Wat Phra Kaew

It’s virtually impossible to be a tourist and not see Wat Phra Kaew. Located inside the illustrious Grand Palace, this is one of Bangkok’s most sacred temples. Wat Phra Kaew also goes by two other names: its formal title is Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram, while it’s often informally referred to as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. After all, the wat is best known for its large Buddha made seamlessly from jade called Phra Kaew Morakot, he sits in peaceful meditation. Despite the Emerald Buddha’s modest size—especially when compared to the giant Reclining Buddha of Wat Pho—he is nonetheless a symbol held in great reverence by local people.
The temple itself dates back to the late 1700s, built under Rama I. Unlike the majority of temples in Thailand, Wat Phra Kaew does not house monks. Because it’s such a significant wat for Thais, the admission price has increased over the years to 500 THB a person. However, this fee includes entrance to the Grand Palace as well. Please note that the temple closes its doors by 3:30 pm, so please plan accordingly.