Tips for Visiting Bangkok’s Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew

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While there are endless things to see and do in Bangkok, The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (the Temple of the Emerald Buddha) are Bangkok’s most famous tourist attractions.

The Grand Palace in Bangkok is a sprawling complex built in 1782 that is the former residence of the Thai royal family. The highlight inside the complex is the famous Wat Phra Kaew temple which houses the Emerald Buddha.

Even if you don’t like busy tourist attractions, it’s still well worth visiting the Grand Palace in Bangkok – the extravagant palace and mesmerizing temple is the jewel of all Thailand’s dazzling temples and palaces.

The Grand Palace in Bangkok

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Bangkok’s Grand Palace is a huge complex of temples, halls, pavilions, courtyards, royal residences and offices in different styles.

Construction on the Grand Palace started in 1782 under the reign of King Rama I, throughout the period of absolute monarchy from 1782 to 1932, it was both the country’s administrative and religious center.

It still remains the official residence of the Thai royal family although they stopped actually living here in 1925 and it is open to visitors every day from 8.30 am – 3.30 pm.

The Grand Palace is free to visit for Thai’s and for foreigners the price is 500 Baht (approx. US$14/ £11) Check out the current prices, opening times and official information at The Grand Palace’s website.

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew)

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Cheeky Hanuman monkey god’s adorn a golden stupa

While the Grand Palace is very impressive, the real highlight is Wat Phra Kaew, also known as the temple of the Emerald Buddha, which houses Thailand’s most precious national treasure.

It is thought that the Emerald Buddha was made in India in 43 BC and legend has it that it changed hands many times, ending up in Sri Lanka, Burma, Cambodia and Laos. When the Thai’s captured Cambodia’s Angkor Wat in 1432 the Emerald Buddha came to Northern Thailand but there are many legends and conflicting stories.

The famous Emerald Buddha is actually made from jade but still looks spectacular sitting high up on a golden alter adorned with golden robes that get changed by the King himself in a ceremony at the start of Thailand’s three seasons.

Thailand's most precious treasure - the Emerald Buddha
Thailand’s most precious treasure – the Emerald Buddha

The elaborate splendor and intricate, glittering decoration on the stunning Wat Phra Kaew temple of the Emerald Buddha really have to seen to be believed. The place is a mesmerising riot of glitter and gold with stunning details everywhere you look.

Every surface is covered with intricate, mirror and glass mosaics that glint in the sun while shimmering golden stupas rise up toward the sky.

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These huge mythical creatures guard the entrance

Hundreds of mythical creatures adorn the temple; pairs of giant yakshas guard the entrance, cheeky hanuman monkeys hold up the gilded stupas, five headed naga snakes slither down stair rails while garuda birds line the walls.

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The level of detail and abundance of gold and mythical creatures all over the palace is amazing

The temple is literally dripping with gold, glittering mosaics and amazing mythical creatures that create a dazzling, mesmerising effect, there is so much to see.

Inside the temple elaborate, detailed, gold embossed murals are painted all over the walls depicting the Buddha’s life and path to enlightenment.

Make sure to take in the glorious details of the beautiful murals that run around the courtyard that depict the Ramakian the Thai version of the influential Hindu epic the Ramayana. After being recently restored it runs in an intricate, golden freeze all around the walls of the courtyard.

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Gorgeously detailed freezes along the walls depict the Ramakian story

Tips for Visiting Bangkok’s Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew

Bangkok’s Grand Palace is an amazingly intricate, dazzling sight that you really can’t miss, but it does get hot, busy and crowded, so it’s worth preparing for this so that you have the most enjoyable experience possible.

As Bangkok’s number 1 tourist attraction, The Grand Palace of course attracts a huge number of tourists which in turn attracts equal numbers of touts and scammers. This means it’s a good idea to do some research before visiting the Grand Palace in Bangkok for the first time so that you can avoid the scams.

How to avoid scams when visiting Bangkok’s Grand Palace:

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Bangkok’s Grand Palace is full of golden chedis and elaborate spires but also loads of tourists

Don’t believe anyone who saws that the Grand Palace is closed today: This is a scam to get you on a tuk tuk tour, shopping trip or a gem sale scam. Politely ignore these scammers and continue confidently towards to Grand Palace.

Cover Up: The Grand Palace has a dress code (like many temples, religious sites and places associated with the Thai royal family) To enter both men and women need to have shoulders and legs covered down to well below your knees.

So wear something light and long, many stalls on Khao San Road sell lightweight baggy pants in loads of funky designs popular with backpackers.

