5D / 4N
9% OFF
A Detailed Information on Thailand Temples
Thailand has more than 40,000 Buddhist temples, and a first trip can only scratch the surface. This guide ranks 24 of the best temples in Thailand worth building a trip around, from the gilded halls of Bangkok’s Grand Palace to a glass temple in Isan that glows after dark. For every one you get the entry fee in both Thai baht and Indian rupees, opening hours, the smartest time to arrive, and how to get there. Some are working monasteries where monks still chant at dawn. Others are art projects that look nothing like a temple at all. Pick a region, note the fees, and plan a Thailand trip around the light.
Key takeaways
- Budget 500 THB (about Rs 1,425) for the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, the priciest ticket in the country. Many of the best temples are free.
- Cover your shoulders and knees at every temple. The Grand Palace enforces it strictly and turns under-dressed visitors away at the gate.
- Go November to February for cool, dry weather, and arrive by 8:30 AM to beat both the heat and the tour buses.
- Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Ayutthaya hold most of the headline temples. Isan hides the glass and glow-in-the-dark ones.
- See Wat Arun at sunset from the Chao Phraya’s east bank, not from inside the grounds. That is where the postcard shot comes from.
All The Thailand Temples Are Covered Under These Packages
Thailand
Thailan Temples
Best Time
November - February
Select Package Type
Best Selling Packages
The 24 best temples in Thailand at a glance
Fees are per foreign adult and rupee figures use roughly Rs 2.85 to the baht. Free temples usually welcome a small donation. Use this to plan a route and a budget, then read the region sections below for the detail.
| Temple | City / Region | Entry fee (THB / Rs) | Hours | Best time to go |
| Wat Phra Kaew (Grand Palace) | Bangkok | 500 / Rs 1,425 | 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM | At 8:30 AM opening |
| Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha) | Bangkok | 300 / Rs 855 | 8 AM to 6:30 PM | Morning |
| Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) | Bangkok | 200 / Rs 570 | 8 AM to 6 PM | Sunset, from the east bank |
| Wat Saket (Golden Mount) | Bangkok | 100 / Rs 285 | 7:30 AM to 7 PM | One hour before sunset |
| Wat Traimit (Golden Buddha) | Bangkok | 100 / Rs 285 | 8 AM to 5 PM | Morning, then Chinatown by night |
| Wat Benchamabophit (Marble) | Bangkok | 100 / Rs 285 | 8 AM to 5:30 PM | Dawn, for the alms round |
| Sri Mahamariamman (Hindu) | Bangkok | Free | 6 AM to 8 PM | Evening aarti; Navaratri |
| Wat Phra That Doi Suthep | Chiang Mai | 50 / Rs 143 | 6 AM to 6 PM | Early, before the haze |
| Wat Chedi Luang | Chiang Mai | 50 / Rs 143 | 8 AM to 5 PM | Daytime monk chat |
| Wat Phra Singh | Chiang Mai | 50 / Rs 143 | 6 AM to 6 PM | Morning; Songkran in April |
| Wat Suan Dok | Chiang Mai | 20 / Rs 57 | 6 AM to 8 PM | Around 5 PM for sunset |
| Wat Sri Suphan (Silver) | Chiang Mai | 50 / Rs 143 | 6 AM to 9 PM | Saturday evening light show |
| Wat Rong Khun (White Temple) | Chiang Rai | 200 / Rs 570 | 8 AM to 5 PM | At 8 AM opening |
| Wat Rong Suea Ten (Blue Temple) | Chiang Rai | Free | 7 AM to 8 PM | Afternoon, after the White Temple |
| Wat Chaiwatthanaram | Ayutthaya | 50 / Rs 143 | 8 AM to 6 PM | Sunset or floodlit evening |
| Wat Mahathat (Buddha head) | Ayutthaya | 50 / Rs 143 | 8 AM to 6 PM | Morning |
| Wat Phra Si Sanphet | Ayutthaya | 50 / Rs 143 | 8 AM to 6 PM | Morning; buy the 220 THB day pass |
| Phanom Rung | Buriram (Isan) | 100 / Rs 285 | 6 AM to 6 PM | Sunrise alignment days |
| Wat Pa Phu Kon | Udon Thani (Isan) | Free | 8 AM to 5 PM | Late morning |
| Sirindhorn (Glow Temple) | Ubon (Isan) | Free | 5 AM to 9 PM | After dusk, for the glow |
| Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew (Bottles) | Sisaket (Isan) | Free | 8 AM to 5 PM | Daytime |
| Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Suea) | Krabi | Free | 7 AM to 5 PM | Before 8 AM, for the climb |
| Big Buddha | Phuket | Free | 6 AM to 7 PM | Late afternoon |
| Sanctuary of Truth | Pattaya | 500 / Rs 1,425 | 8 AM to 5 PM | Late afternoon |
Temples in Bangkok
Bangkok packs the country's grandest and most sacred temples into a walkable old-town loop by the Chao Phraya river, plus a scatter of quieter ones worth the detour. If you have one temple day in Thailand, spend it here.
