PacktriciaPlan my trip
Menu
Gold spires and tiled roofs within Bangkok’s Grand Palace complex.
Bangkok · Walking and attraction guide

Bangkok temple route: Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun

Build a practical half- to full-day route around three riverside landmarks, with time for security, separate admissions, modest dress and the ferry crossing.

01

Start at the Grand Palace gate

Use the official Grand Palace visitor guidance for the current entrance and ticket details. The 500-baht foreign visitor ticket includes Wat Phra Kaew; entry is subject to a strict dress code. Keep shoulders and knees covered and expect security checks.

Mobile data for your trip. Check what your current plan includes for roaming. If you need another option for maps, messages and booking details, compare NXTL eSIM coverage and rates. Check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked, and check coverage for every stop. Download important maps and confirmations for offline use too.

02

Walk to Wat Pho

Follow the signed public route south to Wat Pho. Allow time for the 46-metre Reclining Buddha and the temple courtyards; the official site lists separate admission and visitor hours. Buy entry directly at the venue and confirm current access.

03

Take the short ferry to Wat Arun

Reach Tha Tien Pier and cross the Chao Phraya to Wat Arun. The porcelain-clad prang is the route’s visual anchor; look for the floral fragments set into its surface. Ferry fare and Wat Arun entry are separate from the palace ticket.

04

Choose a guided option if useful

A guided small-group walk can simplify the sequence and explain the royal and religious context. The listing below starts at Tha Chang, visits Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho and Wat Arun, and finishes at Tha Tien.

If you prefer a guide, Browse the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun guided tour. It is a small group of up to 10; temple entrance fees are excluded (the listing cites 500 THB for the palace, 300 THB for Wat Pho and 200 THB for Wat Arun), and each temple visit is optional. Review the live listing and date options before booking.

05

A shorter version and what to wear

If heat builds, visit the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, then choose either the ferry crossing or a shaded meal rather than forcing all three sites. The tour listing says shorts, short skirts and sleeveless shirts are not allowed; check venue rules directly before travel and bring water and sun cover.

Check before you go

Opening arrangements and visitor rules can change. Check the official information before your trip.

Put it into your travel plans

Open the Bangkok city guide →

Keep reading

Shoppers among small street-market shops in Bangkok.
Market and neighbourhood guide · Bangkok

Bangkok markets: Pak Khlong Talat and Chatuchak

Choose a market by day and interest: see the working flower trade at Pak Khlong Talat, or set aside a weekend morning for Chatuchak’s wide mix of stalls.

Traditional Thai boat moving along Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River at dusk.
River and neighbourhood guide · Bangkok

Chao Phraya river evening: piers, ferries and temple views

Use the river as a compact evening route: check the boat service, cross between old-town piers and watch the light change around Wat Arun without packing in distant stops.

A food stall with produce and seafood at night on Yaowarat Road in Bangkok.
Food and neighbourhood guide · Bangkok

Yaowarat food walk: Chinatown’s evening lanes and flavours

Follow Yaowarat’s neon-lit main street into its side lanes, choosing a few stalls and shophouses instead of trying to eat everything in one crowded evening.

Aerial view of Bangkok buildings and the Chao Phraya River.
Weekend itinerary · Bangkok

Your first weekend in Bangkok: palaces, river and Chinatown

Pair the Grand Palace and Wat Pho with a ferry crossing to Wat Arun, then save a separate stretch for the lanes and food stalls of Yaowarat.

Visitors in the historic University of Coimbra courtyard
Before you go · Coimbra

10 things people forget when visiting Coimbra

Coimbra is a city of changes in level and pace: university spaces above, old-town streets below and the Mondego beside them. These reminders help you plan the climb, a scheduled visit and the quieter parts of a short stay.

Historic houses along a cobbled street in Faro
Before you go · Faro

10 things people forget when visiting Faro

Faro’s compact old town can be one part of a trip that also includes a lagoon crossing or beach afternoon. These ten reminders help you plan the city and the coast as connected outings with different clothing and timing needs.

Browse all travel guides →

Photo: Sergei Gussev / Pexels