Temple of the Emerald Buddha Tours

Temple of the Emerald Buddha showing a temple or place of worship, religious aspects and a statue or sculpture
A small but extremely important Thai religious icon sits on a golden pedestal within the ornate Wat Phra Kaew structure on the grounds of the Grand Palace.

“Temple of the Emerald Buddha” is the English nickname for the striking place where you can admire the most sacred object in the Kingdom of Thailand: a small stone Buddha that sits in a meditative pose on an oversized golden throne. Thai people believe it is the oldest sculpture of Buddha, which makes it a much-worshipped object.

Wat Phra Kaew, as Thai people call the temple, is part of the Grand Palace complex. Its official name is Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram, which means “the residence of the Holy Jewel Buddha.” The ornate temple was built in 1782 under King Rama I, who moved the Emerald Buddha from Wat Arun across the river.

Admire the temple’s mosaics and gilded features before you step inside. The Buddha statue doesn’t contain emeralds, and gets its name because it was carved from a single block of green jade stone. The statue was found hidden in stucco in a temple in Chieng Rai in the early 1400s.

In neighboring regions, you’ll find various conflicting chronicles about the creation and mystical travels of the ancient Emerald Buddha before it was rediscovered. Despite its unconfirmed age and origins, Thai culture still holds the statue in reverence. It is believed to bring legitimacy and prosperity to all who possess it.

Join the line of pilgrims who eagerly make the journey from all over the country to pay homage. At every change of season, the Thai king presides over the ceremonial changing of the Buddha’s outfit. As you make your way around the rest of the temple, don’t miss the model of Angkor Wat, the Cambodian temple complex where the statue was housed when it was under Siamese control. Step through the giant gatekeeping statues onto the temple balcony to see murals depicting the Ramayana legend.

The Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha are open daily but close by mid-afternoon, so get there early. As you enter the site, you are asked to dress respectfully, which includes covering arms, legs and feet. Ferry or taxi is the most convenient way to get there.

Plan a trip to see Temple of the Emerald Buddha

Hansar Bangkok Hotel
iSanook Bangkok
Centre Point Sukhumvit 10
Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Browse tours and tickets to explore Temple of the Emerald Buddha

Reviews of Temple of the Emerald Buddha

4.4
Top Destination
5 - Excellent
455
" "5 - Excellent 55.69155446756426%
4 - Good
289
" "4 - Good 35.37331701346389%
3 - Okay
58
" "3 - Okay 7.099143206854345%
2 - Disappointing
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" "2 - Disappointing 0.9791921664626683%
1 - Terrible
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" "1 - Terrible 0.8567931456548348%

4/5 - Good

JeffW
Dec 30, 2019

Needless to say, very crowded when I visited on a Saturday. You will need to dress properly to get in and you will have to remove your footwear to enter the temple.

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveler
Oct 24, 2019

Very hot and lots of tourists in the neighborhood.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler
Jan 10, 2019

GETS VERY CROWDED

5/5 - Excellent

LaTraviate
Jan 3, 2019

Get there at opening time.

4/5 - Good

Jerry
Nov 4, 2018

Be prepared to take off your shoes and walk in your bare feet inside of the temple where the Buddha sits.

3/5 - Okay

David
Oct 15, 2018

too crowded

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