Introduction to Popular Temples Of Bangkok
A holiday in Thailand can be about a number of surprisingly different things. For the hedonists, it can be about the vibrant nightlife of the country.
For the beach bum, it can be about spending endless afternoons at one of the endless beaches in Bangkok. However, if you’re not interested in any of those things, and want to explore the Thai culture on your next trip to Bangkok, this article is for you.
In the case of Bangkok, the temples within the city are home to a window in time that offers a glimpse into the roots of the Thai culture.
Here’s our list of the top temples you must see in Bangkok:
Wat Arun Ratchavararam Temple of Dawn
Popular Temples Of Bangkok Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan or Wat Arun is a famous Buddhist temple in Bangkok Yai district of Bangkok, Thailand. It is located on the Thonburi west bank of the Chao Phraya River and is nicknamed the Temple of the Dawn.
The temple derives its name from the Hindu god Aruna, who symbolizes the sun. The temple is locally known as Wat Chaeng and is partially made up of colorfully decorated spires.
Ticket Cost in THB
The Entrance Fees for the Wat Arun in Bangkok is 100 baht.
How much time is needed to explore:
A visit of 1 to 1.5 hours should be enough in Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn. But you can spend up to 3 hours in this peaceful complex without feeling bored and taking in every detail.
Distance from Pratunam & Sukhimvit:
The distance from Pratunam to Wat Arun is around 11.2 kilometers and takes around 30 minutes to reach by road. The maximum time to reach via bus ranges from 50 minutes to a bit more than an hour.
How to Reach (Bus, Taxi, Included in City Tour), Any Tips & Suggestions:
From Pratunam:
Wat Arun is located on the opposite bank of Wat Pho. Thus a boat ride across the Chao Pharaya river is the easiest and cheapest way to get to this temple. Another option is to take the nearest BTS station to Saphan Taksin, marked as S6.
From Sukhimvit:
From Sukhumvit, the easiest and the most opted option to get to the Wat Arun is via Bangkok Metro.
It operates a vehicle from Sukhumvit to Wat Arun every 5 minutes and the journey time is 17 minutes. Tickets will cost 26 – 40 baht and this probably the cheapest and fastest way to reach Wat Arun.
Alternatively, you can take a bus from Sukhumvit to Wat Arun via Khok Wua Intersection Opposite Lottery and Wat Pho and reach your destination in around 37 to 51 minutes. By taxi, the distance is 15 kilometers and takes around 36 minutes.
From Sukhumvit, one cheap option to get to the Wat Arun is the Skytrain to Saphan Taksin in which you have to change at Siam and then walk down to the Central Pier.
From there, you can avail a boat to reach Tha Tien Pier and then from the same place you can cross to the other side of the river to visit Wat Arun.
The Orange Flag Boat will charge 15 baht and get off at Pier 8. From Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit, the easiest and the most opted option to get to the Wat Arun is via BTS SkyTrain from Asok station to Saphan Taksin station. From there you take a Chao Phraya express boat.
One other way is to go to the nearest BTS and catch a train to Mo Chit. You need to get off at Siam and change trains and travel one stop to the National Stadium. MBK is connected by a walkway link from the station.
Another option could be to hire a car and go for a guided tour and do a day trip covering together with the famous attractions of Bangkok such as the Grand Palace, the Emerald Buddha, Wat Pho and combine with it Wat Arun that lies just across the river.
Wat Traimit Withayaram Worawihan
Popular Temples Of Bangkok The Golden Buddha is officially known as the Phra Phuttha Maha Suwanna Patimakon and is commonly known as Phra Sukhothai Traimit in Thai. The 15-feet tall statue is a gold Maravijaya Attitude seated Buddharupa that weighs 5.5 tonnes.
This amazing statue is located in the temple of Wat Traimit, Bangkok, Thailand. This statue is made from pure gold and the gold in the statue measured in 18 karats is estimated to be worth 250 million dollars.
Ticket Cost in THB:
The entrance fee to see the Golden Buddha is 40 baht or 1.04 USD. The museum will cost an additional 100 baht for adults and 60 baht for children.
Tickets can be purchased at a booth near the Wiharn that houses the image of Golden Buddha. The temple remains open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm every day, but the museum remains closed on every Monday.
How much time is needed to explore:
Wat Traimit is undoubtedly the number one attraction of Chinatownas it houses the world’s biggest seated golden Buddha.
The temple has a mystical aura and is 3-storied. The first floor contains a museum where you can learn about the history of Chinatown and Chinese immigrants in Bangkok. And the second floor contains an exhibition on the history of the Golden Buddha.
The top floor contains the Golden Buddha image. At least 2 to 3 hours are needed to visit and go through all the three floors and the exhibits, including clicking some memories.
Distance from Pratunam & Sukhimvit:
The distance from Pratunam to Wat Traimit is around 5.8 kilometers and takes around 10 minutes to reach by road.
The maximum time to reach via bus ranges from 16 minutes by taxi. The maximum time to reach via bus ranges from 25 to 37 minutes.
