In 2009, we had about a 12-hour layover in Bangkok on our way to Kuala Lumpur from Seattle. 12 hours – that’s enough to visit a couple of places and get some delicious, authentic Thai food in our tummies!
We decided to visit the famous Wat Arun (translates to “Temple of Dawn”), a Buddhist temple on the west banks of Chao Phraya River.
We spent about two hours, admiring the colors and intricate details of the architecture and photographing it!
Wat Arun’s famous structure is the tall spire (aka “Prang”) in the middle of the site (seen in the background of this picture)
Wat Arun’s famous attraction is the tall, finger like spire called Prang
The steps up the Prang are really steep! Climbing up was scary, climbing DOWN was even scarier!
We just couldn’t get enough of photographing the steps! Did we mention they were steep? Obviously, we’d recommend not wearing heels when climbing these steps.
We spent hours admiring the colors and designs of Wat Arun!
Intricate designs on the walls
It’s not just carvings and paint on these walls. Look at what some of the designs are made of!
Another detail of the designs.
On the terraces, there are plenty more beautiful structures to admire and photograph.
The structure overlooks the Chao Phraya river.
The Grand Palace sits across the river.
Temple Guardians of the temple/ordination hall, located next to the Prang.
Guardians on the fence
Don’t forget to visit Wat Arun on your trip to Bangkok!
You can rent a Tuk Tuk to get to Wat Arun. A cab is another option to get there.
Foodie Side Note: After visiting the Wat Arun, we walked around the streets surrounding Chinatown and ate at a stall on the side of the road (the tables and chairs were taking up a parking spot on the street)! Other than the usual famous delicacies of Thailand, you should try oyster omelette when in Bangkok! They are delicious! We found that it was hard to find a dish that was NOT delicious at any stores/stalls in Bangkok.
The oyster omelette we had at a stall on the side of the road in Bangkok’s chinatown was delicious!
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REMEMBER:
- Wat Arun is a great place to visit when in Bangkok.
- Wat Arun is famous for its Wat Arun Festival where His Majesty the King travels down in a procession of Royal barges to present new robes to the monks after their three-month lent period.
- You can get there by tuk tuk or cab.
- We paid an entrance fee of 50 Baht (~USD$1.60).
- Wat Arun is located on the West Bank of Chao Phraya River.
- As always, do be respectful and don’t do anything that disrupts the peaceful atmosphere.
- We didn’t see any strict clothing rule being enforced when we were there but nevertheless, we recommend that you wear appropriate clothing (If wearing tank tops or sleeveless tops, a light scarf or cardigan covering your bare shoulders would be a good option) anytime you’re visiting religious locations.
- Photography Gear: Most of the photos above were taken using a Nikon D40x DSLR (no longer being sold) along with a must have, versatile traveler’s lens, the Nikkor 18-200mm lens. An equivalent DSLR would be the Nikon D3000. We also used an old Canon point & shoot camera (An updated equivalent would be the Canon S95).
Have you visited Wat Arun? Do you have any insider tips future visitors to the area should know?
Do leave a comment, +1, Like, Stumble, Tweet and Share this post! Thank you!
39 Comments
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Wat Arun is high on my “must see” list. Great photos and tips!
Michael Figueiredo recently posted..La Jolla: The Jewel of San Diego
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Thanks Michael! Glad you like the post!
Idelish (Jeremy & Shirlene) recently posted..{India} Thiksey Monastery is a “Must Visit” in Leh
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{Thailand} Wat Arun in Bangkok http://t.co/lhRJJLGU
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Great photos. Definitely on any greatest hits tour of Bangkok. Looks like you’re having a great trip.
Kris Koeller recently posted..A Tribute in Light-
Thanks Kris! It definitely was an awesome trip to the Wat Arun for us!
