# Wat Pho — Temple of the Reclining Buddha, Bangkok > Wat Pho is the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, 1 km south of the Grand Palace: a 46 m gilded statue, four huge royal chedis and a Thai massage school. Tickets for foreigners are about 300 baht, free for children under 120 cm (unofficial). It's open daily, roughly 8:00–18:30. Cover shoulders and knees. An hour is enough. Web page: https://yesgo.io/thailand/bangkok/wat-pho - City: [Bangkok](https://yesgo.io/thailand/bangkok), Thailand - YesGo score: 50/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Ticket for foreigners: About 300 baht; free for children under 120 cm - Hours: Daily, roughly 8:00–18:30; may change on ceremony days - Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered; shoes off at the hall doors - Massage: The traditional Thai massage school works inside the temple — paid - Where: South of the Grand Palace, Sanam Chai Road; Tha Tien pier is next door - Transit: MRT Sanam Chai, exit 1 — a few minutes on foot - Coordinates: 13.74639, 100.49361 - Facts checked: 08.11.2026 ## Key facts - **46 m** — the length of the Reclining Buddha, 15 m high; brick, plaster and gilding (source: English Wikipedia) - **108** — mother-of-pearl panels of auspicious symbols on each foot (source: English Wikipedia) - **3 × 4.5 m** — the size of each of the Buddha's feet (source: English Wikipedia) - **> 1,000** — Buddha images — the largest collection in Thailand (source: English Wikipedia) - **42 m** — the height of each of the four chedis of the first four Chakri kings (source: English Wikipedia) - **1788** — King Rama I began rebuilding the old temple; the work took over seven years (source: English Wikipedia) - **8 ha** — the size of the temple complex — 50 rai (source: English Wikipedia) - **UNESCO** — the temple's inscriptions and murals are on the Memory of the World register (source: English Wikipedia) ## Entrance fee, hours and dress code According to 2026 guides, tickets for foreigners cost **about 300 baht** and children under 120 cm go **free**; a bottle of water is often included. The temple is open **daily from about 8:00 to 18:30**, though some sources say 19:30. The official website was down on 08.11.2026, so confirm the price and hours at the ticket desk. **Shoulders and knees must be covered**, and shoes come off at the hall doors. Cash in baht is safest at the ticket desk. ## What is Wat Pho? **Wat Pho** (officially Wat Phra Chetuphon) is one of Bangkok's oldest temples — it stood here before the city became the capital. In **1788** King Rama I began rebuilding it next to his new Grand Palace, and Rama III later expanded it. The complex covers about **8 hectares** and holds **more than a thousand Buddha images** — more than any other temple in Thailand. The highlight is the **Reclining Buddha**, **46 m** long and **15 m** high, a pose representing the Buddha's passing into nirvana. Its 3 × 4.5 m feet are inlaid with **mother-of-pearl** in 108 panels of auspicious symbols. Wat Pho is considered Thailand's first public 'university' and the birthplace of **traditional Thai massage**, which is still taught here. ## What to see - **The Reclining Buddha hall** — the 46 m statue and its mother-of-pearl feet. - **The four royal chedis** (Phra Maha Chedi Si Rajakarn) — 42 m each, in coloured tiles. - **The ordination hall (bot)** — teak doors inlaid with mother-of-pearl Ramayana scenes. - **The double cloister** around the bot — hundreds of gilded Buddha statues. - **Stone Chinese guardians** at the gates — some depict Europeans. - **The massage school pavilions** — book a session. > **A massage in the temple** Wat Pho's traditional Thai massage school offers sessions right inside the temple grounds. Queues can be long, so sign up as soon as you arrive and look around while you wait. Prices are posted at the massage pavilions. ## How to get to Wat Pho 1. **By MRT** to **Sanam Chai** (Blue Line), exit 1 — a few minutes on foot. 2. **By Chao Phraya Express Boat** to **Tha Tien pier (N8)** — 5 minutes on foot. 3. **From the Grand Palace** it's about 1 km south along the palace wall. 4. **To Wat Arun** — a cross-river ferry from Tha Tien pier, a few minutes. 