The distance from Sukhimvit to Wat Traimit is around 6.6 kilometers and takes around 15 minutes to reach by road. The maximum time to reach via bus ranges from 28 to 35 minutes.
How to Reach (Bus, Taxi, Included in City Tour), Any Tips & Suggestions:
From Pratunam:
The distance from Pratunam to Wat Traimit can be reached via 79 Inbound and the travel time is 39 minutes. The bus fare would be 10 – 37 baht.
The other options are via BTS or MRT which takes about 40 minutes to reach and the fare would be 42 – 96 baht.
Via taxi, it takes 8 minutes to travel the 7.8 kilometers of road distance and the taxi fare would be around 115-140 baht.
Pratunam Market to Wat Traimit bus services is operated by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority and the buses depart from the Pantip Pratunam station. There are direct buses departing from Pantip Pratunam at an interval of every 10 minutes and operates daily.
From Sukhumvit:
To travel to Wat Traimit from Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit, you can take the MRT underground train at Sukhumvit station to arrive at Hua Lamphong railway station. After boarding, you need to walk to the temple which is about 500 meters away.
The taxi takes 14 minutes approximately to travel 6.6 kilometers. The bus takes 32 to 43 minutes to cover the distance.
Traveling by tuk-tuk is another option. But it will involve a bit of bargaining. Another option is to book a half-day or full-day tour of Bangkok where several famous attractions such as Ratchavararam Temple of Dawn, The Grand Palace, the Flower Market, and the Pak Khlong Market.
You can even try the Motorbike City and Temple Tour that includes the Golden Buddha, Reclining Buddha, and the Emerald Buddha. Even if you do not know how to ride a bike, you can be a pillion rider and enjoy the breezy spell of city tour.
The Hop-On-Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour can be easily availed that includes several nearby attractions clubbed together.
Wat Saket
Popular Temples Of Bangkok Wat Saket is located in Bangkok Old Town. The temple dates back to the Ayutthaya era with a gleaming gold chedi. The Golden Mount occupies an 80-meter-tall artificial hill built during the reign of King Rama III.
Hundreds of worshippers visit the temple all year-round and the temple remains busiest during its annual temple fair in the month of November.
Ticket Cost in THB
Wat Saket remains open from 7:30 am to 7:00 pm, every day of the week, from Monday to Sunday. The entrance fee to Wat Saket for tourists is 50 baht per person and must be paid before the ascent of the temple.
How much time is needed to explore,
Normally, you can keep 30 to 45 minutes as the total time needed to visit the Golden Mount or Wat Saket.
But depending on the level of interest in the history of the place and whether one wishes to have a more detailed and thorough tour of the temple premises or not, the time needed to explore Wat Saket can be less or more.
Distance from Pratunam & Sukhimvit
The distance from Pratunam to Wat Saket is around 5.5 kilometers and takes around 18 minutes to reach by road.
The other taxi route is 7.5 kilometers and takes around 21 minutes and another one is 6.8 kilometers in 24 minutes. The maximum time to reach via bus is 30-42 minutes.
The distance from Sukhimvit to Wat Saket is around 10.4 kilometers and takes approximately 23 minutes to reach by road via taxi.
The other taxi route is 7.2 kilometers and takes around 26 minutes and yet another one is 7.6 kilometers in 28 minutes. The maximum time to reach via bus is around 34-45 minutes.
How to Reach (Bus, Taxi, Included in City Tour), Any Tips & Suggestions.
The cheapest way to travel from Pratunam Market to Wat Saket is to ride the ferry and that costs 10 – 20 baht and takes approximately 33 minutes.
The quickest way to travel from Pratunam Market to Wat Saket is to take a taxi which costs 95 – 120 baht and takes about 4 minutes. There is a direct bus that departs from Pantip Pratunam and arrives at the Thai Airways Building.
The buses run every 10 minutes and operate daily in a regular basis. The journey time is approximately 9 minutes from Pratunam Market to Wat Saket.
From Sukhumvit
To travel from Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit to reach Wat Saket, you can avail the BTS Sky Train from Asoke station to National Stadium station. After de-boarding, take a taxi to travel the rest of the way to the temple which is about 3.5 kilometers away.
Travel by bus is cheap. You can reach from Grande Sukhumvit to Wat Saket by 511 Inbound Bus in 22 minutes by paying 10-40 baht. MRT Blue will charge you 24-40 baht and travel time will be half an hour. A taxi will charge 110-135 baht.
Wat Phra Chetuphon (Wat Pho)
Popular Temples Of Bangkok Wat Pho is also commonly known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha or Wat Phra Chetuphon. It is located behind the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and forms a very important tourist attraction.
It is a huge temple complex and well known for its giant, reclining, 46-metres tall Buddha that is covered in gold leaf. Wat Pho is also a great place to get a traditional Thai massage.
Ticket Cost in THB
The entry fee to Wat Pho is 100 baht. Apart from the entrance fee to Wat Pho, there are no other charges.
Inside the temple premises, if you want to experience the authentic Thai massage for one hour, it will cost you around 480 baht. Also, The ferry ride to Wat Arun (in case you want to cover Wat Arun on the same tour) from Wat Pho costs 3 baht.
