Bangkok · Central
Wat Pho
Wat Phra Chetuphon · Temple of the Reclining Buddha
Wat Pho, formally Wat Phra Chetuphon, is a Buddhist temple complex in the Phra Nakhon district of Bangkok, immediately south of the Grand Palace. It is one of the six temples in Thailand of the highest grade of the first class royal temples, and among the oldest in the city, predating the founding of Bangkok as capital. Rama I rebuilt it on an earlier site from 1788. The temple is best known for the enormous gilded reclining Buddha that fills its viharn, and for the inscribed stone tablets and figures that record traditional Thai medicine and massage, which is why it is often described as Thailand's earliest centre of public education. It remains a working monastery and the national headquarters for the teaching of Thai massage.
Art & Architecture
- Reclining Buddha 46 metres long, covered in gold leaf
- Mother-of-pearl inlay on the soles of the Buddha's feet, showing the 108 auspicious signs
- Regarded as Thailand's first public university, its walls inscribed with treatises on medicine and massage
- Over a thousand Buddha images, the largest such collection in Thailand
Best Season
Festivals
Songkran
Planning your visit
Nearby
Guesthouses and dharamshalas near the temple often take walk-ins. Confirm a single-occupancy rate when you call.
- Chakrabongse Villas301 m
Rated 4.7 on Google Maps from 207 reviews, a few minutes' walk from Wat Pho. Listed on rating and proximity — we have not stayed here.
Checked by us
- Riva Arun Bangkok301 m
Rated 4.6 on Google Maps from 901 reviews, a few minutes' walk from Wat Pho. Listed on rating and proximity — we have not stayed here.
Checked by us
Rated 4.6 on Google Maps from 150 reviews, a few minutes' walk from Wat Pho. Listed on rating and proximity — we have not stayed here.
Checked by us
- Riva Surya Bangkok1.8 km
Rated 4.6 on Google Maps from 1,444 reviews, a short auto ride from Wat Pho. Listed on rating and proximity — we have not stayed here.
Checked by us
- Reclining Budha - Bangkok, Thailand155 m
From Overture Maps — not verified by us (2026-08-23)
- โรงแรมเชตุพณเ เกท246 m
From Overture Maps — not verified by us (2026-08-23)
Listings drawn from third-party maps are not verified by us and may be out of date. Please confirm directly before you travel.
Sources