Wat Pho – Temple of the Reclining Buddha, Bangkok

Wat Pho or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha is located in the Phra Nakon District of Bangkok. This place is a must visit while you are in Bangkok.

The beautiful statue of Buddha is an impressive 46m long & 15 m high & is covered in Gold leaf. The reclining posture of the Buddha illustrates his passing into Nirvana.

Although the Reclining Buddha is the main attraction of the place, Do take the time out to explore the entire complex. The feel of the entire area is almost ethereal & hosts many statues of Buddha, each more beautiful than the other.

The Wat Pho Complex consists of a two walled compound. The northern side hosts the Reclining Buddha while the Southern side hosts Monks & their School.

Wat Pho is the birthplace of traditional Thai massage. The place has traditionally been a center for Traditional Thai medicine. You will find various drawings on the wall depicting points of massage.

The entry costs to the Wat Pho temple is 100 baht & the temple is open to visitors between 8.00 am to 5.00pm.

I highly recommend you take time out & visit the Wat Pho, while you are here. I am sure you will love it as much as I did.

Arpita.

Chao Phraya River Cruise.

One of the things not to be missed while you are in Bangkok – Thailand is the dinner cruise on the Chao  Phraya River. Chao Phraya River is one of the main rivers of Thailand. It flows along the city and runs eventually into the Gulf of Thailand.

The 2 hour Dinner cruise is the best way to enjoy the Brightly lit up Bangkok in the evening.

The most amazing thing is that before the Cruise comes along the waterfront from where the cruise can be boarded. The staff on the first tier of the Cruise performs a welcome dance for you. That’s like so cool.

There are two options for seating. either the ground part or the First tier. We were seated on the Ground Tier.

Once you get one Board, and are seated, they serve you welcome drinks. The cruise then moves along slowly so you can enjoy the beautifully lit Bangkok or head to the deck where you can enjoy the beautiful breeze.

The main attraction along the river Chao Phraya is Wat Arun, the Temple of dawn that was built during the 17th Century.

There is also live performances on the Cruise & amazing food is served. If you’ve not tasted Thai food before, this is your chance.

Do spend some time on the deck. The breeze, the river & the view are to die for. I highly recommend taking this River Cruise. The Cruise is a perfect setting for a romantic date night too! And I highly recommend it for couples, especially the top tier. The evening cruise starts around 7. You can check with the hotel you are staying at. Some hotels have a pick up facility to head towards the water front.

This is an experience, not to be missed.

Nong Nooch Pottery Garden.

Nong Nooch is a beautiful tropical botanical garden spread across 500 acres of land in the Chonburi Province of Thailand. The area is like a theme park & is divided into various sections . You have species specific gardens like Cactus, Bonsai, Orchids Tropical Palms on one hand & on the other hand you have an area dedicated to performances like Traditional Thai dances, Elephant shows etc. You can spend an entire day in this place & really have a good time.

The place that stood out for me however & really fascinated me was the area right at the entrance of the Nong Nooch garden – The Pottery Garden. Thousands of clay pots & figurines are arranged together & they look very interesting. Have a look.