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Golden Mount (Wat Saket), Bangkok

The white terrace and golden chedi on top of the Golden Mount at Wat Saket, seen from the rocky slope below
Photo: Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
climb ≈ 100 baht
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Hours
Daily, roughly 7:00–19:00
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
1 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Climb
About 100 baht for foreigners; the temple grounds are free
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Steps
About 300–320, a gentle spiral climb with some shade
Dress code
Shoulders and knees covered
Where
344 Chakkraphatdi Phong Rd., old town — ≈ 2 km east of the Grand Palace
Getting there
Saen Saep canal boat to Phan Fa Lilat pier — 2 minutes on foot
Coordinates
13.75383, 100.50679YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

19th centuryRama III began a huge chedi here, but the soft soil gave way and it collapsed
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
'Mountain'locals called the overgrown mound of mud and brick a mountain — phu khao
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
Rama Va small chedi on top was finished in his reign and covered in gold
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
Sri Lankathe source of the Buddha relic kept inside the chedi
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
1940sconcrete walls were added to stop the hill eroding
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
≈ 300–320steps to the top; the '344' in guides is the street number
Sourcetravel guides
Novemberan annual festival with a candlelit procession and a red cloth wrapped around the chedi
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
Wat Saket'hair washing' — legend says King Rama I bathed here
SourceEnglish Wikipedia

Entrance fee and opening hours

There's no official website. According to guides, the temple grounds are free, while the climb costs foreigners about 100 baht; older sources say 50 baht. It's open daily from about 7:00 to 19:00, though some say 9:00–17:00. Check at the ticket desk at the foot of the climb.

Cover shoulders and knees, and keep quiet by the chedi at the top.

What is the Golden Mount?

The Golden Mount (Phu Khao Thong) is a man-made hill in Wat Saket temple in old Bangkok. Rama III began a huge chedi here, but Bangkok's soft soil couldn't bear the weight and it collapsed. Over the decades the mound of mud and brick grew over and looked like a real hill — so locals called it 'the mountain'.

Under Rama IV a small chedi was started on top, and under Rama V it was finished and covered in gold. It holds a Buddha relic brought from Sri Lanka. Concrete walls were added in the 1940s to stabilise the hill. The temple's name, Saket, means 'hair washing': legend says King Rama I stopped here to bathe before entering the city.

What to see

  • The golden chedi on top, with its Buddha relic.
  • The circular terrace — views of the old town, the Grand Palace and the skyscrapers.
  • The spiral staircase up the slope, with bells, gongs and small waterfalls.
  • The bells — ring them for luck.
  • Loha Prasat (the 'Iron Palace') across the road at Wat Ratchanatdaram.

How to get to the Golden Mount

Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.

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destinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

More tips

  1. By Saen Saep canal boat to the last stop, Phan Fa Lilat pier, then 2 minutes on foot. It's a fast, traffic-free way from Pratunam and Siam.
  2. From the Grand Palace it's about 2 km east — 10–20 minutes by taxi or tuk-tuk; agree the tuk-tuk fare first.
  3. From Khao San Road it's about 1.5 km, 20 minutes on foot.
  4. By taxi or Grab to 344 Chakkraphatdi Phong Road.
  5. The ticket desk is at the foot of the climb; then the spiral staircase.

How long do you need, and when to go?

Allow about an hour for the climb and the top, or 1.5–2 hours with Loha Prasat across the road. The best time is 40 minutes before sunset: soft light and less heat. Opening time at 7:00 is good too — quieter and cooler.

Every November the temple holds its annual festival: a candlelit procession climbs the hill and the chedi is wrapped in a long red cloth, with a fair all around. It's crowded but atmospheric.

Is the Golden Mount worth climbing?

Yes: it's one of the best views of old Bangkok, cheap and with no high-rise lifts. The climb is easy, with bells and greenery along the way.

The YesGo take: the summit is cramped and the chedi is small. It's not worth a special trip from Silom — combine it with the Grand Palace, Loha Prasat and Khao San Road for a day in the old town.

Before you go: checklist

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The old town in a day

The Grand Palace in the morning, Wat Pho in the afternoon, and the Golden Mount for sunset. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Grand Palace2 h 30 min · 500 baht; children under 120 cm free
  2. 8 min walk from the previous stopWat Pho1 h · ≈ 300 baht; children under 120 cm free
  3. 29 min walk from the previous stopGolden Mountyou are here1 h · climb ≈ 100 baht

3 places · about 5 h 7 min with walks · 37 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Grand Palace

Bangkok, Thailand

2 h 30 min · 500 baht; children under 120 cm free · 29 min walk

Wat Pho

Bangkok, Thailand

1 h · ≈ 300 baht; children under 120 cm free · 29 min walk

Wat Traimit

Bangkok, Thailand

40 min · hall ≈ 40 baht, museum ≈ 100 · 33 min walk

Wat Arun

Bangkok, Thailand

1 h · ≈ 200 baht · 39 min walk

How to do it right

  • The best view of the Grand Palace is from the west side of the terrace.
  • Ring the bells on the way up — it's tradition.
  • The top gets crowded at sunset — arrive a little early.
  • The Saen Saep canal boat is a fast route from Pratunam.
  • In the morning: the Grand Palace, 2 km away.

Questions

How much is the Golden Mount entrance fee?

About 100 baht for foreigners to climb (according to guides); the temple grounds are free.

What are the Golden Mount's opening hours?

Daily, roughly 7:00–19:00.

How many steps are there to the Golden Mount?

About 300–320; the '344' in guides is the temple's street number.

How do I get to the Golden Mount?

Saen Saep canal boat to Phan Fa Lilat pier, or a taxi from the Grand Palace (≈ 2 km).

When is the best time to climb?

40 minutes before sunset, or at opening in the morning.

What is the dress code?

Shoulders and knees covered.

When is the Golden Mount festival?

Every November, with a candlelit procession to the top.

How long do you need?

About an hour, or 1.5–2 hours with Loha Prasat.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • English Wikipedia — Wat Saket: history of the hill and chedi, relic, 1940s walls, November festival, temple name
  • Travel guides (Places of Juma, Nomads Travel Guide and others) — price, hours, number of steps (unofficial)
  • Wikidata Q2063818 — coordinates
  • YesGo general facts for Thailand — payment, transport
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 08.11.2026 ·
How we checkedThere's no official website. Most guides give 100 baht and 7:00–19:00, but none is dated 2026; older ones say 50 baht and a few give 9:00–17:00 hours, so all of this is marked unconfirmed. Sources count 300–320 steps; '344' is the street number on Chakkraphatdi Phong Road, often mistaken for the step count. History, the relic and the November festival are from English Wikipedia; in line with YesGo policy we leave out the hill's use as a military lookout. The distance from the Grand Palace is from coordinates.

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