Wat Bowonniwet Vihara

Wat Bowonniwet Vihara

Wat Bowonniwet Vihara
4.5
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Duration: 1-2 hours
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Neighborhood: Phra Nakhon
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles467 reviews
Excellent
272
Very good
167
Average
26
Poor
1
Terrible
0

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Divisa65
Creteil, France846 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
The temple is very extensive. When we arrived, the main temple was closed but we went around the compound. There is a huge golden stupa with a whole bunch of little pagodas around with extremely wrought roofs, with many details, all made with small pieces of cut porcelain. We entered the compound and went around. The prayer room was closed to the public (we certainly arrived too late). Free admission
Automatically translated
Written July 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Joe
Bangkok, Thailand4,965 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Solo
Wow. This was a totally unexpected find. I didn't really know anything about this temple beforehand, I simply was walking around having an explore when I saw this golden jewel in the sky.

Wat Bowonniwet is a striking golden colored temple that really stands out. With bell shaped spirals this is one of the unique Bangkok temples.

It's not too big but still makes for an interesting exploration. With nice architecture, detailed statues, and lots of alters and structures to look around.

It can become very bright here with the reflection of the sunlight, so be careful of your eyes
Written September 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rita A
Paco de Arcos, Portugal990 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
This Wat is a great place to calm down.
A very near distance of 900m from Khao San Road. A must visit for any visitors. Beautiful place. Get inside the Temple and sit, seeing how Thai people sit and meditate in peace and happiness.
A precious experience.
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

笑文
Dubai, United Arab Emirates45 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2022 • Friends
An old temple famous for the thousand year old stone carving Buddha statue, Prabhaireebhinash. Devotees come here to get blessing of victory over mighty foe. The golden pagoda house sacred Buddha relics which will be accessible only during special occasions.
Written February 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rex
Bangkok, Thailand17 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Solo
This Temple is in a walking distance from Khao Sarn Road. It is not very crowded except during the religious ceremony. The ordination hall is also unique as there are two principal Buddha images in the same hall (normally one). This was also the residential temple for King Rama 4th - 10th, when they were monks.
Written February 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DavidWGrant
Dallas, TX134 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2012 • Business
Wat Bowonniwet (or Boworniwet, as the locals spell it) is fascinating for a variety of reasons, well beyond its presence as a cool respite in an interesting neighborhood. Many site that it was where the current King Bhumibol received his training and ordination into the monk hood, or that the Supreme Patriarch lives here...fine. Others site the very nice Sukothai Buddha image inside from Phitsanulok…it is beautiful and soothing to behold, certainly. Others love the modern clean lines of the large chedi out back, and if you like modern chedis, fine. Still others point out the odd juxtaposition of the Chinese style broken-pottery roof top over one of its structures, and that’s interesting too, I suppose. These are reason enough to go.

I found three attractions to the place on top of those. First, it was the first time I saw, examined and touched one of the machines for which King Bhumibol holds a patent: the propane-powered canal/pond aerating machine. (His other patent concerns a cloud-seeding process.) There, in the small Koy channel that runs around one of the temple structures, is a small steel aerating machine, ingenious in its simplicity and apparent effectiveness. Wat Boworniwet is one of the few places where such channels are sufficiently oxygenated for the Koy to thrive. Second, there is hand-carved plaster of such strength and thickness that it is actually part of the support structure for a colonnade/walkway outside the Wiharn building. I was able to watch the carving process (done entirely with mallets, chisels and Surform-style formers for a twelve-foot section of supporting plaster!) and able to see it lifted into place the next day. It is molded offsite, and all carving is done onsite. Amazing filigree in a true support structure! Third, was the active life in this Wat. Much like an active Catholic Parish church from the 1960s, Wat Boworniwet has a strong local following that makes it uplifting at all times of day. Donations are taken up as necessary from locals via the placement of long steel wires to which are affixed Baht bills, into blocks of Styrofoam in large vases out front. No one steals the money, and in the end, the vases appear to be filled with Baht-bill flowers! You will feel part of a community there, even if you are not interested in architectural design or engineering. Go!
Written November 30, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brad
Hong Kong, China181,258 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2014 • Couples
We visited Wat Bowonniwetwiharn (free entry) during a recent trip to Bangkok and very much enjoyed this particular temple.

This first grade Royal Temple was built during the reign of King Rama III between 1824 and 1832 and is historically important for being the location where several Thai kings resided during their monkhood years, including King Rama IV, King Rama VII and King Rama IX.

One of the things we liked about Wat Bowonniwet was the Wiharn room which features an ancient Buddha statue (circa 1350), nice wall murals, window carvings and general decor. We also liked the statues and figures found throughout the temple grounds.

There is a large golden chedi that you can walk around as well as ceremonial halls built with a blend of Thai and European architectural styles. These are attractive and unique buildings to see, enter and take pictures of.

Overall, we found Wat Bowonniwet to be a decorative and attractive temple to visit, one that we would happily visit again during future trips to the city.

You can conveniently visit from Khao San Road area and comfortably see most of the temple grounds in 30-45 minutes, making this nice attraction to see for those staying in the area.
Written May 10, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gunma
Turin, Italy165 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2014
Wat Bowon is one great temple under royal patronage. At present the funeral for the head abbot is going on. BEWARE TOURIST: Proper dress require, inappropriate dress ie short, tank top may not enter the temple complex. I didn't see any facility to lend a dress like royal palace or Wat Phra Keaw. Before go there dress properly. No entrance fee.
Written July 5, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bell h
Washington DC, DC6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
If you are interested in architecture, you should visit this place! you will experience something different Thai culture and Asain in general!
Written January 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stravaig
Inverness, UK605 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
A very beautiful and quiet temple. When we visited there was only one other person in the whole of the grounds that we seen. Worth a visit to escape the crowds.
Written January 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, Bangkok

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