Wat Arun

Location: Thonburi City, west bank of the Chao Phraya River, Thailand
Opening hours: 8:00-18:00 every day
Entrance fee: 50 baht/person
Reason to visit: Wat Arun is one of the tallest and most beautiful temples in Thailand, and you can enjoy the scenery of the Chao Phraya River. It is one of the must-see attractions in Bangkok.

Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) is a famous Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand, and one of the royal temples of Thailand. It is located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River in Thonburi district, and is one of the tallest and most beautiful temples in Thailand. It is a temple dedicated to the 41st king of Thailand, national hero Zheng Zhao (of Chinese descent), and also the place where his ashes are buried. This article will introduce you to the history, features, travel tips and visit information of Zheng Wang Temple, hoping to help you better understand and appreciate this Thai national treasure.

History of Wat Arun

The history of Wat Arun can be traced back to the Ayutthaya period of Thailand, when it was originally called Wat Makok. In 1767, Ayutthaya was captured by the Burmese, and the capital of Thailand was moved to the west bank of the Chao Phraya River in Thonburi. General Taksin (later to become King Zheng Zhao) arrived at this temple at dawn, and his fleet was fighting against the invading Burmese, so he renamed the temple as Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun), and made it part of his royal residence. In 1779, Zheng Zhao brought back a jade Buddha statue from Laos, and placed it in the Temple of Dawn, until 1784, when his successor Rama I moved the capital back to the east bank of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, and moved the jade Buddha statue to the Wat Phra Kaew. The expansion of Wat Arun was completed under the orders of Rama II and Rama III, raising the original 16-meter-high main tower to 79 meters, making it one of the tallest pagodas in Thailand.

Highlights of Wat Arun: Phra Prang 

The Wat Arun is most famous for its pagodas, the tallest of which is the Phra Prang Pagoda, which at 79 meters high is one of the tallest stupas in Thailand. Its exterior is decorated with intricate carvings and inlaid with a variety of colorful ceramic pieces, glass, and shells, creating a very colorful variety of patterns and motifs. It has steep steps on all sides to climb to the top of the pagoda and enjoy the view of both sides of the Chao Phraya River.

It is surrounded by four smaller companion pagodas, representing the four continents, which are similarly decorated with colorful broken porcelain. Between the main pagoda and the companion pagodas are four Buddhist temples for pilgrims to enter and exit. The base of the main stupa also contains four small, conical pavilions, which display important events in the life of the Buddha, such as his birth and enlightenment. Each floor of the main pagoda has sculptures of different deities and statues of Buddha, such as the Wind God, Monkey, Jinnara, Jinnari, Indra, Vishnu, etc., which are rich in Hinduism and Thai mythology.

How to admire Wat Arun

Generally, you can take a ferry from the 8th pier of the Chao Phraya River, and along the way you can enjoy the scenery of the river and the Grand Palace on the opposite bank along the way. Once you arrive at the Wat Arun, you can visit the main hall to see the golden Buddha statues and murals before climbing the main pagoda to take in the view and the sound of the wind chimes. If you have enough physical strength, you can also go to see other Buddhist halls, gatehouses and Buddhist pavilions. The best time to visit Wat Arun is in the morning or evening, when the light is at its best and you can take great photos. If it is evening, the Wat Arun will also be lit up, which makes it look more mysterious and spectacular, and is a different flavor. When visiting the temple, you need to dress appropriately and not wear revealing clothes such as shorts or tank tops.

How to get there

Take the LRT to Saphan Taksin station, then walk to Sathorn pier on the river and take an orange-flagged ferry to Tha Tien pier, then change to a smaller ferry to King Cheng's temple, the whole journey takes about half an hour and costs around 10 baht.