Transcript
Perhaps the most famous of Thailand’s many wats, or Buddhist temples, is Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn.
It’s even printed on currency – look for it on the 10 baht coin.
Wat Arun was named for the Hindu god of the dawn, Aruna, to symbolize the dawn of a new era after the fall of the ancient Ayutthaya kingdom.
Dawn also happens to be when Wat Arun is the most beautiful, but if you’d rather not rise early, it’s also especially stunning at sunset, when it catches the colored light.
Of course, you can look at the temple from afar for free, but for a very small admission fee you can enter the temple complex and get a better appreciation of Wat Arun.
If you climb the stairs of the central prang, you’ll be able to see that it’s decorated with mosaics made of broken Chinese porcelain.
You’ll also get an amazing view of the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, the river, and downtown Bangkok.
Just be careful–the stairs are very steep and narrow, so it’ll be a difficult climb.
Also remember that when you visit any wat, you have to follow the dress code–no exposed shoulders, pants and skirts should cover at least the knees, and shoes must be taken off before entering the temple.
