Wat Pho and Wat Arun: Visiting Bangkok's Riverside Temples

Published 1 October 2026 · By the Visit-Thailand editorial team · Editor: Terje Moy

Wat Pho, home of the Reclining Buddha, and Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, face each other across the Chao Phraya River and are easy to see in one half-day. Wat Pho costs 300 baht and is open 08:00–19:30; Wat Arun costs 200 baht and closes around 18:00 (October 2026). A small cross-river ferry links the two in a few minutes.

These are the two temples most first-time visitors see after the Grand Palace, and they suit different moods. Wat Pho is a large walled monastery on the old-town side, full of courtyards, chedis (bell-shaped stupas) and statues, with the giant reclining Buddha in its own hall. Wat Arun stands on the Thonburi bank opposite, a single tall tower (prang) covered in broken porcelain, which you can partly climb.

The useful detail most guides miss is the opening hours. Wat Pho stays open until 19:30, much later than the Grand Palace or Wat Arun. That makes an afternoon plan possible: Wat Arun first, then back across the river to Wat Pho as the crowds thin out, and the sunset view of Wat Arun from the east bank at the end.

Wat Pho: the Reclining Buddha and much more behind it

Wat Pho's full name is Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram. It sits on Sanam Chai Road and Maharat Road, directly south of the Grand Palace walls. The official visit page gives the hours as 08:00 to 19:30 every day and the admission as 300 baht. Many websites still say 200 baht and a 18:30 closing time; both figures are out of date.

Most visitors head straight for the Reclining Buddha. It lies in an assembly hall (vihara) on the north-west side of the grounds, a brick and stucco building that the temple's own history describes as 60.75 by 22.60 metres, built over the statue. The figure fills almost the whole room, so you see it in sections as you walk along it. At the end, look at the soles of the feet, inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Along the back wall there is a row of bronze bowls; buying a cup of small coins from the attendant and dropping one in each bowl is a common way of making merit.

Do not leave once you have seen the Buddha. The rest of Wat Pho is quieter and, for many people, more rewarding. Walk through the cloisters lined with seated Buddha images, the four large chedis decorated with tiles, and the ordination hall (ubosot). The temple had a major restoration under King Rama III, when much of its decoration and many of its murals were made. Large stone figures in Chinese style, brought as ship ballast in the 19th century, still guard the gates.

Allow at least an hour, or two if you plan a massage. Take your shoes off before entering any building and put them on the shelves outside.

The Wat Pho massage school: prices and how it works

Wat Pho is the traditional home of Thai massage teaching in Bangkok. The Wat Po Thai Traditional Medical School runs a massage service inside the temple grounds, open the same hours as the temple. These are the official prices in October 2026:

You cannot book a time slot on the temple's page; you go to the massage pavilion, pay and wait for a free therapist. Late afternoon is usually easier than midday, when tour groups pass through. The massage is traditional Thai style, which means firm pressure and stretching rather than oil and relaxation, so say so if something hurts. A foot massage is the gentler choice after a morning of walking.

The same school also teaches massage courses for people who want to learn, separate from the temple service. Ask at the pavilion or use the contact numbers on the official Wat Pho page. Our guide to Thai massage explains the different styles and how to judge a place elsewhere in Thailand.

Crossing to Wat Arun: the ferry from Tha Tien

The easiest link between the two temples is the small cross-river ferry. Walk out of Wat Pho's riverside gate and through the lanes to Tha Tien pier; the cross-river boat leaves from its own landing and docks right at Wat Arun on the other bank. The crossing takes a few minutes and the boats shuttle back and forth all day. The fare is small and paid in coins or small notes at the pier; no official fare list could be found, so check the sign there.

Do not confuse this ferry with the long boats that travel up and down the river:

• Chao Phraya Express Boat (orange line): 18 baht flat (October 2026). Use it to arrive at Tha Tien (N8) from Sathorn Pier at BTS Saphan Taksin, then cross on the ferry.
• Chao Phraya Tourist Boat: a separate company, 40 baht a ride or 150 baht for an all-day pass. It has its own Wat Arun stop and stops at Tha Chang (N9) for the Grand Palace, but it does not stop at Tha Tien.

Our guide to the Chao Phraya Express Boat explains lines, piers and timetables. If you come by MRT instead, Sanam Chai station on the Blue Line is a short walk from Wat Pho's south side, and it accepts contactless bank cards, as our guide to the BTS and MRT explains.

Wat Arun: climbing the Temple of Dawn

Wat Arun's central prang rises above the Thonburi bank and is the image on many Bangkok postcards. Up close you see what makes it special: the surface is covered in pieces of colored Chinese porcelain and shells, arranged into flowers. Around the base stand figures of guardians and soldiers, and four smaller prangs mark the corners.

The temple has no working official website we could reach in October 2026, and the tourism authority's site was blocked to us. Every source we found gives 200 baht for foreign visitors and hours of about 08:00 to 18:00, so treat these figures as current but unconfirmed, and expect to pay in cash at the ticket booth by the pier.