Explore Popular Destination In Thailand
01
Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)
Thailand’s holiest temple sits inside the walled Grand Palace on the river’s east bank. The Emerald Buddha, carved from a single block of jade and barely 66 cm tall, sits high on a golden altar, and the king still changes its robes three times a year with the seasons. Entry is 500 THB (about Rs 1,425), the steepest temple ticket in Thailand, and it covers the whole palace grounds. Dress rules are strict: no shorts, no bare shoulders, and sarongs are lent at the gate if you turn up covered wrong. Come at 8:30 AM opening, because by 10 the courtyards fill with tour groups and there is almost no shade.
Related Tour Packages
❮
❯
02
Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha)
A five-minute walk south of the Grand Palace, Wat Pho is home to the 46-metre Reclining Buddha, its soles inlaid with mother-of-pearl. It is also the birthplace of traditional Thai massage, and the school on site still trains masseurs, so you can book an hour on the mat after your walk. Tickets are 300 THB (about Rs 855) and include a small bottle of water. Drop coins into the 108 bronze bowls along the far wall for a slow, meditative loop. Our full Wat Pho guide has the massage-school timings and the layout.
Related Tour Packages
❮
❯
03
Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)
Across the river, the Temple of Dawn rises in a 70-metre spire crusted with broken Chinese porcelain that catches the light. The clever move is to skip going inside and cross back to the east bank at dusk. From the Tha Tien pier or a riverside bar, Wat Arun turns amber and then floodlit gold, which is the shot everyone comes for. The cross-river ferry costs a few baht and runs late. Entry to the grounds is 200 THB (about Rs 570). See our Wat Arun guide for the ferry points and the best sunset spots.
Related Tour Packages
❮
❯
04
Wat Saket (The Golden Mount)
Bangkok’s only hilltop temple is man-made. Wat Saket sits on an artificial mount raised over a collapsed chedi, and 344 steps spiral past bells and prayer flags to a golden stupa holding a relic of the Buddha. The climb is gentle and the payoff is a 360-degree view over old Bangkok, best an hour before sunset. Entry to the summit is 100 THB (about Rs 285). Every November the temple wraps the mount in red cloth for a candlelit fair.
05
Wat Traimit (Temple of the Golden Buddha)
On the edge of Chinatown, Wat Traimit guards a 3-metre, 5.5-tonne Buddha of solid gold, the largest in the world. For centuries it hid under plain plaster, and was only rediscovered in 1955 when a crane dropped it during a move and the covering cracked open. Entry to the hall is 100 THB (about Rs 285), with a small extra fee for the heritage museum below. Pair it with an evening food walk down Yaowarat Road, a two-minute stroll away.
06
Wat Benchamabophit (The Marble Temple)
Built from white Carrara marble in the early 1900s, the Marble Temple blends Thai rooflines with European symmetry, and its image once appeared on the back of the 5-baht coin. Come at dawn, around 6 to 7 AM, when monks line up in the courtyard to receive alms. It is a quieter and more honest scene than the tourist temples downtown. Entry is 100 THB (about Rs 285).
