples.

Since 1782, the Grand Palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam and (later) Thailand. The king, his court and his royal government were based on the grounds of the palace until 1925. The present monarch currently resides at Chitralada Palace. The Grand Palace is still used for official events, including several royal ceremonies and state functions.

The Grand Palace is amazing.  The compound houses Wat Phra Kaew which houses the famous Emerald Buddah. You are not allowed to bring cameras inside this temple but I managed to snap a picture of the Buddah from the outside of the temple.

The Grand Palace is an absolute must-see.

Next stop was Wat Pho which is a 10 minute walk south from the Grand Temple. All down the street leading from the Grand Palace to Wat Pho were loads of Thais buying what looking like little Buddha trinkets. They seemed to be bargaining over prices and it was quite interesting to watch – not that I could understand anything they were saying.

Do as the Thais do… Bargain. Bargain. Bargain.

Stop 2: Wat Pho

Wat Pho is one of the largest and oldest wats in Bangkok with an area of 80,000 square metres. It is home to more than one thousand Buddha images, as well as one of the largest single Buddha images of 160 ft length – the Reclining Buddha. The Wat Pho complex consists of two walled compounds bisected by Soi Chetuphon running east to west. The northern walled compound is where the reclining Buddha and massage school are located. The southern walled compound is a working Buddhist monastery with monks in residence and a school. Outside the temple, the grounds contain 91 chedis, four viharas (halls) and a central shrine. The temple has sixteen gates around the complex guarded by Chinese giants carved out of rocks.

After leaving Wat Pho, make your way back towards the river.  The nearest pier is Tha Tien which is also where you catch the cross river ferry to reach Wat Arun.

Stop 3: Wat Arun

Wat Arun or “Temple of Dawn” is located on the Thonburi west bank of the Chao Phraya River. The temple derives its name from the Hindu god Aruna, often personified as the radiations of the rising sun. Although the temple had existed since at least the seventeenth century, its distinctive prang (spires) were built in the early nineteenth century during the reign of King Rama II.

The Lowdown on Temple Etiquette

Happy Temple Hopping!