79 Buddhist Temples to Explore in Thailand

Established by Venerable Ajahn Chah in 1954, Wat Nong Pah Pong is the main monastery in the Ajahn Chah family of monasteries. It follows the Thai Forest Tradition, mainly focused on meditation other than study.

Wat Pa Ban Tat is located at Ban Tat, Tambon Ban Tat, was first founded in 1955 and established as a Buddhist temple on 17 September, 1970. It used to be a residence of Luangta Maha Bua Yanasampanno, an insight development monk master.

Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew, also known as the Temple of a Million Bottles, is a Buddhist temple in Khun Han district of Sisaket province, Thailand. The temple is made of over 1.5 million empty Heineken bottles and Chang beer bottles. The collection of the bottles began in 1984; it took two years to build the main temple. Thereafter, the monks continued to expand the site, and by 2009 some 20 buildings had been similarly constructed.

Situated in the west of Sukhothai province, this temple was mentioned in several stone inscriptions of the Sukhothai period. Now the remains of buildings in the temple include the ordination hall and chedi.

Wat Pa Mok Worawihan is located in Pa Mok on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. There is an old reclining Buddha image assumed to have been constructed during the Sukhothai period. The image is 22.58 meters long, made of brick and mortar, and covered with gold. It is found in the royal records that King Naresuan also visited this temple to pay homage to this reclining Buddha image prior to leading the army to fight King Maha Uparacha of Burma.

Wat Pa Sak, 'The Teak Forest Monastery' owes its name to the teak trees which still stand along the perimeter of Chiang Saen's city walls, which are located just a few hundred meters from this monastery. Its principal item of interest is a brick and stucco chedi dating from around 1319 . Apart from the chedi, the ruins of an ubosot with several standing stone columns can be found in front of the chedi. There are also scattered stone foundations of indeterminate purpose in the fields surrounding

Wat Phanan Choeng is famous for its enormous seated Buddha image, considered to be one of the most beautiful in the country. According to legend tears shed from the eyes of the image just before the destruction of Ayutthaya by the Burmese in 1767. The temple is located on the banks of the Pa Sak river opposite the South East tip of the historical island. From a riverboat you will have great views of the monastery.

Wat Photharam is an ancient temple in Ban Dong Bang, Dong Bang Sub-district, Na Dun District, Maha Sarakham Province, Isan region of Thailand. The temple dating back to the King Nangklao's reign, more than 200 years ago. It is situated in an old town zone called Ban Dong Bang. Previously, it was called "Wat Pho Thong" and renamed to "Wat Photharam" as today in 1942 by the fourth abbot, Phra Kru Chan Di.

Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan is the main Buddhist temple of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province in southern Thailand. The main stupa of the temple, Phra Borommathat Chedi ('great noble relics stupa'), was built by King Sri Dhammasokaraja in the early-13th century CE to establish a symbol for the Theravada Buddhism sect in the province. The temple is believed to house a tooth of Gautama Buddha.

Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan is the main Buddhist temple of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, the largest province in Southern Thailand. It is located on the main sand bar of Nakhon Si Thammarat on which the ancient town and the present town of Nakhon Si Thammarat were built.

Wat Phra Phutthabat is a Buddhist temple in Saraburi, Thailand. It is among the oldest Buddhist temples in Thailand. Its name means "temple of Buddha's footprint" because it contains a natural depression believed to be a footprint of the Buddha. Phra Phutthabat temple is built in the mountains, mostly surrounded by forest.

Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, colloquially referred to as Wat Phra Si or Wat Yai, is a Buddhist temple in Phitsanulok Province, Thailand, where it is located on the east bank of Nan River, near Naresuan Bridge and opposite Phitsanulok Provincial Hall. The temple is famous for its gold-covered statue of the Buddha, known as Phra Phuttha Chinnarat. It is considered one of the most beautiful and the classical magnificent Buddha figures in Thailand and receive the highest worship among Thai people.

This monastery was constructed in 1350 as a royal temple inside the Grand Palace compound where some former kings lived when Ayutthaya was the capital of Siam. The three iconic bell-shaped pagodas on a high platform contain the ashes of three great Ayutthaya kings. As it was a royal temple and used only for royal ceremonies, there was no residential quarter for monks. The same tradition applies to the current royal temple, Wat Phra Kaew, in Bangkok.

Wat Phra Singh is perhaps the second most venerated temple in Chiang Mai after Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. It houses three main structures, the main attraction being the elegantly decorated Lai Kam assembly hall and its restored murals depicting the lives of locals hundreds of years ago. Located inside the old city wall, at the western end of Ratchadamnoen Road, the temple’s signature Lanna-style roofs and glittering viharn invite visitors.

Wat Pha Sorn Kaew, also known as Wat Phra Thart Pha Kaew, is a Buddhist monastery and temple in Khao Kor, Phetchabun, in north-central Thailand. It is a famous pilgrimage centre and also a famous tourist attraction in Thailand. The main pagoda and surrounding buildings are adorned with over 5 million colorful mosaic tiles and pottery items and is set in a mountain location. 5 sitting Buddha statues were already finished. There is a stained glass gazebo and a smaller pagoda in the gardens.

The Wat Phra That Si Chom Thong is one of the oldest and most highly revered temples in North Thailand. According to local legend the Buddha once visited the hill where the temple now stands. The temple that is officially named Wat Phra That Si Chom Thong Worawihan is very highly revered, because of the sacred Buddha relic that is enshrined here.

Built early in the 19th century, the Buddhist Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is one of the sacred and most important temples in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The structure is an incredible piece of architecture and skilled craftsmanship. For those who are looking forward to an extraordinary experience full of peace and tranquility.

Wat Phra That Hariphunchai is a Buddhist temple in Lamphun, Thailand. The temple's origins date from the 11th century but the central stupa is thought to originate in the 9th century. The temple was first rebuilt in 1443 by King Tilokaraja of Lanna kingdom Chiang Mai. The temple's pyramid-shaped Chedi Suwanna was built in 1418.

Wat Phra That Lampang Luang is a Lanna-style Buddhist temple in Lampang in Lampang Province, Thailand. The temple is said to enshrine a relic of the Buddha. Such relics are typically bones and ashes believed to be gathered after the Buddha's cremation. The relic is installed in the main chedi of the temple.

Wat Phra That Nong Bua is a Dhammyuttika temple, one of the important temples in the province Ubon Ratchathani. The best part of this place is Sri Maha Pho Chedi, which was worked in 1956 to respect of 2500 years of Buddhism.