There are many temples scattered throughout Thailand, and Bangkok for that matter. But one that cannot be missed on your visit to The Land of Smiles is Wat Phra Chetuphon aka Wat Pho. It is located right next to the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, but closes at a later time at 5pm, so what visitors usually do is visit the other two and then walk on over to The Temple of the Reclining Buddha. Entrance to the temple is 100 baht only for foreigners. Just make sure you are wearing respectable clothing that covers shoulders, knees and closed shoes would be great, but you are required to take them off when visiting the Reclining Buddha anyway.
The Reclining Buddha itself is 46 meters long and has a nice glow to it as it is covered in gold leaf (unlike pure gold as the Golden Buddha in Wat Traimitr is). Of course, the Buddha was built first and then the resulting building around the statue at 15 meters high. Be sure to check out the feet of the Buddha, as it is covered in 108 ornate symbols representing the positive actions one must do to achieve perfection – all done with mother of pearl.
The Reclining Buddha represents the serene state he was in before leaving this world. It is the end of the reincarnations and about to enter nirvana.
If you are superstitious, it is worth donating (usually 20 baht) and picking up one of the bowls of coins to pick out and drop individual coins into larger bowls as you walk along and make wishes / think good thoughts. The money donated goes into the upkeep of the temple and you get to make merit for yourself and your loved ones. Win-win all around!
Around the courtyard of Wat Pho are beautifully decorated stupas (chedis) with colorful tiles. Inside them contains ashes of the royal families of past. They are scattered around the whole temple grounds and have 71 altogether, while another 20 slightly larger ones contains Buddha relics.
No matter if it’s rain or shine, the temple is open for tourists and locals alike to visit and pay respect. There are certainly quiet parts of the temple that are perfect for candid snapshots.
You cannot visit Wat Pho without experiencing the home of the traditional Thai massage. The building is a little tucked away from the busier temple grounds, so you’ll have to be on the lookout for it when wandering around. There are numerous masseuses in there waiting to massage your stress away. Unfortunately there is no reservation, so you’ll just have to wait in line, although it does not take long usually. The longest wait I have had is 25 mins. They go by queue number.
Wat Pho also boasts the largest collection of Buddha statues. There’s one in every direction you look. Rows upon rows.
The Temple of the Reclining Buddha is a top choice to get photographed in as it showcases one of Thailand’s top destinations and you get to experience the culture at the same time.