Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew)

Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew)

Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew)
4.5
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
About
Located inside the grounds of the Grand Palace, Thailand’s most valued temple features the magnificent Emerald Buddha that dates back to the 14th century.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best?
This award is our highest recognition and is presented annually to those businesses that are the Best of the Best on Tripadvisor, those that earn excellent reviews from travelers and are ranked in the top 1% of properties worldwide.
Top ways to experience Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew)
See what travelers are saying
  • Martin S
    Sidcup, United Kingdom576 contributions
    Majestic, iconic location
    No trip to Bangkok is complete without a visit to the Grand Palace. I was lucky to visit this beautiful monument to the past glories of Thailand and its culture. Then there were no crowds or security checks to overcome. I would suggest that you take a guide if you are not on a pre arranged tour, they will not only give you a remarkable insight into the amazing structures but they also know the ropes for ticketing, access and guidance through the crowd. Our guide even had long trousers for us as we were wearing shorts (not allowed in any temple) a shawl for the lady in our group with a sleeveless dress and umbrellas to protect from the sun. There were five in our group and she charged 2000 baht, but well worth it. The entrance fee was about 1000 baht which included a Thai dance performance which we did not attend due to our timings. Check the performance times beforehand, it looked amazing. Try and go early as it gets very busy. Bring socks if you do not like going barefoot as you must remove your shoes. You are not supposed to photograph the Emerald Buddha inside the temple, so prepare how you hold your mobile phone!
    Visited January 2020
    Traveled with family
    Written February 9, 2020
  • Stefmar88
    Andover, United Kingdom76 contributions
    AKA The Grand Palace. Busy but dont let that stop you.
    Make sure that your feet are covered, shoulders are covered and legs are covered to get in, that said once you are in they do not seem to worry too much. It was very busy although there was plenty of space and you never felt claustrophobic. Take a camera with a large storage as there are so many beautiful things to capture. It cost 700 baht pp entrance and you could spend a good 4-5 hours there. Some Temples require you to remove your shoes to enter. There are plenty of good clean toilets and places to buy water if required. Use the map they issue you as there are many knooks and crannies to see and you really do not want to miss anything and it explains a lot about the Temples.
    Visited February 2020
    Written February 22, 2020
  • amanda5805
    Duncan, Canada4,946 contributions
    Worth a stop if you are at the Grand Palace!
    Wat Phra Kaew is located on the grounds of the Grand Palace.It costs 500BAHT a person to entry and you must be dressed respectfully. We had a hard time finding the Emerald Buddha how things are not labeled well and there is a million people there. If we were smart we would have paid for the a guide. There is a ton to see beside the Emerald Buddha and you are not going to want to miss out on any of it. Wat Phra Kaew houses the sacred Emerald Buddha that is seated in meditation pose and is carved out of a single piece of Jade. Buddha is 19 inches wide at the lap, and 26 inches high. Not as big as I was expecting but it is incredible. Most of the temples at the Grand Palace you can not take photos in.
    Visited December 2019
    Written May 20, 2020
  • Jeff
    Cardiff, United Kingdom13 contributions
    Have to visit but be prepared
    Visited in January 2020, expensive to get in - 500 Baht per person when most other temples charge 50 Baht. Very strict on clothing so if wearing shorts or shoulders showing forced to purchase appropriate clothes. Only 1 entrance for tourists so beware, you may have a long walk to get in. Very crowded or even overcrowded to extent uncomfortable especially in humid hot conditions. Restrictions on what can and cannot do with guards to enforce - unable to rub the elephant head anymore for good luck. I suppose you have to visit but be prepared !
    Visited January 2020
    Written February 5, 2020
  • nyusz44
    London, United Kingdom103 contributions
    Must see!
    The temple is in the Grand Palace. Don't listen to the tuktuk drivers or others that the Palace is closed or only for locals and the buddha cannot be seen, these are scams! Getting into the Palace is easy, they check your backpacks. You must wear long trousers or you have to rent there (for 300 bahts) otherwise you cannot enter. The Palace itself is amazing with beautiful buildings and paintings. In the middle, there is the temple with the Emerald Buddha. As in all temples, you need to take your shoes off when you enter. You are not allowed to take pictures inside but you can seat there and enjoy the statues and the beautiful paintings as long as you want. Of course, you can pray.
    Visited March 2020
    Written April 2, 2020
  • Kaymtravel7
    Los Angeles, California800 contributions
    Spectacular splendor
    This is inside the Grand Palace. It is very ornate inside and worth spending some time to enjoy. The strict dress code applies, so cover shoulders and full legs. You will need to take your shoes off to enter, so I recommend wearing or bringing socks.
    Visited June 2019
    Traveled with friends
    Written April 2, 2020
  • Ellinlaw .
    Finksburg, Maryland469 contributions
    Yet another amazing temple
    This temple, on the precincts of the Grand Palace, is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. The temple houses the Emerald Buddha, a tall standing dark green statue, carved from a single jade stone. Although it is not known when it was made, it is believed it was crafted in 14-century Thailand. Only Thai people are allowed to pray in front of the statue and only the Thai king is allowed to touch the statue. That happens when the king changes the cloak around the statue three times a year corresponding to summer, winter and rainy seasons. When visiting, please be aware that there is a strict dress code. Long trousers and skirts are recommended. It is also mandatory to remove any shoes before entering the temple.
    Visited December 2019
    Written January 22, 2020
  • estokoe14
    Derby, United Kingdom63 contributions
    Sweatiest day trip of my life
    The buildings, statues, surrounding grounds and of course the Emerald Buddha are beautiful but this place is SO BUSY. I've been to many crowded tourist attractions in my life but this was the worst I have ever experienced. We were impossibly squashed when filing past the Buddha and quite frankly I'm surprised I didn't see anyone faint in the heat / crowd. This place would be excellent if perhaps someone was managing the crowds or better yet, only allowing a certain number of people onto the site at a time for safety? I would not take children there for fear of them being crushed. If you do want to visit at a less busy time, make sure you are modestly dressed. That is, shoulders covered and trousers/skirt/dress down to the ankle (just over the knees is not enough apparently).
    Visited January 2020
    Written January 26, 2020
  • Daniel S
    Southampton, United Kingdom509 contributions
    Great Temple
    This temple is located within the Grand Palace and like many, shoes have to be removed and no knees, shoulders or upper chest/backs showing all have to be covered to enter the temple. The statue itself is beautiful and seeing is believing, be prepared for loads of tourist and my best advice would be get there for opening time 08:30am to get the best chance of seeing it with less people becasue by 10am the tour buses arrive and it gets extremely busy. We weren't allowed to take pictures of the statue once inside the temple itself. The buidling outside is beautiful and the statues around are worth getting a picture of, the entire complex is stunning and this is well worth a visit if in Bangkok.
    Visited January 2020
    Written January 21, 2020
  • RonnieFriend
    Stockholm, Sweden259 contributions
    Great New Year's Day Visit!
    A very beautiful lively temple which is packed with tourists and local worshipers on New Year's Day. It makes for a very moving and meaningful visit. Unbelievably crowded line to get in to worship before the Emerald Buddha, but worth the effort. Once you finally get a place near the actual Buddha it's good to take time to worship and meditate along with thousands of others. Very beautiful. An impressive temple that houses incredible statues, artifacts, holy objects, and the spirit and feel of millions and millions of worshipers over time and history.
    Visited January 2020
    Written January 7, 2020
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

