After getting back from my trip to Thailand, I’m excited to share all of my experiences with you as to what to expect when going to the Bangkok Grand Palace Wat Complex housing the Reclining Buddha, Emerald Buddha and many other sacred temples. There’s a total of over 33,000 temples in Thailand. More than 90% of the population practices Buddhism, so rightfully so.
There are many day trips that will take you to Grand Palace, and it’s very easily accessible from your centrally-located hotel in Bangkok. The tour I took advantage of was actually a half-day tour. But after 4.5 hours in the sweltering heat, I was ready to go! So, here’s a few tips for managing your expectations as to what you can expect:
How to Dress
Modest dress is not suggested, it is required. You will not be allowed in the Wat Complex if you are not compliant. Absolutely no shoulders or ankles can be shown. What I wore (shown below) was a full-length maxi dress. Because the top of the dress was backless and sleeveless, I chose a black crop top to wear over top. Fellas, same thing. No wife beaters/tanks, shorts. Bring bottled water with you to stay hydrated if possible.
Expectation Vs Reality
My expectation was that I would be able to take pictures of the temples without swarms of Chinese tourists everywhere. The reality is that approximately 20,000 Chinese tourists visit the Grand Palace every day. Your pictures will get photobomed, but be patient and wait your turn. You will have some great solo shots in no time. It was a little offputting at first. Here are the pictures so you get the gist. People everywhere in every turn. Not necessarily waiting in line for their photo opp. Think it’s just a different culture than what I’m used to. Just want you to be prepared if you think it’s going to be this calm, quiet atmosphere. It most certainly isn’t. Maybe try visiting one of the other 33,000+ temples in the country if you’d like something a little less touristic, but the Grand Palace far from that.
Paying Respect to their King
In October 2016, Thailand’s late King passed away at the age of 88. It is a very difficult time for Thai citizens as they loved their king dearly. From what I gathered talking to the locals, he was a humble man that was very much for the people. I heard stories about how he drove an older model car, was never flashy with money, and always had projects and initiatives going to help the lower income families. The entire country is in a current state of mourning and it is not uncommon to see many Thais wearing a black ribbon to show their grieving. One thing I witnessed while at the Bangkok Grand Palace was that some of the sections were closed off to Tourists, and only Thai citizens were allowed to enter. They were headed to one of the temples to pay their respects to their King. There is no open casket, but they believe his body is located there. It was an incredible thing to witness.
No Shoes Allowed in Temples
As a respect, make sure to remove your shoes before entering inside of any of the temples. They are for religious ceremonies only so you must respect the sanctity of their practicing religion: Buddhism. In Thailand, the head is regarded as the most important part of the body because it is where the spirit resides. That is why you are not allowed to touch a Thais head (although why would you do that in any country?? lol). The feet are the furthest removed away from the head and as such are the lowest part of the body both physically and of course spiritually. But don’t worry, there are plenty of signs (in English) reminding you to take them off so no worries. When you sit to pray, your feet should be behind you. Pointing the soles of your feet at a Buddha image or monk is considered extremely rude in Thai culture.
Wat Pho – Reclining Buddha
If you’re able to make it all the way to the Bangkok Grand Palace complex, you have to stop by the Wat Pho (Wat Po) Buddhist temple. It houses the Reclining Buddha which is an enormous gold Buddha that is doing just that, reclining. Because it’s disrespectful (and unlawful) to have pictures of the Buddha’s head cropped off, which is unfortunately the only pictures I managed to take, I’ve left a quick video below so you can see the size of the Reclining Buddha.
Ramakien Story
Do yourself a favor, and before heading here read about The Ramakien, Thailand’s national epic, actually derived from Hindus. It is a very insteresting story and you will be able to enjoy viewing the Ramakien figures on the Palaces a little more. Like so…
Bring Your Passport!
I know when you’re on vacation, you prefer to keep your passport locked up in the hotel safe, however it is required to enter the Bangkok Grand Palace Wat Complex. Don’t forget to bring it. They basically have 2 separate entrances: 1 ) Thai Residents and 2) Everyone Else.
Use Proper Etiquette
In addition to dressing conservatively and removing your shoes before entering the temples, it’s also imperative that you are quiet inside the temples. No shouting, raising your voice. If you have a rowdy kid, you’ll have to remove yourself. I know this is a bucket list checker for many tourists, however for Thai citizens this is one of their places of worship and they are actually there to pray. Just as you wouldn’t appreciate many people coming in loud and taking flash photography at your respective church or mosque, they do not appreciate it either. No photography allowed, and no loud voices. Once you are outside, you can talk to your friends/family/tour group.
Those are the essential tips I have for now. If you have any questions at all about visiting the Grand Palace, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d love to help: cassandra@accent-on-travel.net.
