Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho)

During his visit to Bangkok, President Obama and Secretary Clinton viewed the Vihan of the Reclining Buddha while touring the Wat Pho Royal Monastery.

Wat Pho, which features the largest reclining Buddha image in Thailand, and the Chedi of the kings, is Bangkok's oldest and largest temple.

Wat Pho is the birthplace of traditional Thai massage.Wat Pho is the largest and oldest wat in Bangkok and is home to more than 1,000 Buddha images, more than any other temple in the country.

One of the oldest and largest temples in Bangkok, it was built by King Rama 1,200 years ago as a site for public education. Courses in traditional Thai massage are conducted here.

ยักษ์จีนนนนน

Much less traveled that the other Bangkok temples with Buddhas, this attraction was simply perfect. There was so much to see and it was very laid back and not as commercial as the others. Some say to see the Reclining Buddha first, some say last. I went twice on both ends of my visit.There is a map of sorts, it was fun to walk around, don't miss the little water feature near the center area near the entrance, very cool. And don't miss the wall/courtyard of approximately 50 Buddhas with one hand up (kind of signaling stop - or talk to the hand). Then there is another larger Buddha behind glass that has much history.I went at the end of the day when it was not so hot and when there was less of a crowd, with quality late afternoon light.The Reclining Buddha is not to be missed, it is huge. I brought a polarizing lens for my camera which made the gold in the Buddha even pop more. Stunning.The feet of the Reclining Buddha were very cool too with inlaid mother of pearl among other gems. Still very well preserved.The photos on line dont really do this justice as the Buddha is so massive. Still, not to be missed and to me, is a must see in Bangkok..

For the average tourist family, this is the only wat that I would recommend visiting. The Reclining Buddha is pretty impressive.However, note the scam that goes on with tourists headed to Wat Pho and the Grand Palace:A few blocks before we got there, we stopped to check the map. A “helpful” Thai man approached to give us directions. He also mentioned that the Grand Palace and Wat Pho (temple) were not open to foreign tourists until 1 p.m., as it was Sunday and only Thais were allowed in to worship. Despite having checked the hours online, I believed him. Big mistake.Since we now had three hours to kill, he suggested visiting some of the other wats and Buddhas in the area, plus a Thai silk and gem showroom. He said that admission was free today and that the tuk-tuk ride would only be 20 Baht (less than a $1) because it was subsidized by the government on Sundays to encourage tourism. As I write this, it sounds absolutely absurd; it seemed a lot more plausible in broken English. Unfortunately, we bit.We spent the next three hours visiting wats of little interest. The Thai silk showroom ended up being a custom clothing store. Again, unfortunately, we ended up spending some money there. As we requested, the driver dropped us off at a Thai massage school near Wat Po. (That was the best deal of the day: 1/2 hour Thai massage for $6.) We then headed to the Reclining Buddha at Wat Po, our original destination. A few blocks away, we were approached by another Thai man, saying that the Wat Po was closed for a religious holiday this afternoon, but we could visit some other wats and the Thai silk showroom. Ahhhhh… it suddenly became apparent how utterly stupid we had been. That was the real scam. The tuk-tuk drivers get gas vouchers from the businesses and probably a cut of what you spend.There's a sign at the Grand Palace, warning about con artisits, but by then, it's too late.To be honest, 2 days in Bangkok is more than enough... one may have been better.For photos and more ideas of what do to with kids in Thailand, check out our travel blog at www.aroundtheworldin72days.com

We went to a lot of the temples in Bangkok off our own backs (without tours) i would recommend this as a way to see more and travel at your own pace as Bangkok is easy to get around and very cheap.The temples are magnificent and a must see if you are in Bangkok. The enormity of this gold reclining Buddha is out of this world

Much less traveled that the other Bangkok temples with Buddhas, this attraction was simply perfect. There was so much to see and it was very laid back and not as commercial as the others. Some say to see the Reclining Buddha first, some say last. I went twice on both ends of my visit. There is a map of sorts, it was fun to walk around, don't miss the little water feature near the center area near the entrance, very cool. And don't miss the wall/courtyard of approximately 50 Buddhas with one hand up (kind of signaling stop - or talk to the hand). Then there is another larger Buddha behind glass that has much history.I went at the end of the day when it was not so hot and when there was less of a crowd, with quality late afternoon light. The Reclining Buddha is not to be missed, it is huge. I brought a polarizing lens for my camera which made the gold in the Buddha even pop more. Stunning.The feet of the Reclining Buddha were very cool too with inlaid mother of pearl among other gems. Still very well preserved.The photos on line dont really do this justice as the Buddha is so massive. Still, not to be missed and to me, is a must see in Bangkok..

One of the oldest and largest temples in Bangkok, it was built by King Rama 1,200 years ago as a site for public education. Courses in traditional Thai massage are conducted here.