If you don’t have anything you can rent some cover ups at the palace but you will have to queue to receive and return them, pay a deposit and it just makes you a target for the scammers outside to tell you that you won’t be allowed in and they will take you on an expensive shopping trip to their friends shop!

Arrive Early. In the heat the swarms of tour groups and droves of other tourists ruining photos can be exhausting. Try to do sightseeing early to avoid the worst of the heat and crowds. The Grand Palace opens at 8.30 with most of the tour groups turning up after 9 so arrive early and give yourself time to enjoy it in cooler temperatures with less crowds.

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The Grand Palace is a huge complex and it’s easy to get dehydrated in the heat so bring enough water

Avoid tuk tuks in Bangkok: A tuk tuk ride can be fun but they are not a very practical form of transport and are seen as a tourist trap – most of the time you will get ripped off, taken to an overpriced shop or somewhere you didn’t want to go, get over charged or will have to haggle hard to negotiate a good rate.

Instead download the Grab App and hire a motorbike taxi to cut through the traffic, or an air conditioned taxi to travel in comfort. You can also use Bangkok’s sky train, metro and buses or take the public ferry boats along the river to reach places, like the Grand Palace.

There is no reason, apart for the novelty, to use a tuk tuk. If you really want to experience a crazy tuk tuk ride book a legitimate tuk tuk tour on somewhere like Viator and Get Your Guide and check the reviews first.

Bring Enough Water and Cash: If you’ve come from colder climates Bangkok’s heat and humidity can be exhausting and the Grand Palace is a large complex.

Make sure you bring enough water to keep hydrated as it’s easy to get dehydrated in the sun while exploring the palace and no water is on sale inside.

Also, the ticket price for foreigners keeps increasing and the Grand Palace only accepts cash so make sure you have enough – 500 Baht at the time of writing.

Get a Guide or Do Your Research: Either get a guide or do some research before you visit about the history of the Grand Palace, the Emerald Buddha, Thai mythology and the Buddhist religion. You will gain a greater appreciation for what you’ve experienced by knowing more about it.

Having a knowledgeable local guide or doing your homework will make your visit to the Grand Palace much more interesting as you will understand what some of the murals and mythical creatures mean. This temples walking tour with a knowledgeable local guide also visits Wat Pho and Wat Arun nearby. Not only will having a guide help you understand much more about these stunning and spiritually significant sights, it will also ensure you have a stress free visit.

Another popular Bangkok tour is this private customizable Best of Bangkok full day tour. With the comfort of an air-conditioned car and guide and flexibility of a private tour you can visit the Grand Palace and any other places you want to visit in Bangkok without being stuck in a large tour group with a fixed itinerary. If you have limited time in Bangkok this is the best way to see only the places that are important to you.

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Elaborate mythical creatures adorn the Grand Palace

Be Cautious of Over Friendly Locals: Whilst most Thai people are very polite and genuine and it can incredibly rewarding to connect with local people you do need to exercise caution around tourist attractions like the Grand Palace. If people are overally friendly or offering help without being asked they might be trying to scam you, to get you to part with your cash in some way or part of a gem scam or tea shop scam.

Use your common sense and trust your intuition and you should be able to tell if people are genuine or not. If something doesn’t seem right or you sense a scam coming on it’s best to politely make excuses that you have somewhere to be or someone to meet and calmly get away.

Final Thoughts on Visiting The Grand Palace

Despite the crowds and scammers the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew are well worth visiting so don’t let anything put you off seeing this must see sight – with a little forward planning you should be able to have an enjoyable experience.

I hope these tips help you to enjoy your visit to the Grand Palace and avoid the scams. If your planning a trip to Bangkok, check out my other blogs for tips on the best areas to stay in Bangkok and other things to do in Bangkok.

If you want to get off the beaten track and see another side to Bangkok check out my tour of Thornburi – an authentic, traditional area of the city. And why not stay in a boutique hotel in Bangkok and wake up to views of the river and temples.

If Bangkok is just the start of your Thai adventures then you might also want to check out these amazing places to see in Thailand, my Thailand travel guide and my 2 week Thailand itinerary for loads more tips.

Have you been to the Grand Palace? Can you add any more tips for first time visitors?

 

 

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3 comments

Sunny May 1, 2014 at 7:32 pm

It’s really awesome! Thought it was very hot at the moment I still enjoyed my trip there.

Reply
Anna Phipps May 2, 2014 at 1:36 am

Thanks! Yes, I visited Thailand in April and May and it was really hot and humid. The heat is more manageable in Nov – Feb

Reply
ioannis G September 27, 2014 at 6:29 pm

if someone is coming to you on the street – 99% he is scum. becareful

Reply

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