Idelish (Jeremy & Shirlene) recently posted..{India} Thiksey Monastery is a “Must Visit” in Leh
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{Thailand} Wat Arun in Bangkok http://t.co/CwYriDnq via @IdelishTravel #travelphotos #bangkok #WatArun
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What a fun layover! I’ve never actually left the airport during a layover… but then again I’ve never had one that lasted 12 hours. 🙂
Gorgeous photos, as usual. We plan to visit Bangkok in February, so this will definitely get added to the list.
Technosyncratic recently posted..Unexpected Perils of the Roman Baths-
We actually seek out long layovers so that we can go out and explore 🙂 Another favorite 12 hour layover we do is in Seoul. You should try it – it’s a nice break in between 30 hour flights!
Glad to know you’ll be visiting Wat Arun! We too are returning to BKK end of this year. Will share any other gems we find there 🙂
Idelish (Jeremy & Shirlene) recently posted..{India} Thiksey Monastery is a “Must Visit” in Leh
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“@NomadicSamuel: {Thailand} Wat Arun in Bangkok http://t.co/G22dcsMf @idelishtravel” one of my favorite places in BKK!
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Wat Arun is one of my favourite places to visit in Bangkok. You did a great job of capturing the different angles and vantage points that makes this place quite unique.
Nomadic Samuel recently posted..Iguazu Falls | Argentina & Brazil | Part 6 | Travel Video-
Thank you – really appreciate you taking the time to drop a note. We were fortunate to have the chance to visit Wat Arun on our layover. There are plenty more places in BKK that we’d love to visit and plan to do so end of this year! Let us know if you have any recommendations!
Idelish (Jeremy & Shirlene) recently posted..{MALAYSIA} Snorkel, Dive and Chill at Redang Island
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{Thailand} Wat Arun in Bangkok http://t.co/lHQqlYHC @idelishtravel
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Love all the different angles- I would love to visit Thailand, the colors and energy make it seem like my kind of place.
Jade recently posted..Get Inspired: A 10,000 mile Journey to Patagonia-
Thanks Jade! If it’s color and energy that inspires you, then you will absolutely love Thailand!
Idelish (Jeremy & Shirlene) recently posted..{India} Thiksey Monastery is a “Must Visit” in Leh
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Anyone going to Bangkok? Stop by Wat Arun! {Thailand} Wat Arun in Bangkok http://t.co/UUGQW2lN #travel #vacation #bangkok
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wow. the details on this are STUNNING!!! good job capturing it!!! gorgeous, gorgeous! love looking at it…
jenjenk recently posted..Bed Bugs and How to Avoid Bringing Them Home-
Thanks Jenny! We’re glad you like the pictures! Check out more of the photos on our smugmug site through the links at the bottom of the post!
Idelish (Jeremy & Shirlene) recently posted..{MALAYSIA} Snorkel, Dive and Chill at Redang Island
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Incredible detail at the temple. You did a great job capturing interesting shots.
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Best Restaurants in Columbus: Basi Italia-
Thanks Stephanie! We had a great time admiring the details of the structure!
Idelish (Jeremy & Shirlene) recently posted..{India} Thiksey Monastery is a “Must Visit” in Leh
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Beautiful photos! Didn’t realize the colors were so vibrant!
Jeremy Branham recently posted..The California State Capitol – a photo essay-
Thanks Jeremy! Yeah – we didn’t either coz the structure was so sparkly when we saw it from afar!
Idelish (Jeremy & Shirlene) recently posted..{India} Thiksey Monastery is a “Must Visit” in Leh
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Beautiful photos! I loved climbing around Wat Arun when I was there – amazing how all that shimmery, almost sparkling facade you can see from a distance is achieved with bits of ceramic.
Andrea recently posted..Iskender is Good: The Kebap of Bursa-
Thanks Andrea! It’s really amazing isn’t it! We didn’t realize it was covered in pieces of ceramic till we got close. I honestly thought they were all pieces of colored glass!
Idelish (Jeremy & Shirlene) recently posted..{India} Thiksey Monastery is a “Must Visit” in Leh
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{#Thailand} Wat Arun in #Bangkok http://t.co/DzaxcDGF #asia #buddhist #temples #watarun