5. The Reclining Buddha hall is in the north-west of the complex, nearest the Grand Palace. ## How long do you need, and when to go? Allow **about an hour**, or two to three with a massage. **Arrive at 8:00** or **after 16:00**: fewer groups and less heat. Around midday the tour buses arrive straight from the Grand Palace. Wat Pho fits neatly into one day with the **Grand Palace** and **Wat Arun**: the palace in the morning, Wat Pho in the afternoon, Wat Arun at sunset. ## Is Wat Pho worth visiting? Yes: the Reclining Buddha is one of Asia's most impressive statues, and the ticket is cheaper than the Grand Palace. The courtyards with their chedis and cloisters are lovely even without the crowds. The YesGo take: the Reclining Buddha hall is cramped, and you can't photograph the whole statue. If you're short of time, 40 minutes will do. The massage is good but not the cheapest in town. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered - [ ] Cash in baht for the ticket - [ ] Shoes that slip off easily - [ ] Arriving at opening or after 16:00 - [ ] Massage booked as soon as I arrive - [ ] Nearby: the Grand Palace and the ferry to Wat Arun ## Bangkok temples: compare and choose Bangkok temples rated by YesGo. - [Wat Arun](https://yesgo.io/thailand/bangkok/wat-arun) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · ≈ 200 baht - [Wat Pho](https://yesgo.io/thailand/bangkok/wat-pho) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · ≈ 300 baht; children under 120 cm free - [Grand Palace](https://yesgo.io/thailand/bangkok/bangkok-grand-palace) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · 500 baht; children under 120 cm free - [Golden Mount](https://yesgo.io/thailand/bangkok/golden-mount) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · climb ≈ 100 baht - [Wat Traimit](https://yesgo.io/thailand/bangkok/wat-traimit) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · hall ≈ 40 baht, museum ≈ 100 ## Rattanakosin Island in a day The Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha in the morning, Wat Pho in the afternoon, and Wat Arun across the river at sunset. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Grand Palace](https://yesgo.io/thailand/bangkok/bangkok-grand-palace) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · 500 baht; children under 120 cm free 2. [Wat Pho](https://yesgo.io/thailand/bangkok/wat-pho) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · ≈ 300 baht; children under 120 cm free 3. [Wat Arun](https://yesgo.io/thailand/bangkok/wat-arun) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · ≈ 200 baht ## Good to know Wat Pho is Bangkok's Temple of the Reclining Buddha. There are reclining Buddhas elsewhere too — in Ayutthaya, Pattaya and Myanmar — but this is the most famous. ## Tips - The best shot is from the Buddha's head looking along the body. - Don't miss the mother-of-pearl feet at the far end of the hall. - The four chedis look best in evening light. - From Tha Tien pier, a ferry crosses to Wat Arun. - In the morning: the [Grand Palace](https://yesgo.io/thailand/bangkok/bangkok-grand-palace), 1 km north. ## Questions ### How much is the Wat Pho entrance fee? About 300 baht for foreigners; children under 120 cm are free (according to guides). ### What are Wat Pho's opening hours? Daily, roughly 8:00–18:30. ### How long is the Reclining Buddha? 46 m long and 15 m high. ### What is the Wat Pho dress code? Shoulders and knees covered; shoes off at the hall doors. ### Can you get a massage at Wat Pho? Yes, the temple's traditional Thai massage school offers paid sessions. ### How do I get to Wat Pho? MRT to Sanam Chai (exit 1) or the express boat to Tha Tien pier. ### How long do you need? About an hour, or 2–3 hours with a massage. ### How do I get from Wat Pho to Wat Arun? Take the cross-river ferry from Tha Tien pier. ## How we checked The official watpho.com website returned a 503 error on 08.11.2026, so price and hours come from guides and are marked unconfirmed. Price: most 2026 sources say 300 baht, older ones 100–200; we use 300. Hours: most say 8:00–18:30, some until 19:30; we use 8:00–18:30. The bottle of water is 'often' included, not guaranteed. Statue dimensions, chedis, history and UNESCO listing are from English Wikipedia. Massage prices change and are posted at the pavilions, so we don't list them. ## Sources - English Wikipedia — Wat Pho: history, Reclining Buddha, feet, chedis, area, statue collection, massage, UNESCO Memory of the World - 2026 travel guides (The Better Vacation, Thai Holiday Guide and others) — price, hours, water bottle (unofficial) - Wikidata Q1059910 — coordinates - YesGo general facts for Thailand — payment, transport --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.