We passed through Bangkok three times on our trip to Thailand in January 2012 and visited no less than 8 temples (Wats).
Although we didn’t see all the temples in Bangkok we saw a good selection. Here is my guide to what each Wat we saw has to offer and you can decide whether to add them to your list!
Wat Phra Kaeo, Grand Palace (Emerald Buddha)
Probably on everybody’s list is Wat Phra Kaeo. Located in the Grand Palace, is the holiest site in the country, housing the Emerald Buddha. Your shoulders and legs must be covered, however you can hire suitable clothing from the entrance. The Emerald Buddha is 75cm high, made of jadeite and its costume is changed seasonally. It was discovered when lightening struck open an ancient Chedi in Chiang Rai in the early fifteenth century. You may feel the size of the buddha is an anti-climax and as it is very difficult to get a decent photo of it due to the lighting/angle, the importance of it is easy to forget. It is very busy and touristy, however try to remember its history and the fact that Thais from all over the country make the trip to see it.
Wat Pho
Wat Pho was great to see. It is very touristy but the temple is the oldest in Bangkok and therefore important to see when ticking off the wats in Bangkok. It is hard not to be impressed by the reclining buddha’s sheer size; it is 45 meters long. I could just about fit it all into a photo but as the temple is only slightly bigger than the Buddha it’s difficult to get a decent photo. The feet (which are huge!) are inlaid with mother of pearl and very impressive. One thing that lets the experience down are the tuk tuk drivers outside who lie to you about places being closed so they can scam you and take you to the infamous gem shops. Beware!
Wat Arun
Bangkok’s most distinctive landmark, almost directly across the river from Wat Pho. Five-pranged and decorated with donated porcelain it is an impressive sight, particularly from the Chao Phraya on one of the river taxis.
Wat Rajabophit
A forgotten secret amongst travellers, my ‘must see’ temple has to be the absolutely stunning Wat Rajabophit. In the Rough Guide it is described as one of the prettiest temples in Bangkok and I completely agree (not that I’ve seen every Wat in Bangkok). It can’t be on many people’s lists as when we went there was hardly anyone else there.
The temple is covered in tiny ceramic Chinese-style tiles and exquisitely decorated. Inside is also stunning: a mother of pearl door and gothic vaults. It is free to enter, but you have to wear trousers and have covered shoulders. My husband had shorts that covered his knees but had to change into his trousers to go in. It was one of the prettiest things I’ve ever seen.
Wat Rachnadda
This temple is very unusual as it has 37 metal spires, representing the 37 virtues necessary for attaining enlightenment. After seeing so many wats decorated with gold it was like a breath of fresh air! It is multitiered and castle-like; each tier having passageways north-south an east-west. You can also climb some steps to the top and have a lovely view over Bangkok. It is not as high as the Golden Mount but it was still nice to see.
Wat Sakhet/Golden Mount
Initially a crematorium, this dates back to the early nineteenth century when Rama III commissioned a huge chedi to be constructed here. The ground was too soft to support it so it collapsed. Buddhist law states that a religious building cannot be destroyed, therefore fifty years later Rama V commissioned the more sensible-sized chedi which can be seen there today. There are quite a few steps to climb up to the top for the view over Bangkok, although the sun did suddenly decide to come out in full force just as we were climbing the steps which made it seem much harder than it probably is. The steps to climb to the very top are quite hard to find as they are hidden away in a corner. The view when you get to the top is amazing. It would be so much better at night though I’m sure, and apparently it looks spectacular when illuminated at night.
Golden Buddha (Wat Traimit)
Not far from Hualampong station sits this impressive buddha. It is a solid gold, 5 ton Buddha and valued at approximately $10 million. The entrance tickets were 40 baht each although Thais don’t have to pay. We didn’t pay to go into the exhibition as we didn’t have time to look around that too. The surrounding building to the Buddha is amazing – there is gold everywhere! We had to take our shoes off to enter and you have to wear appropriate dress i.e. shoulders and knees covered. Inside there were some local people worshiping the huge Golden Buddha and then there were some smaller Buddha’s around the outside.
Wat Suthat
Wat Suthat is Thailand’s sixth most important temple housing an 8-metre Buddha. Although we paid our 20 baht ‘farang’ (foreigner) fee, no-one checked our tickets!
Just outside the entrance to Wat Suthat you will be able to see the bright red ‘giant swing’. It was once in use but outlawed in the 1930s as accidents were so common. Young men used to compete to grab a bag of gold suspended 25m in the air. It was a religious thing representing the rise and setting of the sun. Now it doesn’t look like much but I think it is an interesting bit of history.
Wat Mahathat
We attempted to visit Wat Mahathat where apparently monks will chat with you as there is a monk university there and they like to practice their English with you. When we got there we walked around and couldn’t find any ‘monk chat’ signs. There were building works going on so it was hard to see what building was what (excuse the pun) and we didn’t have any monks approach us either so we called it a day. Hopefully some of you might have more luck!
Facts taken from the Rough Guide to Thailand.
LOU'S TRAVELS 