Wat Pho

Moving on from Wat Arun we cross the river by a small shuttle boat to another Temple. Wat Pho - famous for a large reclining Buddha. It is easily one of the most stunning temples in Bangkok, not only because of its riverside location, but also because the design is very different to the other temples you can visit. It is also a very important place of worship for the people of Bangkok.

We are first led to the long line of people wanting to get a view of the reclining Buddha. It is certainly impressive and worth a look. On the reverse side you are invited to pay 20 Baht and drop coins into the offering bowls all along the length of the Buddha. After that we take up the offer of free water (a nice touch) and go for a walk to the other buildings. There are 100s of beautiful Buddhas, said to be the largest collection in Thailand, all shiny and bright gold and resplendent in their setting. Also we make a stop to take time out in Phra Ubosot (Phra Uposatha) which is the ordination hall, the main hall used for performing Buddhist rituals, and the most sacred building of the complex.Read more