Wat Phra Chetuphon

Wat Pho is one of Bangkok's oldest and largest temple complexes, and home to the breathtaking 46-metre gold-leafed Reclining Buddha, so large you shuffle along its length in a narrow hall, with the soles of its feet inlaid with mother-of-pearl depicting 108 auspicious symbols. Beyond the famous statue, the grounds are a peaceful maze of gilded stupas, ornate chapels, and stone giants brought as ballast on trading ships, far more rewarding to wander than the crowds at the entrance suggest.

Wat Pho is also the birthplace of traditional Thai massage, and its on-site school still teaches and offers it, a massage here, after walking the Grand Palace next door, is a Bangkok rite of passage. It's an active temple, so dress and behave respectfully.

Don't miss

• The 46m gold Reclining Buddha with mother-of-pearl feet
• The 108 bronze bowls along the statue hall, drop a coin in each for luck
• The forest of colourful tiled stupas (chedis) of the royal family
• The traditional Thai massage school on the grounds
• Stone giants and figures that arrived as ship's ballast from China

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Wat Phra Chetuphon

Cheapest way inBangkok: Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Kaew Walking Tour4.7★ · 54 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$18 per personSee dates →Most bookedExperience Bangkok with typical Thai tuk-tuk4.9★ · 994 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$27 per personSee dates →Private & flexiblePrivate Tour to Grand Palace of Bangkok, Pho and Arun Temple5★ · 84 travelers5-6 hoursFree cancellationFrom$131 per personSee dates →

Good for

How travelers rate it

Getting there

Know before you go

• Dress modestly, shoulders and knees covered. Remove shoes before entering the Buddha hall.
• Bring small coins for the 108 luck bowls along the Reclining Buddha.
• Pair it with the Grand Palace (next door) and Wat Arun (across the river) in one old-city circuit.
• A Thai massage at the on-site school is one of the best in the city, expect a wait at peak times.

A bit of history

Founded in the 16th century and substantially rebuilt by King Rama I in the late 18th century when Bangkok became the capital, Wat Pho is considered Thailand's first public university, its walls inscribed with knowledge on medicine, literature, and astrology. The Reclining Buddha was added under Rama III.