 Bangkok's
Rattanakosin Area: Things to See & Do
Overview of Bangkok's
Rattanakosin Area
Rattanakosin –
Between the river and Sukhumvit lies the densely packed "Old Bangkok",
home to Bangkok's best-known wats. Yaowarat (Chinatown) and sights
around the Chao Phraya River are also included here. Bangkok's
backpacker mecca Khao San Road and the surrounding district of
Banglamphu are located on the northern part of Rattanakosin.
Rattanakosin is where King Rama I built his new capital in 1782.
The seat of power to this day, this is where most of Bangkok's "must
see" sights can be found. The district borders the Chao Phraya River
on the west, but land reclamation has long since joined the eastern
bank to the mainland. The focal point of the area is the wide open
field of the Royal Ground (Sanam Luang), the site of many
ceremonies and festivals associated with the royalty.
There is an excellent Government tourist information office near
the river under Pinklao Bridge.
What to see
and do in
Bangkok's Rattanakosin Area
Rattanakosin has a lot to see and the top
three attractions are conveniently clustered right next to each other.
For all temples, bear in mind that you must be dressed appropriately
(no shorts, no flipflops, no sleeveless shirts) or risk being denied
entry, although some places will offer rental parachute pants for a
small (refundable) deposit.
The Grand Palace: The former
residence of the King is built adjacent to and more or less integrated
with the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew). Combined entry
is a steep 250 baht; Thais get in for free. This also includes entry
into the Vimanmek Mansion and Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall (outside the
compound), the Coin Museum, and a 'free' guidebook. The palace is open
daily from 8:00am to 3:30pm.
** The temple houses a diminutive
jade statue, the Emerald Buddha, of uncertain but long provenance and
revered as the symbol of the Thai state. It originally surfaced in
northern Thailand, was taken to Vientiane for a while, and was
returned to Bangkok after the Thais sacked the city in 1828. Visitors
line up around the building for a chance to walk by the Emerald Buddha
with offerings of lilies and incense. The wat is actually series of
courtyards full of chedi towers in gold and broken porcelain and
smaller wats containing Buddhas of various poise and size. Also check
out the enormous mural of the Ramayana decorating the exterior wall of
the Wat Phra Kaew (part of the Grand Palace compound).
** The Grand Palace is built in a
European style, but with Thai roofs somewhat incongruously plopped on
top. Only small parts are open to the public: the reception room of
the Grand Palace Hall (Chakri Maha Prasat) is probably the highlight.
Wat Pho
(Tel. 02-225-9595): One (long) block to the south of the Grand Palace,
the largest reclining Buddha in Asia is a mind blowing sight. There's
plenty of other stuff to see inside the large temple complex; above
all, try a massage or sign up for a course in the massage school at
the back (see Do). Entry is now 50 baht and it is open from 8:00am to
5:00pm.
The
Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun):
Across the river from Wat Po on the Thonburi side, this is a
distinctive single spike of white intricately inlaid with broken
porcelain. At 88 meters it was also the tallest structure in Bangkok
until the advent of the modern skyscraper. Take the ferry from Tha
Tien, right next to the River Express dock.
Wat Rajanadda: Somewhat off the
beaten track but well worth a visit, very close to the Saen Saep canal
boat terminus and the Golden Mount, and easily spotted since its
spires are of black iron, not the usual glittery gold. The wat itself
is a 5-story gleaming white structure with rows of Buddhas and nice
views from up top. very elegant, calm and relaxing after the crowds at
the big temples. Entrance is free.
The Golden Mount is a
distinctive and prominent feature on the Rattanakosin landscape
located in the compound of Wat Srakes. The original structure was
built in the reign of King Rama III during the early 19th century, but
was enhanced at the end of that century in order to accommodate relics
of the Buddha presented to the King of Thailand by the British Viceroy
in India. A spiral staircase of 318 steps leads from the ground to a
terrace and shrine-room - the Buddha's relics are housed in a
gold-leaf covered shrine at the center of this area.
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