9 Buddhist Temples to Explore in Bangkok

Wat Phra Kaew is one of the most important Buddhist temples in Thailand. Located in the historic centre of Bangkok and within the grounds of the Grand Palace, the temple enshrines Phra Kaew Morakot, the highly revered Buddha image meticulously carved from a single block of jade.

Wat Saket in Bangkok Old Town is an Ayutthaya-era shrine with a gleaming gold chedi in Bangkok. Also called the Golden Mount, it occupies an 80-meter-tall manmade hill that was built during the reign of King Rama III. The temple welcomes worshippers year-round, though it’s busiest during its annual temple fair in November, during Loy Krathong. The temple grounds have mature trees and typical Buddhist structures such as a main prayer hall, ordination hall and library.

Wat Arun, locally known as Wat Chaeng, is a landmark temple on the west bank of the Chao Phraya river. It’s easily one of the most stunning temples in Bangkok, not only because of its riverside location but also because the design is very different from the other temples you can visit in the Thai capital. Wat Arun is partly made up of colourfully decorated spires and stands majestically over the water.

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 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 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.

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 Suthat Thepwararam is one of the oldest and most impressive Buddhist temples in Bangkok. It has an elegant prayer hall with sweeping roofs, magnificent murals, and exquisite hand-carved teakwood door panels. It’s widely known for the towering red Giant Swing standing at its entrance. Located in Bangkok's Old Town, you can easily combine a visit to Wat Suthat Thepwararam with Temple of the Emerald Buddha, The Grand Palace, and Wat Pho.

The Wat Yannawa is one of the older temples in Bangkok; it was built during the time of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, before the founding of the Rattanakosin Kingdom and the city of Bangkok. At that time the temple was called Wat Kok Khwai.