Wat Arun — Temple of the Dawn in Bangkok

Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn is one of the most beautiful temples in Bangkok. The temple is depicted on a 10 baht coin and is considered one of the main attractions of the city and at the same time Thailand. I tell you why it is worth seeing wat Arun, when it is better to go to see the temple, how to get there and where to take beautiful photos of the temple at sunset.

Why Wat Arun is worth seeing: a bit of history explaining the meaning of the temple

Wat Arun or wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. No one knows the exact date of the temple’s foundation. It first appears on French maps of the 17th century, when the kingdom of Ayutthaya (Ayutthaya) still existed.

The Emerald Buddha was kept in Wat Arun for a long time, until in 1784 it was moved to the new wat Phra Keo temple, built personally for the king. Around the same time, the King of Thailand decides to rebuild the Royal Palace on the right side of the Chao Phraya River. Wat Arun is forgotten until King Rama II ordered the temple to be rebuilt and the main prang to be increased to 70 meters.

After that, wat Arun was restored several more times. Now Wat Arun is not just a beautiful temple, but also one of the main attractions of Bangkok and Thailand in general.

Here are a few things to look out for in the temple:

• The temple has an unusual architecture. An 80-meter high prang stands in the center, and around it there are 4 more lower prang satellites.
• The main prang is decorated with shells and pieces of porcelain, which were previously used as ballast on boats arriving in Bangkok from China.

National costumes on Thais are sent back to the era of the Ayutthaya kingdom

• In front of the entrance to the ubosot (the Hall of Initiation where prayers take place) there are two huge beautiful statues of yaksha demons. These are the guardians of the temple. The white statue is called Sahassa Deja, and the green one is Totsakan.

Ubosot and his demon guards

• In the Dedication Hall, pay attention to the frescoes. They were created in the late 19th and early 20th century.
• Yaksha demons also hold the terraces of the main prang.

Yaksha demons hold the terraces of the main prang

Thais have a new entertainment — to be photographed in the national park. costumes in the temple

• The “Trident of Shiva” is installed at the very top of the main prang.
• Four statues of the Hindu god Indra riding the elephant Erawan. The elephant Erawan is the lord of all elephants in the universe, he has 33 heads, and on each head there are 7 tusks. But most often Erawan is depicted as a three-headed elephant. The god Erawan is very revered, and there is even an Erawan temple museum in Bangkok.

My review of why Wat Arun is worth seeing: in this place you can get in touch with the history of Thailand, dating back to the time of the Ayutthaya kingdom. The temple has many Hindu references and is not exactly a typical Thai temple. In this regard, wat Arun is a unique place.

Excursions to wat Arun

The Temple of the Dawn can also be visited with one of the excursions. Then you don’t need to think about how to get there. They will take you there and tell you everything about the temple.

You can take one of the river excursions on longtail boats or choose a sightseeing tour of Bangkok. For example:

• Wat Pho (the oldest temple) and Wat Arun are a short walking tour of two important Bangkok temples. Details on this Kluk page → (what is Kluk and why do I use it all the time in Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam?)
• Resplendent Bangkok is an interesting tour of the canals and temples of the capital of Thailand with a Russian—speaking guide. Details and description on this page →

I told you more about the sights of the capital of Thailand in this article.

Where is the best view of Wat Arun at sunset

Despite the fact that Wat Arun is the temple of the Rising Sun or the temple of the Dawn, most often people come to see it at sunset. There is not much to do in the temple itself at sunset, but from the opposite side of the Chao Phraya River there is a stunning view of the sun setting behind the temple.

Wat Arun at sunset is very beautiful

Here are some locations with a beautiful view of wat Arun:

1. View Arun restraint & bar (on the map) is a restaurant with a panoramic terrace and views of Wat Arun.
2. The Deck by Arun residence (on the map) is another restaurant with a beautiful view of Wat Arun.
3. Eat Sight Story Deck (on the map) is a fusion cuisine restaurant with a view of the temple.
4. Pier (on the map) — the pier itself is closed for reconstruction, but in front of it there is a small area where photographers and tourists gather. The photo of the temple above was taken from this point.
5. View point (on the map) is an observation deck with a beautiful view of wat Arun, but under restoration. The view is blocked by building elements, although they give it something unusual. I liked it, but I went to the pier at sunset.

Here are some photos that I took at sunset:

How to get there: from Wat Arun pier (on the map), take the ferry Tah Tian pier (on the map). The fare costs 5 baht. Then walk or take a tuk-tuk.

How to get there by yourself

The easiest way to get there is by underground subway and ferry across the Chao Phraya River. This is the blue line, get off at the MRT Sanam Chai station. Next to the Rajinee Pier station. A ferry ticket to Wat Arun costs 20 baht. Boats are running all the time. Swim for literally 2-3 minutes.

If you are walking from the Royal Palace, it is more convenient to cross from Tha Tian Ferry terminal pier. A boat ticket costs 5 baht.

Ferries run until 10 p.m.

When is the best time to go to the Temple of the Dawn?

The temple is most beautiful in the morning, at the first rays of the sun, and in the evening, at sunset.

The Temple of the Dawn is best visited on weekdays. There are fewer people in the morning than in the afternoon or evening. There are a lot of people on weekends. Not only tourists come, but also Thais themselves. People are literally on every step of the temple. Here’s a photo of what it looks like:

Useful information

Opening hours: from 8-00 to 18-00.

Admission to wat Arun costs 100 baht (for 2024).

It is forbidden to enter the temple in short shorts /skirts and T-shirts /T-shirts that do not cover the shoulders. There is a free sarong rental near the ticket office. It is necessary to return the sarong.

Next to the ticket office there is also a rental of Thai traditional costumes for photo shoots.

Источник: life-thai.com