Discover Bangkok Wat Arun – Temple of Dawn

Known as the “Land of Golden Temples”, Thailand is not only a popular tourist destination but also an important spiritual center that visitors cannot ignore. With more than 95% of the population following Buddhism, Thailand has many beautiful and sacred temples. Temples in Thailand have their unique characteristics, showing creativity in architecture and containing many profound meanings. Among them, Wat Arun is a temple that attracts many domestic and foreign tourists to visit and admire.

The History of Wat Arun and What Wat Arun Meaning

Wat Arun was built by King Taksin in 1768. It is believed that after fighting to escape Ayutthaya, which was then occupied by the Burmese army, he came to this temple as dawn was breaking.

Wat Arun was built by King Taksin in 1768

Wat Arun is considered one of the most beautiful temples in Bangkok because of its riverside location and ornate design. The large chedi (or prang in Thai) at Wat Arun, surrounded by four smaller chedi, is designed and constructed in the style of a Khmer-style chedi. The large chedi is 70 meters high and is intricately decorated with pieces of colored glass and Chinese ceramics carefully placed in intricate patterns. The green Emerald Buddha was previously housed in one of two small buildings located directly in front of the Large Chedi before being moved to Wat Phra Kaew at the Grand Palace. Sculptures of Chinese soldiers and animals decorate the base of the large chedi.

When visiting Bangkok Wat Arun in Thailand, visitors are welcome to climb the middle level of the large chedi and those who do will be rewarded with beautiful views of the Chao Phraya River winding below as well as the Grand Palace and Wat Pho on the opposite bank. Wat Arun is involved in the Royal Water Launching Ceremony as it is where the king cruises the river to present new robes to the monks at the end of the Buddhist holiday. Inside the entrance of Wat Arun (Arun Wat), where the walls are decorated with intricate murals, you can see a golden image of the Niramitr Buddha. Wat Arun is an architectural representation of Mount Meru, the center of the world in Buddhist philosophy. The placement of the peripheral chedi towers, with their protective images facing the four directions, and the large chedi in the center reinforce the significance of the temple.

Location and ways to get to Wat Arun

Located peacefully on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, temple Wat Arun is located in the heart of Bangkok, very convenient for everyone to visit, offer incense, and worship Buddha.

Located peacefully on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River

On your self-guided tour of Thailand, if you intend to go to Wat Arun, you can choose to go by BTS, then continue by high-speed train and ferry to the temple. Or else, you can take a traditional taxi or book a car through Grab to take the initiative in the price.

If you want to experience two means of transportation in Thailand, BTS, and ferry, you can follow the following route:

– Take the BTS Silom Line to Saphan Taksin Station (S6 on the train map)

– Get off at Saphan Taksin Station, then go to Exit 2

– Here, take the stairs down and turn left to see Sathorn Pier

– From here, go straight for a while, and you will see the Chao Phraya Express Boat ticket counter

– Buy a ticket for the Chao Phraya Express Boat (orange flag boat). The default fare is 15 baht/person (~10,000 VND)

– The route from Sathorn Pier to Tha Tien Pier (N8 on the map) is about 15 minutes

– When you arrive at Tha Tien Pier, take a ferry across the river to Wat Arun. The default ferry fare is 4 baht/person (~3,000 VND)

Address: 158 Thanong Wang Doem, Wat Arun, Bangkok

Wat Arun opening hours: 08:00 – 17:30

Wat Arun entrance fee (updated April 2023): 100 baht/person

Note: This is the updated price in April 2023. Depending on holidays, Tet, or weekends, there will be a difference.

Read more: 10 Things to do in Bangkok that you shouldn’t miss

Wat Arun, a symbol of the quintessence of Thai, Khmer and Chinese architecture

Wat Arun is a vivid and authentic representation of the quintessence of three cultures: Thai, Khmer and Chinese, with a special focus on ancient Khmer architecture during the Ayutthaya period.

Wat Arun is a vivid and authentic representation of the quintessence of three cultures

From the first moment you arrive here, you will surely be amazed by the image of towering spires with towering peaks standing firmly against the deep blue sky. Not stopping there, Wat Arun also possesses colorful walls and a series of exquisite carvings.

