If you visit one temple in Bangkok, make it this one!

Last Updated on March 22, 2020

Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand

As far as sights go in Bangkok, one of the most important is Wat Pho. The temple complex is one of the oldest and largest in the city and is worth including in any first-time visit to the Bangkok.

To make it easy for the time-strapped, it’s right next to the Grand Palace – one of Bangkok’s other main heritage attractions.

Why not combine the two? Or, even better, why not just choose one and go to the pub for the afternoon?

The temple complex is expansive and takes at least an hour to explore properly. The various structures hold artefacts and give the faithful opportunities to express their devotion.

Although it is a working temple, it is overrun with tourists to the point where I can’t imagine locals finding much solitude.

“Dear Buddha, I would really like some guidance on…” Click! “…anyway, as I was saying, things at home have been a bit…” OMG, look at that massive statue of the sitting down guy “…oh, nevermind, I’ll just go to my therapist”.

The highlight of Wat Pho is the gold reclining Buddha – 43 metres long and one of the largest in the world.

It takes a whole building to hold it, resting in a peaceful pose. The feet of the Buddha have a whole lot of images on the soles inlaid with mother-of-pearl.

Along the side of the Buddha are 108 metal bowls which people can walk alongside and drop 108 coins into. (Don’t worry – you can buy all the coins you need for about 20 baht, about 60 cents.)

The fun thing about the Wat Pho complex is that you can really feel like you are exploring it for yourself.

It’s not only large but has so many nooks and crannies. If you like stupas, you’d be stupad not to wander into some of the less-trafficked areas (sorry).

The temple was first built about 250 years ago but was most recently restored in 1982. You can tell.

Although it is certainly traditional, it is also clean and well-maintained. The throngs of visitors bring in a decent revenue, I’m sure, and it’s good to know that much of that is spent on the upkeep of Wat Pho.

One woman was even injecting a mural in the reclining Buddha building with something. I’m not sure what it was but I’m sure Lance Armstrong has tried it.

Bangkok has so much to offer – from the shopping, to the nightlife, to the food. But a bit of culture doesn’t go astray, and this is an enjoyable way to see that side of the city.

THE BEST ACCOMMODATION IN BANGKOK: SILOM

There are two areas I would recommend for good accommodation in a central location. The first is around Silom.

BACKPACKER

If you’re looking for a fun backpacker option, then I would suggest HQ Hostel Silom.

BUDGET

There are a few budget options, but I would recommend looking at Silom Serene.

BOUTIQUE

A cool funky hotel in Silom is the W Bangkok.

LUXURY

And for the ultimate luxury, I would recommend going across the river to the beautiful Peninsula Bangkok.

THE BEST ACCOMMODATION IN BANGKOK: SUKHUMVIT

The other main area for accommodation in Bangkok is around Sukhumvit.

BACKPACKER

There’s no better party hostel in Bangkok than the Slumber Party Bangkok in Sukhumvit.

BUDGET

A good cheap and comfortable hotel that I would suggest is the 41 Suite Bangkok.

BOUTIQUE

For a very cool boutique hotel, I think the Bangkok Publishing Residence is awesome.

LUXURY

And although there are quite a few good luxury hotels, I think the best is the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit.