Wat Pho Travel Guide

Cover your shoulders and knees. Men need long trousers or knee-length shorts and a sleeved top; women need a skirt, dress or trousers to the knee and a top that covers the shoulders. You also remove your shoes before entering the Reclining Buddha hall. If you arrive underdressed, borrow a sarong at the gate for a small refundable deposit.

About one to one and a half hours. Give fifteen minutes to the Reclining Buddha and the 108 bronze bowls, then use the rest to wander the courtyards of chedis and see the massage pavilion. Add another hour if you stop for a Thai massage on-site.

Yes. Wat Pho is the home of traditional Thai massage, and its school (running since 1955) has a pavilion inside the temple where trained therapists give 30 or 60-minute sessions. It is a separate ticket from temple entry, and it is best to sign up early because the list fills by mid-morning.

A corridor behind the Reclining Buddha holds 108 bronze bowls, one for each of the Buddha's 108 auspicious signs. You buy a small bowl of coins (around 20 THB) and drop one coin in each bowl as you walk the line. It is a merit-making ritual believed to bring good fortune.

Yes, photography is allowed, including of the Reclining Buddha itself. Turn the flash off inside the halls, do not touch or climb on the statues, and step aside so you are not blocking the walkway or pointing your feet at the Buddha while you shoot.

Right at opening or in the final ninety minutes before closing. Midday brings both tour-group crowds and real heat, since much of the temple is open courtyard. An early visit also lets you pair Wat Pho with the Grand Palace before the afternoon warms up.