07
Sri Mahamariamman (Wat Khaek)
For Indian travellers this one feels familiar. Sri Mahamariamman, known locally as Wat Khaek, is a South-Indian Hindu temple on Silom Road, its gopuram tower crowded with brightly painted deities and dedicated to the goddess Mariamman. Bangkok’s Tamil community has worshipped here since the 1860s. Entry is free, shoes come off at the door, and the busiest and most colourful time is the Navaratri festival around September or October.
Temples in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai
The north is Lanna country, with teak halls and gilded chedis inside Chiang Mai’s old walls, and two of Thailand’s most photographed modern temples an hour up the road in Chiang Rai. Most sit close together, so you can pair them easily in a morning or an afternoon.
- Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Chiang Mai’s guardian temple sits 15 km up a mountain, its golden chedi visible from the city on a clear day. A Naga staircase of 306 steps climbs to the terrace, or a funicular carries you up for a small fee. Legend says the relic enshrined here was carried up the mountain on the back of a white elephant. Entry is 50 THB (about Rs 143), and the drive up by red songthaew from the old city takes about 40 minutes. Go early, before the afternoon haze rolls over the valley view.
- Wat Chedi Luang
In the heart of the old city stands the ruined brick chedi of Wat Chedi Luang, once the tallest structure in the Lanna kingdom until a 16th-century earthquake sheared off its top. It even housed the Emerald Buddha, now in Bangkok, for a time. By day you can join a monk chat under the trees, where novices practise their English with visitors. Entry is 50 THB (about Rs 143).
- Wat Phra Singh
The most revered temple inside Chiang Mai’s walls, Wat Phra Singh is textbook Lanna: teak halls, gilded eaves and the Phra Singh Buddha image at its heart. During Songkran in April the image is paraded through the streets and gently doused in water. Entry is around 50 THB (about Rs 143), and it is a short walk from Wat Chedi Luang, so do both in one morning.
- Wat Suan Dok
West of the moat, Wat Suan Dok is known for two things. One is a field of whitewashed royal mausoleums that glow at sunset against Doi Suthep behind them. The other is a long-running monk chat where you can sit down and ask a monk almost anything. The grounds are free to wander and the main hall asks about 20 THB (about Rs 57). Come around 5 PM for the light.
- Wat Sri Suphan (The Silver Temple)
In Chiang Mai’s silversmith quarter on Wua Lai Road, Wat Sri Suphan is clad head to toe in hand-beaten silver and aluminium, every panel hammered by local artisans. One rule catches visitors out: women are not allowed inside the ordination hall, a traditional restriction, though the grounds and the Saturday-evening light display are open to everyone. Entry is 50 THB (about Rs 143).
- Wat Rong Khun (The White Temple)
Chiang Rai’s White Temple, or Wat Rong Khun, is the life’s work of artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, who began it in 1997 and is still adding to it. You cross a bridge over a pit of reaching hands, the cycle of desire, to reach a mirror-white hall painted inside with everything from Buddhist murals to pop-culture cameos. Entry is 100 THB (about Rs 285). It is 13 km south of Chiang Rai town, so go at 8 AM opening, before the coach tours from Chiang Mai arrive.
- Wat Rong Suea Ten (The Blue Temple)
A short hop across Chiang Rai, the Blue Temple is the White Temple’s younger sibling, built by one of Chalermchai’s students. Its hall is a deep sapphire blue picked out in gold, with a luminous white seated Buddha glowing inside. Entry is free, though a donation is welcome. It works perfectly as an afternoon stop after a morning at the White Temple.
Temples in Ayutthaya and the North-East (Isan)
Ayutthaya, the old royal capital an hour north of Bangkok, is a field of brick ruins you can cycle between in a day. Push further into Isan, the vast north-east, and the temples turn strange and wonderful: a Khmer sanctuary older than Ayutthaya, a hall that glows at night, and one built entirely from beer bottles.