4.5
16,079 reviews
Excellent
9,304
Very good
4,871
Average
1,513
Poor
251
Terrible
140

Jeff
Cardiff, UK13 contributions
Jan 2020
Visited in January 2020, expensive to get in - 500 Baht per person when most other temples charge 50 Baht. Very strict on clothing so if wearing shorts or shoulders showing forced to purchase appropriate clothes.
Only 1 entrance for tourists so beware, you may have a long walk to get in.
Very crowded or even overcrowded to extent uncomfortable especially in humid hot conditions. Restrictions on what can and cannot do with guards to enforce - unable to rub the elephant head anymore for good luck.
I suppose you have to visit but be prepared !
Written February 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.

nyusz44
London, UK103 contributions
Mar 2020
The temple is in the Grand Palace. Don't listen to the tuktuk drivers or others that the Palace is closed or only for locals and the buddha cannot be seen, these are scams!
Getting into the Palace is easy, they check your backpacks. You must wear long trousers or you have to rent there (for 300 bahts) otherwise you cannot enter.
The Palace itself is amazing with beautiful buildings and paintings. In the middle, there is the temple with the Emerald Buddha. As in all temples, you need to take your shoes off when you enter. You are not allowed to take pictures inside but you can seat there and enjoy the statues and the beautiful paintings as long as you want. Of course, you can pray.
Written April 2, 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.

