Bangkok is a modern successful commercial hub in East Asia, full of skyscrapers, multinational organisations and big business style. Bangkok, however, is also a place where you can really touch the Thai culture and explore its rich heritage of Wat temples that populate the city.
There are some of the regions finest Buddhist temples in Bangkok and visitors can get a unique and genuine experience by taking a tour of these magnificent complexes. The Buddhist religion is built on harmony, nature and tranquillity and their temples are iconic places of rest and spirituality where you can truly feel at peace.
The best time to visit the wats are early in the morning before the sun gets too high and they fill up with tourists. The only way to visit many of these temples is on foot so make sure you choose to wear comfortable footwear such as these jolly coloured lelli kelly shoes that combine the durability of trainers with pretty floral patterns
You may also see the saffron robed monks at this hour carrying out their rituals and collecting alms from the local population. These working temples are centres of religious practice and existence for the monks, so visitors are always asked to remain respectful in dress and attitude when touring.
Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn or Wat Phra Kaew as it is called locally is situated in the Thonburi district on the western bank of the Chao Phraya River. The towering central spire of the Wat Arun was started in 1809 and is one of Thailand and Bangkok’s most memorable images and is often used on their tourism brochures and literature. Over 219 feet tall and subtly decorated with glass and Chinese porcelain it looks gorgeous at dawn or dusk and is lit up all through the night.
Wat Pho is in the Phra Nakhon district, next to the Royal Palaceand houses the large golden statue of a reclining Buddha and also a cutting from the original tree under which he sat while awaiting enlightenment. This is the largest and oldest wat in Bangkok and home to more than a thousand images of Buddha.
Wat Yan Nawa, can be found in the Sathon district of Bangkok. It was built around 1840 and its unique Chinese Junk boat shape comes from the belief that this style of ship was going out of fashion and this was a way of preserving its memory.
Wat Ratchabophit is not far from the temple Wat Pho and the Grand Palace it is renowned for its particular layout with a circular courtyard. This is also where the Royal Cemetery is located on the western edge of the temple.
Wat Phra Kaew is an 18th century temple whose name means the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Wat Phra Kaew gets its name from the delicately carved, 28 inch, jade statue displayed at the centre of the temple. Only the Thai king is allowed to touch the statue and three times a year he changes the Buddha’s cloak in time with the seasons.
There are many hundreds of temples dotted around Bangkok and it would be impossible to visit all of these glorious monuments. These sacred places are open to the public from early morning and normally close to visitors around 18.00.
