TOUR BANGKOK : ALL TOURS IN BANGKOK , TO BANGKOK, OF BANGKOK AND FROM BANGKOK

TOUR BANGKOK CITY & TEMPLES

TOUR DESCRIPTION . There are a total of 40,717 Buddhist temples in Thailand as of 31 December 2004, of which 33,902 are in current use, according to the Office of National Buddhism. This serves to illustrate the importance of these temples in Thai culture. In Thailand there are two types of temples; first type is where religious duties are permitted and carried out, the second type of temples are used as the living quarters for monks. There are also two categories that temples fall into, which are Royal temples and common temples. Royal temples are temples that have been built by royalty or that have come under their sponsorship. There are around 200 royal temples in Thailand, but only six of them are of the highest grade: Wat Phra Chetuphon (Bangkok), Wat Mahathat (Bangkok), Wat Suthat (Bangkok), Wat Arun (Bangkok), Wat Phra Pathom Chedi (Nakhon Pathom Province), Wat Phra Buddhabat (Saraburi Province)

Our Bangkok Temple Tour takes in three of the most famous and important temples in Bangkok. The first of these is Wat Trimitr, also known as the Temple of the Golden Buddha. It houses the largest golden Buddha in the world, which made of about 83% pure gold and weighing in at five and a half tons, the 15-foot tall seated image is worth millions of dollars at today's gold prices The amazing truth about the golden Bhuddha was that its existence was only discovered in 1957 when a piece of the plaster that covered the statue was broken off by accident. On this tour you will discover the fascinating story of why and how it remained a secret for more than two centuries.

The next of these famous temples we visit is Wat Po (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha). This is the oldest and largest temple in Bangkok. Construction commenced in 1788 under Rama I, and many relics from the recently sacked capital of Ayutthaya was brought here. It was restored and expanded by Rama III and became a centre of learning, effectively Thailand's first university - traditional Thai massage and medicine were born here. It is most famous however for the giant reclining Buddha, 46 meters long and 15 meters high. His body is covered in gold plating and he is decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay on his eyes and the soles of his feet. The bottoms of the Buddha's feet are intricately decorated with 108 auspicious scenes in Chinese and Indian styles. The temple has over 1,000 Buddha images, more than any other temple in Thailand.

The third famous temple on our tour is Wat Benchamabophit, or the Marble Temple. Built in 1901 during the reign of Thailand's revered King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), it is constructed from gleaming white marble imported from the quarries of Carrara in Italy. It is notable for the European influence that Rama V brought to Thailand, with features such as stained glass windows. There is also a Bodhi tree (sacred fig) which was brought to Thailand as a cutting descended from the original Buddha's Tree of Enlightenment.
This tour encompasses three unsurpassed temples that make an unmissable and a picturesque viewing of Thailand's fascinating history; a must-see tour on your Thailand holiday.

TOUR PROGRAM - TIME 08:30-12:00 or 13:30-17:00


* TOUR OFFERED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND CAN BE CUSTOMISED ON REQUEST.

TOUR BACKGROUND . Bangkok's temples are the Bangkok's heart and soul. A visit here would not be complete without seeing its most beautiful temples . The architecture is awe-inspiring and the glittering decoration like no other : thousands of pieces of coloured glass and pottery adorned with intricate structures gilded in glaring gold . This was the concept of the ancient City of Angels ( the meaning of the thai name of Bangkok )

We recommend to visit most temples is in the early morning because it's cooler and generally less crowded . The temples ('wats in thai language ') are not just tourist attractions but also play an important part in Buddhist vibrant life and traditions. Monks live in the temple complexes, wake up around 04:00, attend to prayers and duties and then collect food and necessities from ordinary people on the streets. If you are up very early in Bangkok you will see monks walking around, dressed in saffron coloured robes. This daily alms ritual ( called ' tam boon ' ) takes place not only in Bangkok but all over Thailand and is part of the Buddhist tradition of giving and making merit to attain a better " karma " .

This is one of the most popular tours, and it gives guests a rich insight into Buddhism, architecture and the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. Three of the capital’s most stunning temples are visited including: Wat Traimit, this houses the world’s largest solid gold Buddha (5.5 tonnes of precious metal!); Wat Benchamaborpit (the “Marble Temple”).This is a fascinating fusion of classical Thai architecture and 19th C Italian design and boasts marble and stained-glass windows; Wat Pho, this is the oldest temple in Bangkok and houses the Reclining Buddha, a 45-metre-long statue which depicts Buddha entering Nirvana. Wat Pho is also ‘‘Thailand’s first university’’ and houses a wealth of art. It is still an important centre for traditional medicine, such as massage.

