VIETLAND HOLIDAYS

WAT ARUN is a Buddhist Temple on the Thonburi west bank of the Chao Phraya River.,  one of the most stunning temples in Bangkok, not only because of its riverside location, but also because the design is very different to the other temples, The spire (prang) on the bank of Chao Phraya River is one of Bangkok's world-famous landmarks. It has an imposing spire over 70 metres high

Many people call this temple as “ Temple of Dawn”, locally known as Wat Chaeng, and was built in 17th Century

History

Wat Arun was envisioned by King Taksin in 1768. It is believed that after fighting his way out of Ayutthaya, which was taken over by a Burmese army at the time, he arrived at this temple just as dawn was breaking. He later had the temple renovated and renamed it Wat Chaeng, the Temple of the Dawn. It used to be the home of the Emerald Buddha, before the capital and Palace was moved to the other side of the river. This can now be seen at the Grand Palace.

How to get there from the Grand Palace?

- By boat: You can get a boat trip ( Ferry from the river bank, just cross the Chao Phraya River, about 1 km from Grand Palace. The temple is quite opposite to the Grand Palace, but locates on the other river bank.

- By bus: You must cross a brigde in the river , about 4km 

In addition to the history, the highlight of Wat Arun would be the architecture and the steep climb to the top platform of the central prang. The central prang has 3 levels in total and encrusted with colourful tiles and porcelain. Well, most of it are broken pieces of porcelain. The main challenge will be climbing up to the platform where many tourists may halt due to fear of height. The stairs are indeed very steep but climbable with the help of railings and ropes.