A courtyard of tall, tiled chedis with slender spires and red-roofed halls behind them under a pale sky

Religious site · Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok

Wat Pho

Bangkok's temple of the 46-metre reclining Buddha, a royal monastery that is also the home of traditional Thai massage

Ambient sound · similar settingBuddhist temple bell tolling at Chōmei-ji

Photo: Johnny Africa (@johnnyafrica) / Unsplash

Discover Wat Pho

Wat Pho, formally Wat Phra Chetuphon, is one of the oldest and largest temples in Bangkok. Its most famous resident is the reclining Buddha, a brick and plaster figure covered in gold leaf that fills its hall almost from wall to wall: about 46 metres long and 15 metres high, with soles inlaid in mother-of-pearl showing auspicious symbols. The pose represents the Buddha entering final nirvana.

Beyond that hall, the temple is a quiet maze of courtyards. Cloisters lined with rows of seated Buddha images surround the main ordination hall, and four great chedis decorated with ceramic tiles honour the first four kings of the Chakri dynasty, with dozens of smaller chedis scattered between them. Wat Pho was once called Thailand's first public university, because its walls and pavilions were inscribed with lessons on medicine, religion and literature, and it is still the leading centre for teaching traditional Thai massage.

Don’t miss

01The gilded reclining Buddha and its mother-of-pearl soles
02The four great tiled chedis honouring the first Chakri kings
03Cloisters lined with rows of gilded seated Buddha images
04Stone guardian figures at the courtyard gates
05A traditional Thai massage at the temple's own school

History & culture

The story of Wat Pho

A temple stood here before Bangkok was founded, probably from the Ayutthaya period, though its origins are unrecorded. King Rama I rebuilt it from 1788 as a royal temple close to his new palace, and it was given its present name in 1801. King Rama III enlarged it greatly from 1832 in a project lasting more than 16 years, adding the reclining Buddha and the inscribed marble panels that turned the temple into a place of public learning.

Those inscriptions and illustrations were entered in UNESCO's Memory of the World register in 2008. The temple's school of traditional medicine and massage opened in the mid-1950s, and the Thai massage it teaches, nuad thai, is now on UNESCO's list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Local life & traditions

Wat Pho is a working monastery, so you will see monks and novices going about their day and local people making merit with lotus buds, candles and gold leaf. The neighbouring Tha Tien quarter has old shophouses, dried-fish stalls and simple riverside cafés, and the pier is where ferries leave for Wat Arun on the opposite bank.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Most visitors start with the reclining Buddha, where you can drop coins into the row of bronze bowls along the wall for good luck, then wander the courtyards, cloisters and chedis at their own pace; an hour or two is enough. The massage pavilions in the grounds offer treatments by trained practitioners, and the temple school runs longer courses for those who want to learn. Wat Pho stays open into the evening, later than the Grand Palace, which makes it easy to visit after the palace.

When to go

Bangkok's cool season, from roughly November to February, brings the most comfortable temperatures and the least rain, and is also the busiest time for visitors. The hot season peaks around April, and the rainy season runs from about mid-May to October, when afternoon downpours are common but rarely last all day. Early morning or late afternoon gives softer light on the chedis and fewer tour groups.

Plan your visit

Verified information

Opening hours: Daily 08:00 to 19:30. Source: watpho.com ↗
Admission: 300 baht; free for children under 120 cm tall. Source: watpho.com ↗
Dress code: Dress politely: trousers are fine but shorts are not allowed. Remove your shoes before entering religious buildings. Source: watpho.com ↗
Getting there: MRT Blue Line, Exit 1 at the station beside the temple; or Chao Phraya boat to Tha Chang or Wat Arun pier and the cross-river ferry to Tha Tien. Source: watpho.com ↗

Checked against the sources on 29 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

Combine with the Grand Palace next door, visiting the palace first as it closes much earlier.
Do not step on or climb any Buddha image, and keep your feet pointed away from the images when sitting.
Women should avoid touching monks or novices, and some areas reserved for monks' ceremonies are closed to women.
Book a massage early in the day if you want one; queues build up in the afternoon.
Bring a bag for your shoes or use the shelves provided outside each hall.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around Wat Pho: food, markets & places to stay

The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew lie immediately to the north, and Wat Arun is a short ferry ride across the Chao Phraya from Tha Tien pier. The Museum Siam, the flower market at Pak Khlong Talat and the Chinatown streets of Yaowarat are all within a short walk or taxi ride.

Wat Pho & what’s nearby

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Gold and red temple buildings of Wat Phra Kaew at the Grand Palace under a blue sky.

Landmark

Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok · 0.3 km away

Wat Pho in pictures

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Sources & verification

This guide was researched from the sources below and reviewed by our team on 29 October 2026. Facts under “Verified information” link to the page they were checked on; travel tips are general guidance. Photos are credited on each image. The ambient recording’s author and licence are shown in the sound player.

Plan your visit — Wat Pho
Trip to Wat Pho — Wat Pho
Wat Pho — Tourism Authority of Thailand (Amazing Thailand)
Wat Pho — Wikipedia

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