79 Buddhist Temples to Explore in Thailand

Wat Bowonniwet, or Wat Bowon for short is a first class Royal temple in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district. The temple, which is also known as Wat Bovornives was built during the reign of King Nangklao (Rama III) in the first half of the 19th century, when it was called Wat Mai. Originally there were two temples separated by a canal, the Wat Rangsi Sutthawat and the Wat Mai. In 1923 the two temples were merged into the Wat Bowonniwet.

Wat Buraparam is an ancient Buddhist temple built in the Rattanakosin period and lies in Surin province. It was built by Surin’s first town leader, Phraya Surin Phakdi Si Narong Changwang. It is home to the province’s iconic Buddha image and museum of Luang Phoo Dun.

Wat Chalong is a historical landmark and Buddhist temple in Phuket's Chalong Bay. For centuries, locals come to pray almost every day while westerners learn about Buddhism during their holiday. It's officially called Wat Chaitararam, but most people refer to it by Wat Chalong. The temple is located on Chao Fa West Road in the northern part of Tambol Chalong.

Wat Chedi Luang's massive chedi was built sometime between 1385 and 1402, during the reign of King Saen Muang Ma, 7th ruler of the Mengrai dynasty and is a distinctive feature of the Chiang Mai skyline. At its peak, the chedi measured 60 metres across at the square base and 80 metres tall and was once the home of the Emerald Buddha, Thailand's most sacred religious relic.

Wat Chiang Man is Chiang Mai’s oldest temple and holds some important Buddhist images including a famous crystal Buddha. Construction on the temple started in 1306 although several parts were added in later centuries so the temple complex has lots of different styles of architecture side by side. There are two main meditation halls in Wat Chiang Man, both extensively decorated in gold and red with images of the Buddha. Inside the larger hall is Chiang Mai’s oldest Buddha image, a standing Buddha

Wat Chulamani is a Buddhist temple in Wat Chulamani Village, Phitsanulok Province, Thailand. It is the oldest standing temple in Phitsanulok Province. It was built in the Sukhothai era. The temple is famous for its elaborate Khmer style pagoda.

Wat Hua Lamphong, popularly known as is the coffin temple , it’s an authentic Buddhist temple where various aspects of Thai cultures, traditions, and beliefs are observed regularly. Lamphong Buddhists are known to believe in Karma; hence, visitors go there to make a merit of good karma. The temple is part of the third class royal temples in Thailand, affiliated with Theravada Buddhism.

Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao is the principal Buddhist temple in Lampang, Thailand. The temple was founded by the first Mon ruler of Lampang. The Emerald Buddha was enshrined at this temple from 1434 to 1468, when King Tilokaraj relocated the image to Wat Phra Singh in Chiang Mai. The temple's Mon-style chedi, which is reputed to contain a strand of the Buddha's hair, is 50 metres tall.

Wat Kaew Korawaram, also known simply as Wat Kaew, is the largest Buddhist temple within Krabi Town and one of most prestigious in the entire region, though not as famous as the Tiger Cave Temple located outside the city. Perched on a hill overlooking Krabi downtown, the temple dates back to 1887, when 200 families settled at Baan Pak Nam, which was the name of city at that time, and a community of monks sprang up and prospered.

Wat Kalayanamitr Varamahavihara is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand. The temple is located in Wat Kanlaya sub-district, on the Thonburi bank of the Chao Phraya River. The temple was established in 1825 by Chaophraya Nikonbodin, a wealthy Thai Chinese trader, who donated the temple to Rama III. Chaophraya Nikonbodin was an ancestor of the Kalayanamitr family, whose descendants include Saprang Kalayanamitr.

The Wat Khao Phanom Phloeng is a 13th-century temple located near the Yom River in Si Satchanalai Historical Park. The temple is found on top of a hill surrounded by forest, overlooking part of the ancient town.

Wat Khun Inthapramun is ancient temple that was constructed during the Sukhothai period, its vast size still outlined by brick ruins. The largest and longest reclining Buddha statue in Thailand, 50 meters from topknot to feet, is enshrined here. Originally, the reclining Buddha image was housed in the image hall, or Wihan, but after a fire raged through the temple, the image was abandoned to the elements for hundreds of years.

Wat Khung Taphao is an ancient temple was established by King of Thonburi in the early 18th century. This temple is well known that it is the oldest in the Kung Taphao sub-district that includes Buddha's relics and two important Buddha images.

Wat Kudi Dao, also known as “Wat Kudee Dao” or “Wat Kudidao”, is a restored ruin of a Buddhist monastery in Ayutthaya district. Dubbed the Monastery of the Star Dormitory, restoration work began in 1711 and was completed in 1715. The temple was the residence of an important priest called Phra Then Muni who advised Prince Borommkot, the leader who had overlooked the restoration work.

The Wat Mahathat is a Buddhist temple in Ayutthaya, central Thailand. It Is one of the temples in the Ayutthaya Historical Park Wat Mahathat is an important temple in the Ayutthaya period. Because it is the temple that enshrines the relics of the city center And is the residence of the patriarch This temple was constructed and maintained at all times until it was destroyed and abandoned after the second time.

It’s regarded as the principal wat in Ubon. This old temple is where the highly referred Buddha image titled Phra Chao Yai Indra Plang is located.

Wat Maheyong is a Buddhist temple in Ayutthaya, Thailand. It was originally built in 1438, during the reign of King Borommarachathirat II, and restored in 1711 by King Thai Sa. The major buildings in this temple are its chedi and ubosot. The chedi's platform is supported by 80 sculpted elephants, and its ubosot is currently under worship.

At the heart of Bangkok's Chinatown is the Chinese-Buddhist temple of Wat Mangkon Kamalawat, known in Chinese as Wat Leng Nui Yee. The temple is the center of festivities during important festivals such as Chinese new years and the vegetarian festival.

Wat Nang Phaya is a monastery in Phitsanulok, Thailand, which was said to have been built when Phitsanulok was ruled by King Trailokanat. Wat Nang Phraya has no temple, but it is known for its Phrara Nang Phya, which are votive tablets found within the pagoda's repository.

Wat Niwet Thammaprawat was built in 1876 in the reign of King Rama V, the first Thai king who visited Europe. This Gothic-style buddhist temple on a small island served as a royal temple when the King and his family spent their summer in the nearby Bang Pa-in Palace. Several European style buildings were also constructed in the compound. They are currently used as library, offices, monk residences, and also a school where novices and monks receive their formal and religious education.