Kaymtravel7
Los Angeles, CA800 contributions
Jun 2019 • Friends
This is inside the Grand Palace. It is very ornate inside and worth spending some time to enjoy. The strict dress code applies, so cover shoulders and full legs. You will need to take your shoes off to enter, so I recommend wearing or bringing socks.
Written April 2, 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.

Ellinlaw .
Finksburg, MD469 contributions
Dec 2019
This temple, on the precincts of the Grand Palace, is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. The temple houses the Emerald Buddha, a tall standing dark green statue, carved from a single jade stone. Although it is not known when it was made, it is believed it was crafted in 14-century Thailand. Only Thai people are allowed to pray in front of the statue and only the Thai king is allowed to touch the statue. That happens when the king changes the cloak around the statue three times a year corresponding to summer, winter and rainy seasons.
When visiting, please be aware that there is a strict dress code. Long trousers and skirts are recommended. It is also mandatory to remove any shoes before entering the temple.
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.

estokoe14
Derby, UK63 contributions
Jan 2020
The buildings, statues, surrounding grounds and of course the Emerald Buddha are beautiful but this place is SO BUSY.

I've been to many crowded tourist attractions in my life but this was the worst I have ever experienced. We were impossibly squashed when filing past the Buddha and quite frankly I'm surprised I didn't see anyone faint in the heat / crowd.

This place would be excellent if perhaps someone was managing the crowds or better yet, only allowing a certain number of people onto the site at a time for safety? I would not take children there for fear of them being crushed.

If you do want to visit at a less busy time, make sure you are modestly dressed. That is, shoulders covered and trousers/skirt/dress down to the ankle (just over the knees is not enough apparently).
Written January 26, 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.

Daniel S
Southampton, UK509 contributions
Jan 2020
This temple is located within the Grand Palace and like many, shoes have to be removed and no knees, shoulders or upper chest/backs showing all have to be covered to enter the temple. The statue itself is beautiful and seeing is believing, be prepared for loads of tourist and my best advice would be get there for opening time 08:30am to get the best chance of seeing it with less people becasue by 10am the tour buses arrive and it gets extremely busy. We weren't allowed to take pictures of the statue once inside the temple itself.

The buidling outside is beautiful and the statues around are worth getting a picture of, the entire complex is stunning and this is well worth a visit if in Bangkok.
Written January 21, 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.

RonnieFriend
Stockholm, Sweden259 contributions
Jan 2020
A very beautiful lively temple which is packed with tourists and local worshipers on New Year's Day. It makes for a very moving and meaningful visit. Unbelievably crowded line to get in to worship before the Emerald Buddha, but worth the effort. Once you finally get a place near the actual Buddha it's good to take time to worship and meditate along with thousands of others. Very beautiful. An impressive temple that houses incredible statues, artifacts, holy objects, and the spirit and feel of millions and millions of worshipers over time and history.
Written January 8, 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.

Pawel B
Hawthorne, NJ81 contributions
Jan 2020
This can be done in same day as the Grand Palace as its within 10 minutes of walking from one to another. Do either one first as you wish. No need to pre buy tickets as you can get them on the spot without any problems. Gents make sure you legs are covered as well as girls no tank tops and the standard spiel. It is a magnificent structure you must witness in real life you have a chance, highly recommend to go and see it. You need about and hour here to take in all of this. The Buddha is a lot bigger in real life than it looks in picture you might be shocked as i was. Enjoy your visit :)
Written February 3, 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.

Shelliu
Hilton Head, SC4,113 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
Within the Grand Palace grounds, this Temple has some of the most crowds of anywhere but once you are in the area, you can’t miss stopping in. Be prepared to take off your shoes, as you have to do with most temples and make sure your knees and shoulders are covered. Carved of a single Jade stone, it’s unique compared to many other gold Buddhas and worth seeing.
Written January 8, 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.

caroler54
Sedro Woolley, WA201 contributions
Mar 2020
The temple is very ornate. The Emerald Buddha is very small but surrounded by a lot of other ornamentation. We were there in March and The Emerald Buddha was wearing his winter garb. A gold outfit which made it so you could not see a lot of his green jade. (not emerald interestingly enough) Glad we were able to see him either way.
Written March 14, 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.

Showing results 1-10 of 8,305
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) (Bangkok) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew)

Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) is open:
  • Mon - Mon 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
  • Tue - Sun 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.

We recommend booking Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 171 Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) tours on Tripadvisor


Hotels near Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew): View all hotels near Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) on Tripadvisor



Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) Information

Excellent Reviews9,303
Very Good Reviews4,871
Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) Photos9,422