The most prominent feature of the Wat Arun complex is the central tower, called ‘Phra Prang’, 82 meters high, decorated entirely with colorful porcelain and glass. The temple grounds are divided into two main courtyards with many statues of guardian gods, soldiers, and the statue of the god Indra riding the white elephant Erawan, also known as the God of Thunder, a supreme god according to Hindu beliefs.

Although called the Temple of Dawn, Wat Arun is most beautiful at sunset. When the sun sets, the golden sunlight of the last day shines on the towers, reflecting on the porcelain, ceramics, and glass, creating a spectacular, shimmering feast of colors. When night falls, the temple is lit with sparkling candles, making the west bank of the Chao Phraya River even more romantic.

It can be said that Wat Arun is a testament to the uniqueness of Thailand’s cultural and artistic heritage. It is the harmonious blend of many cultures and skillful decorative art that has turned this place into the perfect stopover in the eyes of everyone in Thailand.

The architecture of Wat Arun

Inside area

the statue of Buddha

When entering the main hall, visitors will admire the traditional architecture of Thailand. In addition, Wat Arun is also decorated with Buddhist paintings, lamps and flowers. In particular, right in the main hall of this place is the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni carved entirely of gold, extremely solemn. Everything is meticulously arranged and designed.

Outside area

The architecture of Wat Arun

The architecture of Wat Arun is unique with the main tower 80 meters high and four sub-towers at the four corners. This place is decorated with bricks, colorful ceramic pieces and lime, creating a more shimmering and magical beauty for this place. The most beautiful time of Wat Arun is in the afternoon when the sun begins to set. The golden rays of sunset seem to cover the whole temple, creating a mysterious atmosphere, and attracting visitors to visit here every day.

Outstanding works in the Wat Arun complex

The central tower at Wat Arun

The main tower at Wat Arun is one of the iconic landmarks of Thailand. The tower is 72 meters high, decorated with reliefs, porcelain and multicolored glass. The tower has a high peak, inspired by Khmer architecture as well as Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia.

The base of the tower is decorated with reliefs, recreating Buddhist stories as well as depicting the life of Buddha during his journey to Nirvana. Meanwhile, the tower’s floors are decorated with ceramic tiles and glass, arranged in a Maverick style that does not follow any rules, creating a unique feeling.

Ubosot

Ubosot is a place to worship Buddha Niramit with many valuable spiritual and religious items.

Ubosot is the most important building in the temple complex, where solemn rituals according to Buddhist beliefs take place. The Ubosot building at Wat Arun has a traditional design with a curved roof, decorated with intricate wood carvings and gilded reliefs. Throughout the space are paintings depicting the life of Buddha.

This is where the Niramit Buddha statue is worshiped with valuable spiritual and religious items. The Buddha statue sits in the posture of subduing the Devil, with the right hand on the right knee and the left hand on the thigh.

From the Ubosot area, you go a little further back and you will see another gilded Buddha statue. In addition, on the Wat Arun campus, there is also a garden full of fragrant flowers and strange grasses, helping you have a beautiful photo background.

Some things to note when visiting Wat Arun

There are a few things you should keep in mind about dress and manners when visiting this famous place.

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do!”. Therefore, to make your trip to temple Wat Arun temple a complete one, you need to pay attention to the following:

• Wear polite clothes when visiting temples, do not wear shorts or short skirts above the knee. If you do not know, you can rent clothes in front to wear to visit the temple.
• In Thailand, people extremely admire the Royal Family, so please be respectful and tactful when entering the palace area or coming into contact with images of the royal family. Do not step on money because this action can cause you to be fined, …
• You should have at least one map showing how to take the subway, and the sky train when traveling, because this is an extremely popular means of transportation here.

Vietnam Allure Travel is a leading prestigious travel company, specializing in providing quality Southeast Asia tours, will be the perfect choice for a trip to Thailand to visit Bangkok Wat Arun. Wat Arun is known as one of the most beautiful temples in Thailand, so if you come to this country, you should visit this place. Hopefully, you will have many good experiences not only at this place but also discover many other new things.

Read more: Traveling in Bangkok – Things You Don’t Know