A Day Tour of Shrines around Bangkok
It was our second day when we did a day tour of the different Buddhist shrines around Bangkok. We visited five shrines: San Lak Mueang (The Bangkok City Pillar Shrine), Wat Phra Kaew (The Grand Palace Complex and the Emerald Buddha), Wat Pho, Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn), and lastly, Wat Saket.
Bangkok City Pillar Shrine (San Lak Mueang)
We began our day tour of shrines around Bangkok with a quick visit to the Bangkok City Pillar Shrine. And much like how an appetizer works before the main course, it stirs just enough appetite or curiosity about the influence of Buddhism in Thailand, after learning that locals built it and is believed to serve as guardian and protector of the city. This small shrine complex is located just across the Grand Palace Complex making this an ideal place to start a day of visiting shrines around Bangkok.
The Grand Palace Complex and The Temple of Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew)
Visiting The Grand Palace Complex for me is the most educational among all of the shrines we saw around Bangkok. By simply looking at the map of the Grand Palace Complex, one could easily notice that the royal residence, different administrative offices, and most importantly the Temple of Emerald Buddha all stands right next to each other within the complex. From this alone, it’s undeniable that the influence of Buddhism in Thailand is not only confined in traditions or culture but also has direct influence in their political and monarchial structures.
Visit it with a Tour Guide
Thailand’s political and royal history and its intertwine with Buddhism is long and complex that I recommend seeing the place with a tour guide like we did. This way, someone can tell the history and explain the significance of each structure within the complex making it more interesting to go around.
The Grand Palace Complex and its Beauty
The structures within the Grand Palace Complex are of varied styles, all with references to Buddhist beliefs. Each is beautifully and uniquely designed with many of its major structures made of and designed with precious materials like gold, bronze, alloys, mother-of-pearls, porcelains, and colourful tiles. There were also colourful murals showing stories lifted from Buddhist texts. Surrounded by all those beautiful structures and murals, almost every corner within the complex is instagram-worthy.
Tips on Visiting the Grand Palace Complex
The Grand Palace Complex, despite its huge size, can still feel crowded as many tourists visit this place. I suggest spending at least half-day for this stop to have enough time to appreciate the importance of each structure, and to pose and take photos around the complex.
Check their official website to learn more about the Grand Palace Complex.
Wat Pho
This shrine is located about a few minutes car ride away from The Grand Palace Complex. It is one of the oldest and biggest shrines in Bangkok. It houses hundreds of golden Buddha statues, but the most famous one is the Reclining Buddha. I was awed by the size of the Reclining Buddha as soon as we entered its hall. It was gigantic! It was so big that we struggled to find the right angle and make us and the Reclining Budda fit in one frame. Thankfully, we eventually figured out how to take our photos with the Reclining Buddha. And here’s the tip: stand near the feet of the Reclining Buddha and turn the camera setting into landscape. This way, the head, the body, plus the designs at the sole of the feet will be captured in one frame. Now, unlike the Grand Palace Complex, there is not much to see here except for the Reclining Buddha statue itself and the golden Buddha statues that lines its hallways.
A short walk from Wat Pho is an area along Chao Phraya river where there are a lot of food places ranging from simple eateries to bigger restaurants. Some of these restaurants are Michelin star rated and some has a perfect view of Wat Arun, which brings me to–
From the side of Wat Pho, we took a ferry ride across Chao Phraya river to reach Wat Arun. The ferry was stationed just a few minutes walk away from where we had our lunch along the Chao Phraya River.
See the Shrines around Bangkok through the Chao Phraya River Ferries
Now, the Chao Phraya river is not just a typical river that you cross by driving over a bridge as in other major cities in other countries. In Bangkok, the Chao Phraya river is the major river that also serves as a mode of transportation. Taking river ferries is actually a good option to visit major shrines in Bangkok and see other landmarks like the IconSiam. It offers both as a relaxing scenic route and as a way to by-pass Bangkok’s congested highways.
Take note that the Chao Phraya River is wide and deep that has big waves enough to rock even medium-sized ferries on a sunny day. And that’s exactly how it went for us on our ride to get from Wat Pho to Wat Arun. So a tip for those who suffer from motion sickness, I would recommend taking a medicine before jumping in for ferry rides. Another option is again to travel by land though it may take more time because of Bangkok’s busy traffic.
Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)
Wat Arun also known as the Temple of Dawn I would say is the most unique among all the shrines we saw in Bangkok that day. While other shrines, Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho, and Wat Saket, are all of the same motif– having gilded shrines, Wat Arun on the other hand stands out with its predominantly white theme designed with colourful porcelain. Being of lighter hue and being situated at the river bank where the wind blows cooler air, I say Wat Arun gives off a more serene feel, a contrast from the other three golden shrines that feels more stiff.
From Wat Arun we took a ferry ride back to the other side of the Chao Phraya River and hopped in our hired van to go to Wat Saket.
Wat Saket
Wat Saket is a shrine located at the top of a hill and it takes 344 steps to reach its peak. While it may sound intimidating or discouraging, the climb is actually easy and enjoyable as there are interesting things to see along the way. Going up the hill, we found some artificial waterfalls and ponds, smaller shrines, a huge gong, a line of bells, and of course, a view of Bangkok.
Noticing how tired we were by the time we reached the top, our tour guide brought us to the back of the shrine where there were a few chairs and a vendor who sold bottled water and other drinks. There, I bought a cold can of Sprite and paused for a few minutes to rest–
The shrine was filled with the yellow glow of the late afternoon sun. And in the shrine, some people were praying while a few others were busy checking their fortune sticks. I paused by a window; the warm wind blew gently and the tiny chimes that hung on the windows rang softly. I let the overlooking view of Bangkok and that moment sink in my memory in between sips of cold Sprite. It’s nice to have this pause in a hilltop shrine in Bangkok, I thought.
Now, within the shrine, there is a small passageway that leads up to the highest spot of Wat Saket to its pagoda, to its rooftop. It offers an even better panoramic view of Bangkok. It was a serene spot to watch the sunset as the sky slowly turned from yellow to sepia then to orange — needless to say, it was a perfect background for photos as well as for a few minutes of reflection to end the day of visiting Buddhist shrines around Bangkok.
A Few Important Tips for Visiting Shrines around Bangkok
When doing a tour of shrines around Bangkok, remember to dress decently and conservatively as they are strict at implementing dress codes. To share how strict they are: one of my companions was asked to change into a shirt just because she was wearing a sleeveless blouse. Her blouse wasn’t even revealing; it was simply because it had no sleeves to cover her arms. Needless to say, she had to buy a shirt from a nearby store and change. Another tourist we saw was also asked to wear long pants as she was wearing knee-length shorts but it was not long enough. And like my companion, she was forced to buy a new pair of elephant pants, the cheapest she could find at the store.
Another important reminder is to act appropriately and to be mindful of others. Avoid being loud or obnoxious as the shrines are sites of reflections and meditations both for locals and some visitors who share the same beliefs.
Lastly, use sunscreen and carry a bottle of water throughout the tour. It is generally warm in Bangkok regardless if it’s sunny or rainy. Bring an umbrella as well because the weather can swing to a sudden rainy downpour, depending on the season you will be visiting Bangkok. And in our case, it was April 2023.
You can read this post to know more about our trip to Bangkok and see this official website of Tourism Authority of Thailand to learn more about the shrines around Bangkok.
