Wat Pho - The Temple of the Reclining Buddha-Bangkok
Wat Pho (or Wat Phra Chetuphon as it is known locally) is famed for the massive ‘Reclining Buddha’ it houses. At 46 meters long and 15 meters high, this gold-plated Buddha image depicts the Buddha’s passing into Nirvana. It’s highly ornate and a genuine spectacle – genuinely worth seeing. The Buddha image’s eyes and feet are decorated with mother-of-pearl and carvings in the feet depict the ‘108’ characteristics of Buddha.
Wat Pho has considerable historical significance. Covering an area of around 20 acres, it is the largest Wat in Bangkok, and built two centuries before Bangkok became the capital, it is also the oldest. The Wat was rebuilt by King Rama I when Bangkok became the country’s capital. The temple is also regarded as being Thailand’s first university, being the first institution to provide education to the public.
One of the biggest attractions of Wat Pho is the fact it is a centre of Thai traditional medicine, particularly, traditional Thai massage.
It is possible to receive a rejuvenating massage here – a regular massage costs 250 Baht an hour, and a massage where herbal medicines and hot compresses are applied to the body costs 350 Baht an hour. However, with the current interest in ‘holistic’ medicines and practice, many people study Thai traditional massage at Wat Pho. A 30-hour course over a 10 to 15-day period costs in the region of 4,500 Baht.
Details: Admission is 20 Baht and the temple is open from 08:00 to 17:00 (but closed for one hour from 12.00 to 13.00). For history buffs, it is possible to hire the services of a certified guide for 150 Baht per person (discounts are available for groups) which can be booked at the temple entrance.
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