- Wat Chaiwatthanaram
On the west bank of the Chao Phraya in Ayutthaya, this 1630 royal temple was modelled on Angkor Wat, with a central prang ringed by eight chedis. It is the photograph that defines Ayutthaya, especially at sunset or when floodlit after dark. Entry is 50 THB (about Rs 143). Rent a bicycle or hire a tuk-tuk for the day to link it with the other ruins.
- Wat Mahathat
Wat Mahathat holds Thailand’s single most famous image: a stone Buddha head cradled in the roots of a banyan tree, grown over across the centuries after the Burmese sack of 1767. Kneel to photograph it, because your head should never sit higher than the Buddha’s. Entry is 50 THB (about Rs 143).
- Wat Phra Si Sanphet
The grandest temple of the old capital, Wat Phra Si Sanphet gives Ayutthaya its signature skyline of three restored Ceylonese-style chedis in a row, each once holding the ashes of a king. It stood inside the royal palace, the Ayutthaya answer to Bangkok’s Wat Phra Kaew. Entry is 50 THB (about Rs 143), or buy the 220 THB day pass that covers six Ayutthaya sites and pays for itself quickly.
- Phanom Rung
Deep in Isan near Buriram, Phanom Rung is a 1,000-year-old Khmer sanctuary on the rim of an extinct volcano, built of pink sandstone and aligned so that on a handful of mornings each year the sunrise shines clean through all 15 doorways. It predates Ayutthaya by centuries and holds its own against anything in Cambodia. Entry is 100 THB (about Rs 285). It is remote, so most travellers come on a day trip from Buriram or Nang Rong.
- Wat Pa Phu Kon
A forest monastery in the hills of Udon Thani, Wat Pa Phu Kon is modern, calm and well off the tour circuit. Its white reclining Buddha, carved from Italian marble, lies under an aqua-blue vaulted ceiling painted with sky and clouds. Entry is free. The winding drive up is part of the pleasure, and since there is no public transport, you will need a car or a tour.
- Sirindhorn Wararam Phu Prao (The Glow Temple)
This is the one that glows. On the back wall of the ordination hall in Ubon Ratchathani, a Bodhi tree is painted in phosphorescent pigment that soaks up daylight and glows green after dark, framing the Buddha in a field of light. Turn up at dusk and wait for the sky to go dark. Entry is free. It sits near the Laos border and pairs well with the Pha Taem cliff paintings.
- Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew (The Temple of a Million Bottles)
In Sisaket province, monks built an entire temple complex from around 1.5 million recycled glass bottles, green Heineken and brown Chang, down to mosaics of the Buddha made from bottle caps. It started in 1984 as a clean-up idea and simply never stopped. Entry is free. It is a long detour, but few temples in Thailand will make you grin like this one.
Temples in the south, the islands and the coast
The beach south has fewer temples but two of the most rewarding climbs and views in the country, plus a giant teak marvel on the Pattaya shore that is a temple in spirit if not in name.
- Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Suea)
Near Krabi town, the Tiger Cave Temple asks for a 1,260-step climb up a limestone karst to a golden Buddha and a view across the whole province to the Andaman Sea. It is a real workout, about an hour up in the heat, so start before 8 AM with plenty of water. Entry is free. Our full Tiger Cave Temple guide walks through the climb and what to carry.
- Big Buddha, Phuket
On a hilltop between Chalong and Kata, Phuket’s Big Buddha is a 45-metre seated figure clad in white Burmese marble, visible from much of the island. The site is still being finished by donation, so entry is free and sarongs are lent at the top. Come late afternoon for the coast views on both sides. A rented scooter or a taxi handles the steep 6 km access road.
- Sanctuary of Truth, Pattaya
Not a temple in the religious sense, the Sanctuary of Truth is a 105-metre all-teak hall on the Pattaya shore, carved inside and out with Hindu and Buddhist figures and held together entirely by wooden pegs, without a single nail. It has been under construction since 1981 and may never be finished, which is rather the point. Entry is 500 THB (about Rs 1,425), the same as the Grand Palace, and includes a guided walk. Wear closed shoes, because it is an active carving site.
