Wat Pho (วัดโพธิ์), or Wat Phra Chetuphon (วัดพระเชตุพน) as it is generally known to the Thais, is mainly famous for the huge Reclining Buddha statue it houses. The Reclining Buddha is in the perennially busy building to my right as I entered.
The highly impressive gold plated reclining Buddha is 46 meters long and 15 meters high, and is designed to illustrate the passing of the Buddha into nirvana. The feet and the eyes are engraved with mother-of-pearl decoration,
Slowly explore the place, I walked up to another hall where there was a ceremony taking place.
A glistening Buddha in the main chapel.
Not to forget the Massage - Wat Pho is also famous as Thailand's first university, and is center for traditional Thai masage - the rich, famous and powerful have all been known to come here. Inscribed on stone in the walls of Wat Pho are all that was known about Thai massage dating from the reign of King Rama III
Whats more can I say, after a long day of walking under the hot sun. The best thing to do was a leg massage on a confortable chair in a fully air-con room under the red hot sun. I signed up a 1hr leg massage session cost around 250baht.
Wat Pho is home to the famous reclining Buddha, but it also covers a wide area of central Bangkok and is worth a stroll as there are many interesting and colourful smaller wats and stupas within its precincts.
Opening: 8.00 - 17.00 daily
Admission: 50Baht
Well, next in line were Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)...
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