Bangkok could be termed the city of golden temples, for there are more than 400 temples or wats as they’re called there. Most tourists rush to the top three – Wat Arun, Wat Pra Kaew, and Wat Pho, but there are many others. There’s even a not-very-traditional David Beckham Temple in Bangkok if you want to see it. We have listed 10 top temples you must visit in Bangkok apart from the top three. So pack a fine camera – you’ll need one – and some light cotton pants and shirts that cover you modestly for a temple visit. We’re heading to Bangkok, so join the ride and don’t forget to take plenty of pictures at every attraction!
Dress Code For Thailand Temples
Before you start packing, it’s good to read up on the dress code you have to follow at these temples.
- Women need to wear long skirts or skirts that fall below the knee. Short skirts and shorts are not allowed.
- Both men and women must avoid tights, leggings and ripped jeans and sleeveless shirts.
- Both men and women must wear clothing with slightly longer sleeves. Don’t roll your sleeves up.
- Avoid wearing sportswear of any type, be it track pants, cycling shorts and so on in any of the temples in Bangkok.
- Some temples allow you to walk in wearing flip-flops, but it’s best to put on comfortable shoes to walk around.
List of Must-Visit Temples in Bangkok
We’ve excluded Wat Pho, Wat Pra Kaew and Wat Arun from our list, as we want you to check out Bangkok’s other temples as well during your Bangkok city tour.
1. Wat Saket
Wat Saket is the temple of the Golden Mountain, or Phu Khao Thong. The temple was constructed on a high hill in Old Bangkok by King Rama III (1787–1851). The temple’s chedi or Buddhist pagoda collapsed owing to the ground’s softness. Then King Rama IV and Rama V took up the challenge and built the golden pagoda you can now see, measuring 58 meters tall. You have to climb 300 steps to the top terrace in order to reach the pagoda that contains a Buddha relic brought from India. These 300 encircle the pagoda-like a loosely coiled snake. This temple is, without doubt, one of the top Bangkok attractions.
2. Wat Traimit
Wat Traimit is a beautiful white and gold multilevel temple located at Yaowarat road. Start your Chinatown exploration at this temple. Apart from the fabulous architecture, the enormous solid gold seated Buddha inside is one of the largest in this world. It’s all of five meters tall and weighs five and a half tons. Thought to have been made during the 13th-14th centuries, this statue was hidden in a mess of stucco, revealed entirely by accident in 1955. Today this statue is valued at over $250 million. This statue alone makes Wat Traimit one of the absolutely must-visit temples in Bangkok.
3. Loha Prasat
Source: wikimedia.org
Noted for its unique architectural beauty, Loha Prasat also called the ‘Metal Castle’, is located in the grounds of Wat Ratchanaddaram. The temple was built by King Nangklao (Rama III) in 1846. It’s 36 meters high, with 37 metal spires that represent the 37 virtues toward enlightenment. The base of the temple is a series of concentric square levels balanced on geometrically aligned pillars. The highest level contains a relic of Lord Buddha.
4. Wat Mahatat
Source: flickr.com
Wat Mahatat is one of Bangkok’s ten top-class temples used for royal ceremonies. Wat Mahatat is located strategically between the Grand Palace and the Royal Palace. In the temple grounds, you’ll find Thailand’s oldest higher education institute for Buddhist monks. People visit Wat Mahatat to learn the Vipassana form of meditation. If you’re looking for mystical Buddhist amulets, you can buy them at the vast amulet market just opposite of Wat Mahatat.
5. Wat Suthat
Source: wikimedia.org
A huge giant red swing welcomes visitors at the entrance of Wat Suthat, one of Bangkok’s oldest and most impressive temples. The elegant chapel, the sweeping roof, amazing hand-carved teakwood door panels, and splendid wall murals make this a unique temple. Built-in the 13th century by King Rama I (1782-1809), the temple houses the 13th Century bronze Buddha image that comes from India. In the cloistered courtyard, you’ll find no less than 156 images of the Buddha, lined up at the four entry gates and along the outer walls. Each entry gate is intricately hand-carved. The previous 24 incarnations of the Buddha are frescoed on the walls of the main chapel. There are Chinese stone sculptures against the outer wall. There are also several eight-tier hexagonal pagodas that were used as ballast by Chinese trade junks.
6. Wat Benjamabophit (Wat Benja)
Built by King Rama V in 1900, Wat Benja is also known as the Marble Temple, with good reason. The temple’s external walls are made of Italian marble. The image of this temple is embossed on the back of the 5 baht coin as well, which keeps the temple in people’s minds. Crossbeams of lacquer and gold and paintings of important Thai stupas grace the interiors. The ashes of King Rama V are enshrined beneath the Sukhothai-style Buddha statue. If you visit the temple from 6 to 7am, you’ll see the monks lined up to receive alms. There are 52 Buddha statues in the cloistered courtyard outside the temple’s hall. One of the unique features of this temple is the large inverted bell-shaped pagoda. Plus, there’s a turtle pond where you can feed the turtles. This temple alone is well worth obtaining that Thailand tourist visa!
7. Wat Ratchanatdaram
Source: wikimedia.org
This temple was built during the 1840s for King Rama III. The temple’s design is based on the metal temples found in Sri Lanka and India. The Buddhist 37 virtues towards enlightenment are aptly represented by the 36-meter-tall structure that sits in the middle of the temple grounds. Given that these tenets are very popular with the Buddhists who comprise 95 percent of the country, this temple is given much spiritual significance. The temple’s roof is constructed of bronze tiles, which makes this temple very unique, as there are only a few temples in the world with this type of roof.
8. Wat Prayoon
Source: wikimedia.org
Wat Prayoon, or Wat Rua Lek, was built during King Rama III’s reign. This temple too has a large inverted bell-shaped pagoda. There’s a turtle ‘mountain’ made out of piles of melted wax, which is supposed to house spirits. There’s a turtle pond where you can feed the turtles at this temple too. Wat Prayoon has several halls – assembly hall, ordination hall, meditation hall, and library and so on. What sets Wat Prayoon apart is the 1.5-meter tall iron fence that’s been made out of ancient weapons such as axes, lances, and swords. The bell-shaped pagoda sits on an 80-meter base, surrounded by 18 smaller pagodas and a delicate porch. There’s a museum next to the giant pagoda which houses amulets, Buddha images, and artifacts excavated from beneath the pagoda in 2006.
Conclusion
There are many more temples in Bangkok, but we’ll run out of space before we can list them all. Suffice it to say that each temple comes not only with architectural surprises but with a rich history. You’ll be happy to devote a good amount of your time to Bangkok to visiting these incredibly beautiful temples and feel richer for having done so.
