Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)

This is the one travel attractions of Bangkok you should not miss. It is a large compound located near Sanam Luang in the very heart of Bangkok. The Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha were built after King Rama I ascended the throne as the founder of the Chakri Dynasty on 6 April 1782 and have undergone several repairs and renovations.

The Grand Palace consists of several buildings with different styles of architecture. Wat Phra Kaeo is renowned as the most beautiful and important Buddhist temple in Thailand. It houses Phra Kaeo Morakot (the Emerald Buddha), the most highly revered Buddha image carved from a single block of fine jade.

Scattered in the temple grounds are numerous interesting sculptures of artistic value, including the fanciful animals in mythology, the fierce-looking giants standing guard at the gates, the six pairs of Cambodian-style bronze lions and the stone figures from China.

On the inside walls of the temple's compound, there are extensive mural paintings depicting scenes from the famous epic "Ramayana". It is the longest wall painting in the world as well as one of the Unseen Bangkok. A distinctive characteristic of this temple is that there are no monks living in it like other temples.

Note: Women visitors must wear long pants or long skirts. Men in short pants are not allowed to enter the temple. Photography inside the main temple is forbidden.

Open Daily : 08.30 - 15.30 hrs.

Admission fee 250 baht to Wat Phra Kaeo and the Grand Palace Compound. The fee includes entry to the Royal Thai Decorations & Coins Pavilion (in the Grand Palace Compound) and to Vimanmek Mansion and Apisek Dusit Throne Hall (Ratchawithi Road).