I’ve been to Wat Arun twice in the two weeks we’ve been in Bangkok. That must be some sort of record?
I guess it’s one of the best things about slow travel, if we like somewhere we’ve got the option of going back. It was the kids’ idea, they wanted Dad to see it because they enjoyed it so much, I’m glad I went along, because there was a whole section we missed first time.
For the children it was a combination of steep steps, cats and bells to ring, they’re easy to please!
Yes, they did shoot off all the way up there. I didn’t, they’re now calling me a wuss.
I’m not sure it’s the best Wat in Bangkok, I’m a big fan of The Grand Palace, it’s breathtaking, but Wat Arun ( the temple of the dawn) is really pretty and different.
It’s not all glitzy, sparkly gold and mirrors like Wat Pho and The Grand Palace, it’s got a really pretty floral design, totally different, really fresh and lovely.
The decorations are made from broken porcelain and cowrie shells, they all came from China as ballast on the trade ships.
It’s also the cheapest of the big tourist draw Wats, 50 Baht/adult, the children got in for nothing, Wat Pho is 100 Baht, The Grand Palace is 400 Baht. Child admission prices seem to be based on height, get the kids to look short and cute, sometimes D ( 9) gets in for free, sometimes not.
You don’t get the huge crowds at Wat Arun as you do at the Palace, it’s a smaller complex to get around and it’s cooler with the river breeze, making it a more comfortable Wat to visit with children.
The part you have to pay to enter, the part with the prangs ( towers), is only a small part of the temple complex, if go around the edges there is much more to see. If you want to save yourself 50 Baht and don’t fancy climbing the prangs, don’t pay, just wander around the complex.
Wat Arun is very easy to get to by boat, it has it’s own jetty on the Chao Phraya river, right opposite the jetty for Wat Pho, a little ferry shuttes between the two sides of the river ( 3 Baht/person, the kids are free, sometimes). Different boats run up and down the river, the tourist boat will set you back 40 Baht for a one way ticket, the “local” boat is 15 Baht. Look our for the huge river fish at the jetties, you can feed them for an extra 10 Baht from the Wat Arun side.