You can climb part of the way up the main prang. The steps are steep and narrow, more like a ladder in places, so use the handrails and take care coming down. The view from the terraces covers the river, Wat Pho's roofs and the Grand Palace beyond. An hour is enough for most visitors.

Dress code for both temples

Both temples are active monasteries, not museums. Wat Pho's official page asks visitors to dress politely, with no shorts, and its Thai version says women may not wear shorts above the knee. In practice, wear trousers or a long skirt and a top that covers your shoulders at both temples. Wat Arun applies the same standard, and the steep steps are easier in loose trousers than in a long skirt.

If you are visiting the Grand Palace on the same day, dress for the palace: its rules are stricter, and anything that passes there passes at Wat Pho and Wat Arun too. Our guide to the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew lists its rules word for word, and the guide to temple etiquette in Thailand covers behavior inside, from where to point your feet to how to act around monks.

Two ways to combine the temples in a half-day

The two temples are so close that the question is only which order and what time of day. Both plans below take about four hours.

Morning plan (with or without the Grand Palace). Arrive at Wat Pho at 08:00, when it opens and the courtyards are still cool. Spend an hour and a half there, then take the ferry to Wat Arun before the midday heat. Back on the east bank by late morning, you can walk north to the Grand Palace, where ticket sales stop at 15:30, or have lunch and rest. This is the plan to use if you also want the palace on the same day.

Afternoon plan (ending with the sunset view). Cross to Wat Arun around 15:00 and climb the prang in the softer afternoon light. Return on the ferry by about 16:30 and enter Wat Pho, which stays open until 19:30. The tour groups have usually gone by then, and the massage pavilion is easier to get into. When Wat Pho closes, walk down to the riverside near Tha Tien to see Wat Arun lit up across the water.

Where to see Wat Arun at sunset

The classic view of Wat Arun is from the opposite bank, looking west as the sun sets behind the prang. The area around Tha Tien pier and the riverside lanes nearby have several restaurants and bars with terraces facing the temple. A drink or dinner there is the easiest way to get a seat; for the best tables, arrive before 17:30 in the cool season, when sunset comes earlier. You can also watch from the public pier for free, though space is limited.

After dark, the prang is floodlit and stays bright for the evening. If you are heading on to dinner in Chinatown, the MRT from Sanam Chai to Wat Mangkon is quicker than a taxi through old-town traffic.

Practical tips: heat, scams and getting away

Both temples are mostly open-air and have little shade between buildings. Bring water, a hat and sunscreen, and plan the hottest hours (roughly 12:00–15:00) indoors or in the massage pavilion. Our guide to coping with heat in Thailand has more.

Around Wat Pho, the same tricks happen as at the Grand Palace: a friendly stranger says the temple is closed and suggests a cheap tuk-tuk tour that ends at a gem shop. Wat Pho is open every day from 08:00; walk to the gate and see for yourself. Our article on taking tuk-tuks explains how these offers work, and the guide to common scams in Thailand covers the rest.

For the bigger picture, our three-day Bangkok itinerary fits both temples into the first day, and the Bangkok city guide covers the rest of the capital.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the entrance fee for Wat Pho?

Foreign visitors pay 300 baht as of October 2026, according to the temple's official site. Children under 120 cm (4 feet) enter free. The ticket covers the whole temple, including the Reclining Buddha hall, but not a massage, which is paid separately at the massage pavilion.

How do I get from Wat Pho to Wat Arun?

Walk from Wat Pho to Tha Tien pier, a few minutes away by the river, and take the cross-river ferry to Wat Arun. It runs back and forth all day and the crossing takes only a few minutes. Pay the small fare in cash at the pier.

Can I visit Wat Pho in the evening?

Yes. Wat Pho is open daily until 19:30, which is later than most of Bangkok's major temples. Late afternoon and early evening are quieter than the morning, and the massage pavilion keeps the same hours, so you can end the day with a massage.

Is Wat Arun worth visiting if I have already seen Wat Pho?

We think so. The two are very different: Wat Pho is a large walled monastery with many halls, while Wat Arun is a single porcelain-covered tower you can partly climb, with a view over the river. Together they take about four hours, ferry included.

Do I need to cover my legs at Wat Pho and Wat Arun?

Yes. Wat Pho asks visitors not to wear shorts, and women may not wear shorts above the knee. Wear trousers or a long skirt and a top that covers your shoulders at both temples. Shoes come off before you enter any building.

Sources

• Wat Pho – Visit plan (hours, admission, massage prices) (checked October 2026)
• Wat Pho – Phra Vihara of the Reclining Buddha (checked October 2026)
• Chao Phraya Express Boat – Boat schedule and fares (checked October 2026)
• Chao Phraya Tourist Boat – Route and timetable (checked October 2026)
• Tourism Authority of Thailand – Royal Barge Procession 2026 and rehearsals (checked October 2026)
• Bangkok Expressway and Metro (BEM) – EMV contactless on the MRT (checked October 2026)