Bangkok is famous around the world for its historical temples and even though it has evolved as one of the most industrialized city in Asia, it’s still good to see that they have also been carefully preserving their old structures to continuously remember their past.
Here’s a rundown of the must-see places I visited in Thailand:
- Wat Pho
- Wat Arun
- Khao San Road
- Ayutthaya Historical City
- Wat Ratchaburana
- Wat Mahathat
- Wat Lokayasutharam
- Elehpant Ride
- Wat Phra Mongkhol Bophit
- Wat Sri Sanphet
Let me start with the places I visited in the
City of Bangkok. These places are just conveniently located in the heart of the city. You can just ride a Train, Taxi, or a Tuktuk going to these places. Check out from here Bangkok's Transportation: "
Where to in Bangkok?".
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| A View of the Grand Palace from Sanam Luang |
WAT PHO (Entrance Fee: THB 100)Wat Pho, or popularly known as the "
Temple of the Reclining Buddha" is a popular destination among tourists. It is located on the southern side of Wat Phra Khaew and just beside
Tha Tien Pier.
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| The Reclining Buddha |
TRAVEL TIP: Wear your proper attire if you want to enter the Temple (NO short pants and NO sleeveless shirts). Be sure to bring your refreshments with to hydrate yourself under the heat of the sun.
WAT ARUN (Entrance Fee: THB 50)From Wat Pho Temple, go straight directly to
Tha Tien Pier and ride the
Chao Phraya express ferry going to the other side of the river. The boat ride costs only
THB 3 and will take around 5 minutes. Upon alighting the other side of the river, you can directly enter Wat Arun.
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| Wat Arun |
Wat Arun is known as the "
Temple of the Dawn" and home to beautiful ancient temples. You can go up the temples and experience the overlooking view of Chao Phraya River and the Bangkok Metro. It's good spending some quiet time atop the temples and watching the sun set in peace.
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| Dragon dancers doing their stunts at Wat Arun |
Sunset watching at Wat Arun
TRAVEL TIP: The Chao Phraya Express Ferry operates until 8 PM so you still have more time to spend in Wat Arun before going back to Tha Tien Pier.
Khao San Road (read also Bangkok Food)One place on a backpacker's travel list is definitely
Khao San Road. It is a home of cheap backpacker's hostel and guest houses. A lot of chill-out bars are found here during the whole stretch of the night.
TRAVEL TIP: Try their tasteful local beer,
Chang Beer, which is only
THB 60 for a 640 ml bottle.
During my second day in Bangkok, I went to
Ayutthaya City riding through Bangkok’s State Railway Train. The train ticket to Ayutthaya from Bang Sue station cost THB 14. You can read more details about Bangkok Transportation from here:
"Where To In Bangkok?".
Arriving Ayutthaya Station, head straight directly near the pier and ride the ferry boat going the other side of river. The
ferry boat costs
THB 4 and around 5 minutes travel.
TRAVEL TIP: Upon arriving the other side of the river, walk a few meters going to the market and hire a tuktuk for your Ayutthaya Tour. Try your best to haggle down the price with the Tuktuk driver.
THB 300 should already be a good price.
Ayutthaya has a lot of scenic temples to offer. It's a very humble experience to be up close and personal with Thailand's history and be awed with these beautiful architectures. Here are some of the places I visited during my 6-hour trip in Ayutthaya.
Wat Ratcha Burana - Temple of the Royal Restoration (Entrance Fee: THB 50)
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| Wat Ratchaburana Entrance |
Wat Mahathat (Entrance Fee: THB 50)Wat Lokayasutharam – Temple of the Reclining Buddha |
| Wat Lokayasutharam |
TRAVEL TIP: The Wat Pho Reclining Buddha was patterned from
Wat Lokayasutharam. The size, designs, and details we're almost the same!
Elephant Ride in Ayutthaya
Thailand is famous for elephant ride and it's more fun to do it in Ayutthaya. An elephant ride here costs
THB 450 per person and the ride takes around
20 minutes around the park. A lot of tourists are lining up for the ride so be patient and you'll have your chance.
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| Little Dumbo Eating Corn |
Wat Phra Mongkhol Bophit |
| Wat Phra Mongkhol Bophit |
Wat Sri Sanphet |
| Wat Sri Sanphet |
Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to visit all the temples and places and here are some still remained unticked in my to-do list:
Bangkok: Wat Phra Kaew Bangkok Grand Palace Damnoen Floating MarketAyutthaya: Wat Chaiwattanaram Wat Yai Chai Mang Khon Wat Phu Khao ThongMore resources about Thailand:
