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Wat Suthat & Giant Swing

Wat Suthat is one of the oldest and largest temples in Bangkok, famed for its beautiful roofline and its eight metre high 13th-century golden Buddha which contains the ashes of King Rama VIII in its base.

There are also magnificent frescoes and out the front you'll see the refurbished giant swing.

Wat Suthat was begun by King Rama I (1782-1809), founder of the Chakri dynasty, soon after his coronation. It was continued by Rama II (1809-24) and completed by Rama III (1824-51).

Rama I brought the temple's main Buddha image to Bangkok by river from Sukhothai. On its arrival, the king declared seven days of festivities and the bronze statue was paraded through the streets on the way to the wihan built specially for it at Wat Suthat. The king himself walked barefoot in the procession and it is said he was so exhausted by the time he arrived that he staggered into the temple.

A huge red teak arch, carved under Rama II, is all that remains of an original giant swing, which was used to celebrate and thank Shiva for a bountiful rice harvest and to ask for the god's blessing on the next.

Teams of men would ride the swing on arcs as high as 82 feet in the air, trying to grab a bag of silver coins with their teeth. Due to injuries and deaths, the dangerous swing ceremony was discontinued in 1932.

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Wat Phra Kaew Emerald Temple

Wat Phra Kaew is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand and is within the grounds of the Grand Palace.Unlike other temples it does not contain living quarters for monks. Rather, it has only the highly decorated holy buildings, statues, and pagodas. Strict dress code applies here.

The construction of the temple started when King Rama I moved the capital from Thonburi to Bangkok in 1785. The main building is the central ubosoth, which houses the Emerald Buddha.

Legend holds that the statue originated in India, but it first surfaced in the vassal Kingdom of Cambodia and was given as a gift to the King of Ayutthaya in the 15th century 1434.

The image disappeared when Burmese raiders sacked Ayutthaya and the image was feared lost.

Important Information

A strict dress code applies here. The Grand Palace and The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is Thailand's most sacred site. Visitors must be properly dressed before being allowed entry to the temple. Men must wear long pants and shirts with sleeves. No tank tops or singlets. Women must be similarly modestly dressed. No see-through clothes or bare shoulders. No shorts or tights. Proper shoes must be worn. No flip flops.

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Grand Palace Bangkok

The Grand Palace is the most spectacular place in Bangkok, so if you only see one thing whilst in the city, this is the place to see.Thai people respectfully refer to it as Phra Borommaharatchawang. It served as the official residence of the King of Thailand from the 18th -20th century.

The Grand Palace complex, construction of which began in 1782 during the reign of King Rama I, sits on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River and is surrounded by a defensive wall 1,900 metres in length, which encloses an area of 218,400 square metres. Within its walls, in times past, were the Thai war ministry, state departments, and even the mint.

Within the palace complex are several impressive buildings including Wat Phra Kaeo or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which contains the revered Emerald Buddha that dates back to the 14th century.

Thai Kings stopped living in the palace in the middle of the twentieth century, but the royal residence is still used by visiting dignitaries.

Important Information

A strict dress code applies here. The Grand Palace and The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is Thailand's most sacred site. Visitors must be properly dressed before being allowed entry to the temple. Men must wear long pants and shirts with sleeves. No tank tops or singlets. Women must be similarly modestly dressed. No see-through clothes or bare shoulders. No shorts or tights. Proper shoes must be worn. No flip flops.

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Wat Pho Reclining Buddha Temple

Wat Pho, located next to the Grand Palace, is the one of the largest & oldest temples in Bangkok and is home to more than one thousand Buddha images. The most impressive of which is the huge Reclining Buddha measuring 46 metres long & 15 metres high with mother of pearl inlaid in its eyes & feet.

Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn is commonly known as Wat Pho and the temple complex consists of two walled compounds bisected by Soi Chetuphon running east-west.

The northern walled compound is where the Reclining Buddha and famed massage school for the blind are found. If you go for a massage make sure you ask for 'soft'!

The southern walled compound, Tukgawee, is a working Buddhist monastery with monks in residence and a school.

The principal Buddha image is "Phra Buddha Deva Patimakorn" in a gesture of seated Buddha on a three tiered pedestal called Phra Pang Smardhi (Lord Buddha in the posture of concentration), and some ashes of King Rama I are kept under the pedestal.

Made as part of Rama III's restoration, the Reclining Buddha is decorated with gold plating on his body and mother of pearl on his eyes and the soles of his feet. Each foot is 3 metres high & 5 metres long and displays 108 auspicious signs portraying natural scenes of both Indian and Chinese influences.

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Wat Benjamabophit

at Benjamabophit or the Marble Temple is named for the gleaming white Italian marble used in its construction.

The most modern and one of the most beautiful of Bangkok's royal temples, it is also notable for its European influences like its stained-glass windows combined with Thai architecture.

Wat Benjamabophit was built in 1899 by Prince Narai, half-brother of Rama V. Thailand's current king spent his days as a monk here before his coronation. Today, it is not only a magnificent Thai temple, but a seat of learning for Buddhist monks with intellectual interests.

True to its name, the Marble Temple gleams with the polished white stone from Carrara's quarries, including the pavement of the courtyards.

Unlike the older temple complexes in Bangkok, the Marble Temple has no central wihaan or chedi. Instead, it has many smaller buildings. The main bot or chapel contains a golden Buddha statue against an illuminated blue backdrop.

Beyond the main bot is a cloister containing over 50 bronze Buddha images in many different styles, representing various Buddhist countries and regions.

Unlike most other temples, monks do not go out seeking alms but are instead visited by merit-makers from 6-7am. During the early mornings, monks chant beautifully and intensely in the main chapel.