Wat Pho in Bangkok: The Ultimate Guide

Wat Phra Chetuphon (Wat Pho)

address
2 Thanon Sanam Chai, Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Khet Phra Nakhon

, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, thailand
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Phone

+66 83 057 7100

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Wat Pho in Bangkok is considered one of the oldest, largest, and most crucial temples in the city. The 20-acre locate is second alone to the Grand Palace as a top tourist attraction in Bangkok .

Along with house one of the most celebrated reclining Buddha statues in the earth, more than 1,000 other Buddha images are kept within the temple grounds. Wat Pho is the birthplace of Thai massage and distillery serves as an crucial center for studying traditional medicine .

The official appoint of Wat Pho is Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Rajwaramahawihan. fortunately, saying “ Wat Pho ” ( pronounced like “ watt poe ” ) will suffice !

essential Info

• Temple Hours: Every day from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Massage Center Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Entrance Fee: 200 baht (around $6.60); children under 4 feet tall get in free.
• Phone: +66 (02) 226 0335
• Website: http://www.watpho.com/en

The history

Wat Pho predates the motivate of Siam ’ s capital to Bangkok after the accrue of Ayutthaya. No one is certain how old the temple is or even who constructed the original shrine ( known as Wat Photoram ) on the locate .

King Rama I ( 1736-1809 ) used Wat Pho as his imperial synagogue and constructed the Grand Palace beside it. King Rama III ( 1788-1851 ) improved Wat Pho and turned the temple complex into an important center for health and populace education .

How to Get to Wat Pho in Bangkok

Wat Pho is located on Rattanakosin Island, the oldest character of Bangkok, on the easterly bank of the Chao Phraya River. It is situated directly south of the Grand Palace .

The most agitate manner to get to Wat Pho is by river cab. Boats are cheap and allow you to bypass city traffic. Take the Chao Phraya Express boat to Tha Tien Pier then follow signs the short distance to the entrance of Wat Pho .

The nearest MRT station to Wat Pho is Sanam Chai, an 8-minute walk to the south. unfortunately, the BTS Skytrain doesn ’ triiodothyronine achieve into Rattanakosin Island .

Stubborn cab drivers who won ’ metric ton turn on the meter love to fleece first-time visitors to Wat Pho. Tuk-tuk drivers are even worse. lone go with a meter cab or use Grab, Southeast Asia ’ s most popular rideshare app .

Dress Code

technically, visitors are always expected to dress appropriately at temples and state buildings throughout Thailand. Travelers frequently ignore, and enforcement is sometimes lax—but that international relations and security network ’ t the case at Wat Pho. Same as when visiting the Grand Palace, a attire code is strictly enforced. You ’ ll be denied entrance if you turn up in shorts .

• Knees and shoulders should be covered.
• Don’t wear shirts portraying religious themes or symbols of death (e.g., skulls).
• Avoid stretch pants and any other revealing clothing.
• Remove hats, headphones, and sunglasses.

Tips for Visiting Wat Pho

• With an abundance of sights in the area, visitors often cram in to see the reclining Buddha statue in the primary viharn then leave. The rest of Wat Pho is rarely busy. Take some time to wander the halls and pavilions where stupas contain important relics and the remains of kings.
• Fundraising efforts make Wat Pho especially busy during Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year, in mid-April.
• Putting coins into the 108 bronze bowls supports the temple.

The Reclining Buddha Statue

The reclining Buddha statue is the impressive centerpiece of Wat Pho. At 150 feet ( 46 meters ) long and about 50 feet ( 15 meters ) tall, the figure is considered to be one of the biggest and most important recumb Buddhas in the populace .

Buddha statues in a reclining attitude are normally meant to portray the final moments of Gautama Buddha on land before he succumbed to illness at historic period 80. Although argue, many scholars believe food poisoning was the induce .

Getting a massage at Wat Pho

Wat Pho is considered the most esteemed place in the world to study Thai massage and traditional Thai medicine. That said, your massage experience at Wat Pho international relations and security network ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate guaranteed to be the best you ’ ll delight on your trip to Thailand. There ’ s much a long wait during the busy season, and prices are relatively high compared to early places. You ’ re paying for Wat Pho ’ mho reputation, but the massage have largely depends on the temper and skill of your practitioner .

Massages ( full body and foot ) are available in 30-minute or 1-hour sessions. Unlike in health spa, massages are given in a communal room with recipients wearing baggy dress .

If your clock time in Bangkok is short, you can book a massage in advance by calling one of the follow numbers : 02 662 3533, 02 622 3551, 08 6317 5560, 08 6317 5562. Add ( +66 ) and drop the leading ( 0 ) if dialing from an international number .

besides in the Area

Wat Pho is directly south of the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew ( Temple of the Emerald Buddha ), the busiest tourist sights in Thailand. many travelers choose to make a full day of visiting all three places before retreating somewhere riverside for a sunset drink .

If you ’ ve already seen the Grand Palace or it looks besides busy, take a walk through Tha Tian Market on the river then grab the ferry across to Wat Arun. The temple is normally less busy, and the radiance spires are impressively photogenic .

For something different, consider walking 15 minutes south to the Pak Khlong Market, Bangkok ’ s beautiful bloom market that ’ randomness open 24 hours a day .