Bangkok : Wat Pho

15th December 2010. Written by Xin Li. Bangkok, Thailand Found on any standard itinerary for Bangkok is the famed Wat Pho, home to the gigantic statue of the 46 metres long Reclining Buddha. This temple is located in close proximity to the Grand Palace in the Rattanokosin district of Bangkok.

The temple is also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha and it is one of the oldest wats in Bangkok, dating from the 16th century. Its lengthy official name is Wat Phra Chettuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Ratchaworamahawihan.

The iconic Reclining Buddha is housed in the specially built Vihara of the Reclining Buddha or Phra Buddhasaiyas. Besides the monumental scale of this golden statue, the soles of the statue’s feet are also worth examining. It is inlaid with mother-of-pearl showing the 108 auspicious signs of Buddha and done in Thai Chinese style, portraying Indian and Chinese influences.

The hall is painted with intricate murals covering 3 topics. One of it is the “Mahawong” (Historical Annals of Ceylon) up the windows.

Besides behind famed for its enormous Reclining Buddha Statue, the temple is also a school for traditional medicine as well as the well-known Thai massage since 1962.

Beyond its walls, Wat Pho’s architecture is varied and ornamental in general with an interesting mix of Chinese, European and Thai architectures. The sprawling complex consisted of two walled compounds bisected by Soi Chetuphon running east-west.

As we explored Wat Pho and its numerous halls, we found ourselves immersed in an environment decorated with Chinese pagodas and statues, rows of golden seated Buddhas in deep meditation and walls endowed with colourful murals. To take in all the sights in depth would take hours. It was hard not to be overwhelmed by the amount of details that could be found in this temple.

Admission to the temple is 50 THB and it is open DAILY (in case someone tells you its closed) from 0800 HRS – 1700 HRS. As with all temples, you are expected to be in proper attire (i.e. no shorts or revealing skirts).

Although we didn’t get to try it, the temple also offers massage services ranging from normal Thai massage to foot massage (250-350 THB/hr). You can reach this temple via bus or the Chao Phraya Express Boat by getting to Tha Chang, Tha Tien or Pak Klong Talad Piers.

Plenty of cats in Wat Pho. For more information on Wat Pho you can visit this website.