Bangkok Wat Pho night view

Hello, this is travel blogger Jones. Today, I will share with you a vivid review of Wat Pho, the most memorable place during my trip to Bangkok, Thailand. In particular, I will introduce you to the hidden charm of Wat Pho based on my experience of visiting at a relatively early hour of 7PM.

As many of you may already know, Wat Pho is the largest temple in Thailand, famous for its giant reclining Buddha. I arrived at Wat Pho after dinner due to sudden heavy rain. It was 30 minutes before closing time, but fortunately, I was able to finish my tour leisurely. Wat Pho does not rush visitors even when closing time is approaching, so I think it is a great opportunity for those who want to leisurely tour the temple.

I visited Wat Pho an hour before closing time.

The reason I recommend visiting Wat Pho at closing time in the evening is because there are no visitors, so it is good for taking pictures, and the night view is very beautiful, so you can enjoy it leisurely by yourself. I recommend visiting Wat Pho in the evening. You may also be curious about the meaning of Wat Pho.

The ‘Wat’ in Wat Pho means ‘Buddhist temple’. And the letter ‘Pho’ after that refers to the name of the temple and means Bodhi tree. So, Wat Pho can be called Pho Buddhist temple. As a side note, the famous Thai massage is said to have started in Thai Buddhist temples, and the characteristic is that it massages by stretching and bending the arms and legs. I tried it myself, and for a detailed review, please refer to my YouTube channel.

Wat Pho entrance fee and dress code

Entrance fee: 300 baht (about 9-10 dollars as of August 2024)

Dress code: Men are prohibited from wearing long pants, and women are prohibited from wearing revealing clothes

In particular, when entering a building with a reclining Buddha statue, you must strictly follow the dress code. If you are wearing shorts or sleeveless clothes, please note that you must rent clothes at the entrance.

The hidden meaning and history of Wat Pho

The name Wat Pho means ‘Bodhi tree temple’. Wat Pho, famous as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage, is a place where you can feel Thai culture and history beyond just a simple temple. You can check out more detailed reviews of Wat Pho massage on my YouTube channel.

Wat Pho entrance fee is 300 baht, but it has recently increased by 100 baht. (As of August 2024) You can enter by paying 9-10 dollars.

Wat Pho's entrance hours are from 8:00 am to 7:30 pm, but I couldn't leave the restaurant after dinner due to sudden heavy rain, so I waited for an hour and arrived at 7:00 pm, 30 minutes before closing time. However, even after 7:30 pm, no one in charge told me to leave, so I was able to finish my tour for another 30 minutes and leave. As long as you enter on time, you won't be particularly urged to leave when the time is up, so you can fully enjoy the charm of Wat Pho in the evening. So, even if you arrive late, you will not regret the 300 baht entrance fee and you will be able to see everything, so please do not be too impatient because you are late.

Wat Pho's dress code is that men must wear long pants and women must not wear revealing clothes. Before entering the building where the Buddha is lying down, the person in charge of supervision strictly regulates this dress code, so please be sure to take note. This place is stricter than you think.

4 things you must see in Wat Pho

The giant reclining Buddha

The chakra patterns drawn on the soles of the Buddha's feet and the murals inside are must-sees.

The place you must visit in Wat Pho is the reclining Buddha. In fact, this is why Wat Pho is famous.

In fact, people visit here to see this. The rest of Wat Pho is a great place to take pictures. The reason people visit Wat Pho is because of this reclining Buddha. They visit to admire or capture the huge reclining Buddha. The special features of this reclining Buddha statue include the ability to admire the huge reclining Buddha statue up close, and the unique chakra pattern on its feet, which symbolizes the energy of life and the essence of all energy that symbolizes the center of the mind or the center of the body. It is also a special place with Buddhist paintings on the inner walls, so it is worth visiting.

Phra Ubosot

This is a sacred building built during the reign of King Rama I, and you can admire the Ramakien murals.

This building is a very sacred building, and the monks created a barrier to prevent evil spirits from approaching from the outside. This place was built during the reign of King Rama I and expanded during the reign of King Rama III, and you can also admire the Ramakien, a Thai epic, on the outer walls.

Phra Nhon

This is a place with murals depicting the life of Buddha and a bodhi tree garden.

This is also a must-visit because you can enjoy murals depicting the life of Buddha, and there is a Chinese garden with a bodhi tree, a symbol of Buddha, brought from Sri Lanka.

Phra Rabiang

You can feel the pinnacle of Buddhist art through the Buddha statues with various expressions.

This is where 400 Buddha statues with excellent artistic qualities from all over Thailand were brought here during the reign of King Rama I. Originally, they were not all gold, but King Rama I attached gold to the surface to make them look like they are now.

If you look closely, you can see that the facial expressions and hand gestures are expressed differently. You can see the pinnacle of Buddhist art here.

Wat Pho Travel Tips and Advantages of Visiting in the Evening

Photography: There are fewer visitors, so you can take photos leisurely.

Night Viewing: You can enjoy the beautiful night view of Wat Pho.

Leisurely Viewing: You can tour the temple leisurely without being rushed for time.