This tour will show you the Wat Traimit houses a striking 3-meter tall Golden Buddha image - a gleaming, 5-ton figure of solid gold. The second stop will be at Wat Pho temple . Wat Pho houses the highly revered giant Reclining Buddha and traditional massage school, while Wat Benjabophit is famous for its elegant, white marble facade and Buddha images lining the cloister walls behind the main chapel .
Those 3 temples will be combined with a visit to the Grand Palace. Inside its 61-acre complex, you'll encounter what is undoubtedly one of the wonders of the world, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) .

Khrung Thep the city of angels (khrung Thep is Bangkok in Thai) is known as the Venice of the east and by traveling down the Chao Phraya river by a motorised long tailed-boat. You will see how the local residents have lived for centuries in shanties built among the piles of ruble which co-exist side by side with luxury villas. During your time traveling down the river the picturesque scenes of typical Thai canal life you will get to see attractions such as the Royal Barge Museum which lets you see the historical barge of Thai kings, the temple of Wat Arun also known as the " Temple of the dawn " this is because it was named after Aruna, the Indian God of Dawn. The outstanding feature of Wat Arun is its central prang (a prang is a Khmer-style pagoda), which is about 80 meters tall and symbolizes the legendary Mount Meru, center of the universe. The second of the temples you will se is Wat Po which is Bangkok's oldest and largest temple. It houses the Reclining Buddha which is 46 meters long and 15 meters high. His body is covered in gold plating and he is decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay on his eyes and the soles of his feet. The bottoms of the Buddha's feet are intricately decorated with 108 auspicious scenes in Chinese and Indian styles.

* TOUR OFFERED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND CAN BE CUSTOMISED ON REQUEST.

INCLUDES :

- Air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide
- Admission fee as mentioned on this program
- Transfers from/to hotel

EXCLUDES :

- Personal expenses such as drinks or tips
- Other services not mentioned on this program
- Meal

REMARKS :

- Child fares are applicable for a child between 2 and 11 years old only if accompanied by two adults
- As palaces and temples are sacred places in Thailand it's not allowed to wear shorts or sleeveless shirts. A hat or cap could be helpful . Certain buildings may be closed on public holidays and during royal ceremonies. Camera may not used inside some buildings . We also recommend that you wear any comfortable walking shoes (easy to put on and take off) .

PAYMENT :

WE ARE 100 % SAFE BECAUSE YOU CAN BOOK ALL OUR TOURS WITHOUT GIVING YOUR CREDIT CARD DETAILS OR PAYING THE TOTAL AMOUNT IN ADVANCE . INFACT, TO BOOK OUR TOURS, YOU JUST HAVE TO SEND US A 2000 BAHT DEPOSIT BY WIRE TRANSFER , MONEY GRAM TRANFER ( AT A POST OFFICE ) OR WESTERN UNION , WHATEVER THE TOTAL AMOUNT IS . THE REST OF THE AMOUNT WILL BE PAID DIRECTLY TO OUR TOUR GUIDE AT YOUR HOTEL LOBBY BEFORE STARTING THE TOUR(S) .

The size of this gold-plated statue is hard to take in - the feet alone are double, if not triple the height of an average person. The amount of detail that has been engraved on the feet of the Buddha is surreal and left us in awe. The reclining Buddha image is a depiction of the Buddha during his final days, resting on his right hand side preparing to enter Nirvana. Outside is a traditional Thai massage school where the monks learn the sacred healing art of massage. Well worth a visit.
London, United Kingdom

What an amazing place. Wat Phra Si Rattanasasadaram, generally called the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is a temple purpose-built to house a Buddha image carved from a large solid piece of green jadite (jasper). Chaophraya Chakri, who went on to become King Rama I, brought the image from Vientiane when he captured the city in 1778. King Rama I built the temple and enshrined the Emerald Buddha there as a symbol of Siam's regained nationhood. To enter this area you have to take your shoes off and store them in shoe cases outside. It is very important that when you visit the temples you are correctly dressed like no shorts, bare shoulders and low cut tops. It is a sacred area and must be respected. You are not allowed to film or take pictures inside the enclosed area where the Emerald Buddha sits. It is such a calm, detailed, beautiful area and a must see when visiting Bangkok.
Manchester, United Kingdom