When you mention Bangkok to a backpacker, their mind conjures up memories of peeling bed sheets sticking to their backs as they try to move closer to the cool breeze of a ceiling fan. Hour after hour spent melting while they listen to the taunting click of the guest room fan. Let’s face it: for years, Bangkok has been seen as a waiting room in Asia—a crossroad where you hole up while plotting your next adventure. A towering concrete jungle with little history or culture to show. But they’re wrong. Bangkok is temple city. There are temples around every corner, each showcasing rich architecture and friendly, giant Buddha statues. The temples alone are enough to dispel this “waiting room” image.
To finally stamp out the embers of the waiting room label, here are some personal highlights from Temple City:
The Best Temples in Bangkok: Wats on Your to Do List?
1. Wat Phra Kaew
- Location: Inside the Grand Palace complex
- Key Attraction: The Emerald Buddha, made of jade
- Architectural Style: Thai, with golden towers
- Significance: One of the most sacred Buddhist temples in Thailand
- Dress Code: Strict; visitors must wear modest clothing covering shoulders and knees
Located in the grandest of all tourist attractions in Bangkok, the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, with its golden towers, is almost as decadent as the grounds it stands on. I mean, what’s more decadent than a giant emerald Buddha? Not much. The Buddha itself has traveled across Southeast Asia, having previously spent time in Luang Prabang and Chiang Mai.
Note: The temple has a strict dress code and is considered one of the most religiously significant sites in Bangkok.
- Suggested Tour: Bangkok Tour Packages
2. Wat Arun
- Location: Along the Chao Phraya River
- Key Attraction: Khmer-style central prang (tower)
- Architectural Style: Khmer, with intricate detailing and porcelain decoration
- Best Time to Visit: Sunset, when the temple glistens in the amber light
- Cultural Significance: Symbolizes Mount Meru, the center of the universe in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology
This may be one of the few temples that backpackers shake off their hangover to visit—not because they’re desperate to see it (well, maybe a little), but because the best time to visit is at sunset. Multi-layered in a Khmer style, Wat Arun glistens in the Bangkok skyline as the amber sun sets behind it. The view will instantly make you want to visit the sacred Mount Meru, on which the temple is based. This culturally rich Buddhist temple is easily one of the best in Bangkok.
3. Wat Pho
- Location: Near the Grand Palace, on Sanam Chai Road
- Key Attraction: The Reclining Buddha, which is 46 meters long
- Architectural Style: Thai, with a large collection of Buddha statues
- Significance: Known as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage
- Other Features: Houses the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand
Temples in Bangkok tend to feature giant Buddha statues. Most of them are standing or sitting, looking jovial, but not many are lying down. Wat Pho is one of the few temples in the world that houses a reclining Buddha. Located right next to the Grand Palace, it will likely leave you with the impression that there is a giant Buddha around every corner in Bangkok.
- Also Reads on: Things to Do In Bangkok
4. Loha Prasat
- Location: Near Khao San Road, at the end of Phra Athit Road
- Key Attraction: The multi-tiered metal structure
- Architectural Style: Unique metal and iron design with multiple levels
- Historical Significance: The only Loha Prasat (Metal Castle) left in the world
- Accessibility: Close to the Khao San area, but has a lot of stairs to climb
If you’re in the popular backpacker hub of Khao San Road and you’re feeling particularly lazy, then Loha Prasat is the temple for you. Not far from Khao San Road, this metal-lined temple will save you from negotiating with tuk-tuk drivers. The only issue is that its multi-level design means you’ll probably need one of those tuk-tuks to get back.
5. Wat Saket
- Location: On Phu Khoo Thong hill, near Ratchadamnoen Road
- Key Attraction: Golden chedi (stupa) on top of a hill
- Architectural Style: Thai, with a golden chedi that can be seen from afar
- Historical Significance: The temple was initially abandoned due to structural failure and was later completed
- Views: Offers panoramic views of Bangkok from the summit
Of all the temples in Bangkok, Wat Saket probably has the most tumultuous history—not in the sense of war or destruction, but structurally. The first attempt to build it ended in collapse. Frustrated with the unstable ground, the project remained half-finished for a while. Thankfully, through sheer determination, the temple was eventually completed and is now home to the golden chedi of Phu Khoo Thong.
6. Wat Prayoon
- Location: Near the Memorial Bridge (Saphan Phut)
- Key Attraction: Turtle-shaped chedi and turtle pond
- Architectural Style: Thai, with a unique turtle-shaped stupa
- Significance: Built in memory of King Rama III and housing his remains
- Other Features: A peaceful spot for feeding turtles in the pond
Depending on whether you’re a history buff or not, you may know this temple as either “the temple built from King Rama III’s remains” or, like me, as the “Turtle Temple.” No, it’s not a temple dedicated to turtles. The main building is shaped like a turtle’s shell, and there’s a pond where you can feed real turtles. No wonder it’s one of the most popular temples in Bangkok.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the temples in Bangkok. Honestly, the list could extend to twenty or more. Bangkok may be a neon-lit, bustling urban city with narrow streets, but within it, there are pockets of space where you can find peace and introspection. The temples alone are more than enough to make Bangkok much more than Asia’s waiting room.
- Suggested Tour: Thailand Tour Packages
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