Temple etiquette and dress code
Thai temples are living places of worship, not just monuments, and a little care keeps you welcome. The dress rule is the big one, and it is enforced hardest at the Grand Palace, where staff turn away anyone in shorts or a vest. Carry a light scarf and you will never be caught out.
| Do | Do not |
| Cover shoulders and knees, men and women alike | Wear shorts, short skirts or vests into a hall |
| Take your shoes off before entering any building | Point your feet at a Buddha image; tuck them behind you |
| Sit lower than monks and Buddha images | Touch a monk or hand things to him directly, if you are a woman |
| Remove hats and sunglasses inside | Climb on or pose irreverently against statues or chedis |
| Ask before photographing monks or worshippers | Turn your back to the Buddha for a selfie |
| Walk clockwise around a chedi | Raise your voice; keep phones on silent |
Give small notes at donation boxes and free temples. It keeps the free ones free.
Best time to visit and combined tickets
The cool, dry season from November to February is the sweet spot for temple-hopping: comfortable mornings, clear skies and the best light for photos. March to May turns fierce and hot, so start at opening and rest through midday. The June to October rains are quieter and greener, with short, predictable afternoon downpours you can plan around. Whatever the month, early morning is your friend, both for the cooler air and for beating the tour buses.
Time each temple to its best light. Wat Arun and the Golden Mount are sunset temples. Wat Benchamabophit and the Grand Palace reward the dawn crowd. The glow temple in Ubon only comes alive after dark.
Combined tickets and temple passes
There is no single nationwide temple pass, but a few local ones save real money.
- Bangkok river loop: the 500 THB Grand Palace ticket covers Wat Phra Kaew; walk to Wat Pho (300 THB), then take the cross-river ferry to Wat Arun (200 THB). Three of the country’s best temples in one day for about 1,000 THB (roughly Rs 2,850).
- Ayutthaya day pass: 220 THB covers six ruins including Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Mahathat and Wat Chaiwatthanaram, versus 50 THB each. Buy it at the first site.
- Chiang Rai pairing: no combined ticket, but the White Temple (100 THB) and the free Blue Temple sit close enough to do in a half-day.
- Sukhothai Historical Park sells tickets by zone (about 100 THB each) if you extend the Ayutthaya trip further north.
How to plan a one-day Bangkok temple crawl
If you only get one temple day, this route links the big three by river and finishes with a sunset climb and a Chinatown dinner, with the heat handled sensibly in the middle.
- Start at the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew at 8:30 AM opening. Dress covered, and give yourself two hours.
- Walk ten minutes south to Wat Pho. See the Reclining Buddha, then book a foot massage at the school on site.
- Take the cross-river ferry from Tha Tien pier to Wat Arun and climb the central prang for the river view.
- Ferry back and rest through the midday heat over a long lunch near the river.
- Late afternoon, take a Grab or tuk-tuk to Wat Saket and climb the Golden Mount for sunset over the old city.
- Finish at Wat Traimit on the edge of Chinatown, then walk into Yaowarat for a street-food dinner.
Planning a temple trip from India
Getting there is easy. Direct flights run from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Chennai to Bangkok (BKK and DMK) in about four hours, and Indian passport holders currently travel visa-free for up to 30 days (the rule changed in July 2026, so confirm it before you fly). From Bangkok, Ayutthaya is a 1.5-hour train or van, while Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Krabi and Phuket are short domestic hops. A temple-focused usually splits time between Bangkok, the north and one beach.Thailand itinerary
Temples cost very little. The main expense is the Grand Palace, and most others run from free to 100 THB. Budget roughly 1,000 to 2,000 THB (about Rs 2,850 to Rs 5,700) for a full temple-heavy day once you add tickets, ferries and a Grab or two. Carry small baht notes, because entry counters rarely take cards.
| Typical spend per person | THB | Approx Rs |
| Grand Palace + Wat Phra Kaew | 500 | Rs 1,425 |
| Wat Pho | 300 | Rs 855 |
| Wat Arun + cross-river ferry | 210 | Rs 600 |
| Ayutthaya day pass (6 sites) | 220 | Rs 627 |
| Grab / tuk-tuk, half day | 300 | Rs 855 |
| Water, scarf, offerings | 150 | Rs 428 |
For Buddhist and Hindu travellers, Wat Pho, Doi Suthep and Sri Mahamariamman make natural stops for quiet prayer. Dress modestly, keep your voice low, and you will be welcomed at worship times.
