Thailand: the ultimate tourist guide

[Linda Lee]

Are you planning your next holiday trip to Thailand – the land of beautiful temples and amazing scenic beauty? You must keep Bangkok in your travel itinerary then. We all know about the beautiful beaches, its adventure sports and the breathtaking natural sites here, in Thailand. How many of us know the amazing and unique Bangkok Temples that are really stunning when comes to the visual treat. Actually, Bangkok offers vast options for tourists who are seeking diverse experience in one spot. The city in Thailand is actually vibrant along with cultural attractions, stunning natural sites and amazing locations. These will attract tourists to pay at least one visit here. So, Bangkok must be on top of your whole Thailand tour.

Temple of Emerald Buddha:

The most visited and the most important temple in Bangkok is – the Temple of Emerald Buddha or Wat Phra Kaew. The significant Emerald Buddha is carved into a single Jade which is 66 cm tall. In 1464, this extremely revered icon of Buddha was first discovered in Chiang Rai. Before coming back to Chiang Mai, it was taken to Laos and then got the final home at Bangkok. It is really an amazing temple to explore at its end. Enjoy the incredible gallery decorated with detailed mural works describing 178 scenes of Ramayana – the epic story. The gallery is 2 km long.

This beautiful temple is open for the tourists until 3 pm and you have to pay at least 400 baht as the entrance fee. You should follow a strict dress code which states no sleeveless shirts and no short pants allowed inside.

Temple of Reclining Buddha:

Just adjacent to the grand palace, Wat Pho is one of the largest and oldest temples in Bangkok rather in Thailand and you must include it in your Thailand 30 Day Itinerary. The temple shelters a beautiful 43 meters long and 15 meters high Buddha image. It is sheltered with gold leaf and the four-meter long feet is encrusted with delicate decorations of mother-of-pearl. The temple of reclining Buddha also houses 91 chedis (stupas) and 1000 images of Lord Buddha. Amongst these chedis, four most wonderful ones are dedicated to the Chakri kings.

 This is also the home for the famous Thai massage at the open-air hall just outside the temple. Spend just 100 baht and explore a whole new world.

Wat Arun:

The most iconic temple among the Bangkok Temples is located on the Thonburi side of the city Bangkok, opposite to Wat Pho and the Grand Palace. This temple was built during the 17^th century on the river bank of “Chao Phraya” river. It is often known as the “Temple of Dawn”. The temple portrays a distinctive shape and architecture including a central “Prang” (Khmer styled tower) which is surrounded by four comparatively smaller towers and they are incrusted with plates and potteries.  Reach up to the balcony of the main tower and experience the view from up there. Though the stairs are quite steep, we recommend it for the nature lovers. This temple actually looks breathtaking during the sunset.

You easily can access the temple via ferry through the “Chao Phraya” river. You need to spend just 50 baht as the entry fee and enjoy all around here inside the temple.

Wat Saket:

This is the temple where people get the chance to visit the golden mountain or the golden chedi of “Phu Khao Thong”. Built in the amazing location on a hilltop in Bangkok, this stunning architecture must be included in your Thailand 30 Day Itinerary. It has a troubled history. It was initially built during 1787-1851 by King Rama III but the chedi collapsed and then the construction was left abandoned. Climb up to 300 steps to the top terrace and you will be able to witness the beautiful relic of Lord Buddha from India.