You can also avail of the service of the English speaking guides who provide a lot of interesting information by charging around 200 – 400 baht.
How much time is needed to explore
About 2-3 hours should be enough for visiting Wat Pho. Take a relaxing walk around the temple complex. Also, Wat Pho is a great place to try a traditional Thai massage as it is the place of the leading school of massage in Thailand.
Distance from Pratunam & Sukhimvit
The distance from Pratunam to Wat Phra Chetuphon (Wat Pho) is around 7.6 kilometers and takes around 22 minutes to reach by road.
The other taxi route is 9.5 kilometers and takes around 24 minutes and another one is 7.7 kilometers in 27 minutes. The time range to reach Wat Phra Chetuphon (Wat Pho) via bus is 39-52 minutes.
The distance from Sukhimvit to Wat Phra Chetuphon (Wat Pho) is around 12.5 kilometers and takes approximately 27 minutes to reach by road via taxi.
The other taxi route is a bit busier with a distance of 8 kilometers and takes around 31 minutes and another one is 9.6 kilometers to be traveled in 33 minutes. The maximum time to reach via bus is around 43-50 minutes.
How to Reach (Bus, Taxi, Included in City Tour), Any Tips & Suggestions
From Pratunam
From Pratunam, you can breezily walk to the BTS Skytrain Chidlom or Siam Station through R-Walk. A visit to Wat Pho is easily done from Pratunam.
From the hotel, you need to get to the BTS SkyTrain from Asok station to Saphan Taksin station (Silom Line) and then Leave via Exit 2 and take a Chao Phraya express boat at Taksin Pier to Tha Tien Pier (No. 9).
From Sukhimvit
The cheapest way to travel from Sukhumvit to Wat Pho is to take a bus run Bangkok Mass Transit Authority via Thailand Life which costs 10 – 35 baht and takes approximately 46 minutes.
The quickest way, on the other hand, is to take a taxi from Sukhumvit to Wat Pho which costs 120 – 150 baht and takes around 10 minutes.
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There are direct buses departing from Soi Sukhumvit 10 and arriving at Khok Wua Intersection Opposite Lottery. The buses depart every 15 minutes and operate on a daily basis.
The journey takes approximately 19 minutes. Bangkok Metro operates a train from Sukhumvit to Wat Pho every 10 minutes. The tickets will cost 29 – 40 baht and the journey takes 21 minutes.
Wat Benchamabophit
Popular Temples Of Bangkok Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram or the Marble Temple is a Budistrictemple in the Dusit District of Bangkok, Thailand.
It is a major tourist attraction on account of its typical Bangkok style ornate high gables, stepped-out roofs, and elaborate finials.
Inside the temple, you can see a Sukhothai-style Buddha statue named Phra Buddhajinaraja which was cast in 1920.
In the gallery, surrounding the ordination hall you can also see 52 Buddha statues each depicting a different Mudra.
Ticket Cost in THB
The entrance fee to Wat Benchamabophit is 50 baht for all. It remains open every day from 8.00 am to 5.30 pm.
How much time is needed to explore
For visiting Wat Benchamabophit you may be recommended to set aside about a half-day to visit the entire temple complex which also includes travel time from most of the locations of central Bangkok.
Those who aim to visit the nearby attractions that are located in the vicinity such as the Wat Benchamabophit should consider combining it with a full-day tour to Wat Benchamabophit.
Distance from Pratunam & Sukhimvit
The distance from Pratunam to Wat Benchamabophit is around 3.6 kilometers and takes around 11 minutes to reach by road.
The other taxi route is 4.1 kilometers and takes around 18 minutes and another one is 5 kilometers to be reached in 21 minutes. The time range to reach SEA LIFE Bangkok via bus is 11-20 minutes.
The distance from Sukhumvit to Wat Benchamabophit is around 3 kilometer and takes approximately 13 minutes to reach by road via taxi.
How to Reach (Bus, Taxi, Included in City Tour), Any Tips & Suggestions
From Pratunam
The cheapest way to get from Pratunam Market to Wat Benchamabophit is to take the line 503 bus that costs 20 – 70 baht and takes 30 minutes to reach.
The quickest way, on the other hand, to get from Pratunam Market to Wat Benchamabophit is to take a taxi that costs 80 – 100 baht and it takes merely 4 minutes.
There is no direct bus from Pratunam Market to Wat Benchamabophit. However, there are connecting bus services departing from Pantip Pratunam and arriving at King Chulalongkorn Statue via Nang Lerng Police Office.
The journey involves transfers and takes approximately 30 minutes from Pratunam to Wat Benchamabophit.
From Sukhumvit
Traveling from Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit to Wat Benchamabophit can be done by taking BTS Sky Train from Asok station to Phaya Thai station.After de-boarding, you can avail of a taxi directly to the temple which is located about 2.5 kilometers away. You can even walk the way to the temple.
We hope you have enjoyed reading about the Popular temples of Bangkok. For complete information on any destination in Thailand like Phuket, Krabi, Bangkok, Pattaya, and Koh Samui, please visit https://www.thailand-tourism.net/.
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