Which temples should you choose?
Twenty-four temples is more than any single trip needs, so choose by region and by light: the Bangkok river loop for grandeur, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai for Lanna craft and modern art, Ayutthaya for ruins, and Isan for the temples nobody expects. Get the dress code and the timing right and even a half-day of temple-hopping will stay with you. When you are ready to string them into a real route, browse our Thailand tour packages and build the trip around the ones that pulled you in.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions about temples in Thailand
Thailand has 41,205 Buddhist temples in total, of which about 33,902 are active places of worship, according to National Office of Buddhism records. That is why they are called wats, and why you will pass one on nearly every street. This guide covers the 24 best temples in Thailand for a first or second trip, spread across Bangkok, the north, Ayutthaya, Isan and the islands.
Cover your shoulders and knees, men and women alike, and remove your shoes before entering any hall. No shorts, short skirts, vests or see-through clothing. Take off hats and sunglasses inside. The Grand Palace is the strictest and will turn you away or lend a sarong for a deposit, so carry a light scarf and you are covered at every temple on this list.
Wat Pho in Bangkok is often called the oldest, founded in the 16th century and rebuilt by King Rama I, though older structures survive elsewhere. Phra Pathommachedi in Nakhon Pathom marks one of the earliest Buddhist sites in the country, and the Ayutthaya and Sukhothai ruins date back six to seven centuries. For a working temple you can still visit easily, Wat Pho is the classic answer.
It is a matter of taste. Wat Arun at sunset, seen from across the river, is the classic postcard. Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple in Chiang Rai, wins for sheer imagination. Wat Phra Kaew inside the Grand Palace is the most opulent. If you want one that stops you in your tracks, the glow temple in Ubon after dark is unlike anything else on this list.
Entry ranges from free to 500 THB (about Rs 1,425). The Grand Palace and the Sanctuary of Truth are the priciest at 500 THB, Bangkok's other big temples run 100 to 300 THB, northern and Ayutthaya temples are usually 50 THB, and many, including the Blue Temple, Tiger Cave and the Isan trio, are free with a donation box. Carry small baht notes for the counters.
The cool, dry season from November to February is ideal, with comfortable mornings and clear skies. Arrive at opening, around 8 to 8:30 AM, to beat both the heat and the tour buses. Save Wat Arun and the Golden Mount for sunset, and the Ubon glow temple for after dark. March to May is very hot, so rest through midday.
Bangkok holds Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Wat Saket, Wat Traimit, Wat Benchamabophit and Sri Mahamariamman, with Ayutthaya an hour north. Chiang Mai has Doi Suthep, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh, Wat Suan Dok and the Silver Temple, while the White and Blue temples are about three hours further at Chiang Rai. The Isan temples and the island ones need separate trips.
There is no nationwide pass, but Ayutthaya sells a 220 THB day pass covering six ruins, which is far cheaper than 50 THB per site. In Bangkok the Grand Palace ticket includes Wat Phra Kaew, and you can chain Wat Pho and Wat Arun by ferry in the same day. Sukhothai charges per zone. Elsewhere you pay at each temple gate.
About 93 percent of Thais are Theravada Buddhist, so most temples here are Buddhist wats. There are exceptions on this list: Sri Mahamariamman in Bangkok is a South-Indian Hindu temple, Phanom Rung is an ancient Khmer Hindu-Buddhist sanctuary, and the Sanctuary of Truth blends Hindu and Buddhist carving. All of them welcome respectful visitors of any faith.
Yes. Temples across Thailand welcome visitors of every faith, including Indian travellers, as long as you dress modestly, take your shoes off and stay quiet during prayers. For Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims, Wat Pho, Doi Suthep and Sri Mahamariamman are especially meaningful stops. Direct flights from major Indian cities reach Bangkok in about four hours.
