Say Wat?
Thailand has been in the news a lot lately; King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the longest-serving head of state and longest-lived monarch in Thai history, departed this life in October. He was as loved as his son and successor is despised. Drama!
But even that can’t stop Bangkok, a frenetic city, huge, loud, and alive. It can be a bit much. Relief is easy to find in the numerous “wats,” or temples, scattered throughout the city. Walled off and usually amid manicured gardens, they are islands of respite in a crazy world, for natives and visitor alike. Three stand out for their sheer grandeur:
Wat Phra Kaew
Can miss it; it’s covered in gold. If there is one wat you visit, guaranteed it will be this one. It’s the royal one, after all. The 95-acre compound is divided between a temple district and the Grand Palace, used for coronations. Most people, however, never even see the place for all the MASSIVE GLITZ OVERDOSE of the temples. Mosaics made of mirrors! Dancing demons! The fabled Emerald (actually, it’s jade) Buddha! The site is only around 200 years old, as is Bangkok, but successive kings crammed chapels and sanctuaries into Wat Phra Kaew (“watt pra kay-oo”) to the point it’s about to fall on top of you. The most famous is the Ubosot, the hall housing the Emerald Buddha, so sacred only the king may touch it.
Wat Pho
Wat Pho (“watt po”) was around before Bangkok was, and is famous for housing one of the biggest reclining Buddhas in Thailand, at 151 feet from crown to toe. Despite his rather serene visage, a “Buddha in recline” actually recalls the moment he died. However, as he had already attained Enlightenment, this wasn’t a big deal, and the hall is gaily decorated with all the mystical beings awaiting him in the next world. Very cosmic. Ringing the statue on the walls are a series of cylinders you spin as part of praying. Fun fact: Wat Pho is where Thai massage was born. They still practice it in the gardens.
Wat Arun
Also called the Temple of the Dawn, this shrine is racross the Chao Phraya River from Wat Phra Kaew, and dominates the skyline. More restrained than its royal counterpart, Wat Arun is doused in porcelain, rather than gold. The grandest feature is the central prang, a type of spire that serves as particularly ornate reliquaries for images of Buddha or Hindu gods like Shiva or Indra. And unlike the Wats Pho and Phra Kaew, you can and even climb it (but it’s a steep climb); the view of Bangkok is unmatched.
Contact Steele Luxury Travel to organize all of your travel plans to Thailand and beyond!