Wat Pho is one of the oldest temples in Thailand, where the foundations of traditional Thai massage were laid. All visitors to Bangkok should definitely visit this temple, because here you can not only learn a lot about the history and culture of Thailand, but also get aesthetic pleasure from its beauty.
Even for experienced travelers, Wat Po is impressive. The only inconvenience is the crowds of tourists at any time.
General information
Wat Pho Temple of the Reclining Buddha waiting to reach nirvana-this is the full name of the cult structure. The temple complex is located in the central part of Bangkok on Rattanakosin Island. This ancient Buddhist monastery was built 9 centuries ago, long before the founding of Bangkok.
Since the 18th century, the Chakri dynasty of Thailand has been crowned in this monastery. King Rama I moved the capital to Bangkok and significantly scaled and reconstructed the Wat Pho Temple domain, building a Large Palace next door – at that time the royal residence.
A century later, King Rama III made another reconstruction, and a medical training center was established in Wat Pho. It developed branches of Thai medicine and developed the technique of traditional Thai massage. In honor of the four kings who succeeded each other as rulers, 4 patterned stupas with a height of 42 m were erected at different times on the territory of the temple complex.
Temple structure
The Wat Pho temple complex, which includes many unique cultural and historical monuments, is spread over 80 thousand m2. Here are:
- Phra Ubosot main building with a Buddhist service hall surrounded by a gallery with 4 hundred identical gilded Buddha statues;
- Viharn with a huge gilded statue of the Reclining Buddha;
- a library with unique ancient manuscripts;
- 95 stupas, of which 4 are high, erected in honor of kings, the rest are low, dedicated to members of the royal families;
- ancient center of traditional Thai medicine;
- park with waterfall and artificial pond (crocodile pond);
- 4 meeting rooms;
- numerous Chinese statues of mythological creatures guarding the temple.
In the southern part of the territory inaccessible to tourists, there are monks ‘ cells and service rooms of the monastery.
Useful to know! Wi-Fi is available on the territory of the temple, and you must ask for a password to access the network at the ticket offices.
The pearl of the temple complex is located in its center structure-viharn, which houses a statue of the reclining Buddha. Thailand’s largest glittering gold-plated 46-meter statue has the shape of a reclining Buddha at one of the moments of his life-when he is waiting in peace to reach nirvana.
The impressive monument is 15 meters high. The statue is covered with thin sheets of gold, the feet of the deity are decorated with mother-of-pearl mosaics, which encode the history of the reincarnation of the Supreme Deity. You should definitely walk around the statue to get acquainted with these unique ornaments.
The interior of the Reclining Buddha Temple includes numerous paintings depicting scenes from the lives of 7 famous disciples of the Main Deity. On the balustrade are carved bas-reliefs with images of episodes from the ancient Indian epic “Ramayana”.
When visiting the Buddha Temple, the sound of falling coins is almost constantly heard. Along the wall behind the lying golden statue stretches a long row of 108 bronze bowls, passing by which you need to throw 1 small coin into each bowl, making a wish. Thais believe that this ritual helps in the fulfillment of desires and cleanses karma. You can change bills for small change here.
The Traditional medicine pavilion offers Thai massages, as well as a training course in one of the areas of Thai medicine.:
- thai massage;
- apothecary business;
- medical practice;
- midwifery.
The territory of the Wat Pho temple complex is very extensive, the total length of the walls surrounding it is more than 1 km. To thoroughly explore all the sights and have time to do a massage, you need a lot of time, so it’s better to come here in the morning.
On a note! You can also get a map of the complex with a description of the structures located on its territory at the ticket office at the entrance.
Practical information
Wat Po is located in Bangkok’s historic Rattanikosin Island. A landmark can serve as a Large Royal Palace located nearby.
- Address: 2 Sanam Chai Rd, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand.
- Wat Pho Temple complex is open to the public from 08.00-18.30 hours daily, seven days a week.
- The entrance ticket costs 300 baht (starting in 2024), for children up to 120 cm tall, admission is free; you can only pay in cash and there is no ATM nearby.
- Official website: watpho.com.
- Opening hours of the traditional medicine pavilion, where you can do Thai massage or learn it-08.00-17.00.
The fastest way to get to the island is by boat or ferry, which depart from the Sathorn (Taksin) pier, located near the Bangkok metro station of the same name. You can also take a bus or taxi, but this may take longer due to traffic jams. How to get there:
- Water transport is probably the most convenient and fastest way. Saphan Taksin MRT Station is a 3-minute walk from Sathorn Pier, then take a boat to Tah Tian Pier. The Reclining Buddha Temple is a minute’s walk from the pier.
- By bus-it is most convenient to download the VIABUS app and set a route to the temple from your location. Keep in mind that Bangkok is a city of traffic jams, so the journey may take longer than you would like.
- Taxi — an Asian app similar to Uber-Grab will help you.
- Tuk-tuk — the price is subject to agreement.
Wat Medical School Services
The school offers the best Thai massage training in the country. The course lasts 165 hours, and there are different programs. In addition, you can get a massage from students. The prices are as follows.
- Thai massage – 480 baht / hour or 320 baht / 30 minutes.
- Foot massage – 320 baht for half an hour and 480 for 60 minutes.
- Thai full body massage with balsam or oil — 580 baht / hour.
For more information, please visit the website of the massage school — www.watpomassage.com.
Rules of conduct in the temple
When visiting the temple, you must follow a strict dress code and certain rules of behavior:
- On the territory of the temple complex, entrance is allowed only in closed clothing covering the chest, shoulders, arms up to the elbows and legs up to the knees. This applies not only to women, but also to men.
- Please remove your shoes when entering the temple.
- According to Buddhist canons, women are not allowed to touch statues of the Buddha, as well as monks.
- All visitors to the temple are forbidden to sit with their legs stretched out in the direction of any image of the Buddha, whether sculptural or picturesque. You can sit down only by bending your feet under you or taking the lotus position.
- In the temple, you should behave respectfully, it is forbidden to talk loudly.
- Be careful when passing through doorways. In the Buddhist tradition, it is believed that the threshold must be crossed, you can not step on it, it brings bad luck.
Useful tips
To make a visit to the Buddha Temple, waiting for nirvana, bring only positive emotions, use the advice of those who have already been there.
- When going to Wat Pho, take a shoe bag with you, because before entering the temple you will have to take off your shoes, and it is most convenient to carry shoes with you in a bag.
- When buying tickets, each visitor is given a small bottle of drinking water. But on hot days, it may not be enough. Take a water container with you – there are springs on the territory of the temple complex where you can get cool drinking water for free.
- If you are going to visit Wat Pho, wear closed clothing. The cleavage area, shoulders, arms up to the elbow and legs up to the knees should be covered for both women and men. If you find yourself dressed inappropriately, you will be offered to rent closed clothing at a price of $3, otherwise you will not be allowed to enter the territory of Wat Pho (Bangkok).
- When visiting the Temple, be careful, watch your pockets. Despite the sanctity of this place, there are many pickpockets who are not afraid to spoil their karma and the mood of Bangkok’s guests.
The Temple of the Reclining Buddha in Bangkok is a real gem among the attractions of the capital and the whole of Thailand, it is included in the mandatory tourist program for everyone who gets acquainted with the culture and history of this country. Set aside just $3 and a few hours to visit it, and these hours will become one of the most vivid and memorable moments of your life.