Cross the River to a Spire That Rises From the Water
Take the ferry across the Chao Phraya to Thonburi and the first thing you notice is the prang: a steep, tapering spire rising above the west bank, encrusted in porcelain. This is Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, named for the Hindu god Aruna, the charioteer of the sun. A Buddhist temple has stood at this site since the Ayutthaya Kingdom; the distinctive prang you see today was begun in the reign of Rama II and completed in 1851, after nine years of continued construction under Rama III. The French explorer Henri Mouhot, sailing upstream from the mouth of the river, called it the first sign that a traveller had arrived in the capital; the American traveller Frank Vincent Jr. described the same spire as a bell-shaped pagoda wrought into a mosaic with Chinese cups, plates and dishes of all sizes and colours. Few landmarks in Bangkok announce the city so clearly.
Climb the Steep Steps and Read the Porcelain
Wat Arun is one of the few temples in Bangkok where you are permitted to climb the main staircase. The steps are steep, and the reward is a panoramic view of the Chao Phraya, with the Grand Palace and Wat Pho on the opposite bank. Look closely at the surface as you go: the prang is decorated with shells and bits of porcelain that had previously been used as ballast by boats coming to Bangkok from China.
- The central prang: topped with a seven-pronged trident referred to as the Trident of Shiva, and symbolising Mount Meru of Hindu cosmology. Its three symbolic levels are the base for Traiphum, the middle for Tavatimsa, and the top for Devaphum.
- The second terrace: four statues of the Hindu god Indra riding Erawan.
- The base: figures of ancient Chinese soldiers and animals around the foot of the prang.
- The satellite prang: four smaller spires at the corners, devoted to the wind god Phra Phai.
- The Ordination Hall: home to a Niramitr Buddha image supposedly designed by Rama II, with a grand altar of red, grey and white marble and murals created during the reign of Rama V.
- The guardians: two demons at the entrance to the ubosot, drawn from the Ramakien — the white figure Sahassa Deja and the green Thotsakan, the Demon Ravana of the Ramayana.
- The riverside: six Chinese-style pavilions built of green granite, with landing bridges.
Remember that this is an active place of worship for Buddhists, monks and dignitaries; visitors are expected to act with respect and reverence.
Time Your Visit for Dawn, Dusk or the Full Moon
The temple gives its name to the hour: it is striking at sunrise, when the first light catches the porcelain, and again at night when it is illuminated. Come early or late for the best of both, and allow yourself unhurried time on the terraces rather than a quick circuit. The dress code is strictly conservative; cover-up clothing is available for rent at the temple if you arrive unprepared. Ignore anyone on the street offering cheap rides or telling you the temple is closed today — it is not Thai culture to approach tourists in that way. Time a visit for November and you may catch Loi Krathong, the Festival of Lights, when krathongs of lotus flowers and banana leaves carrying a lighted candle and incense are sent down the river on the night of the full moon. During Kathina, the king travels to Wat Arun in a procession of royal barges to present new robes to the monks.
Onward From the Landing
From Wat Arun it is a short crossing back to the eastern bank and the old city of Rattanakosin. The Grand Palace is there, a vast complex that deserves at least a full morning or afternoon, and within its grounds is Wat Phra Kaew, the most sacred Buddhist temple of Thailand, whose buildings house the Emerald Buddha — an image that was enshrined at Wat Arun before its transfer across the river. Wat Pho, home to the world's largest reclining Buddha image and a famed massage school, is nearby too. Boat trips along the Chao Phraya often start on the eastern bank and ply the backwaters of Thonburi, taking in Wat Arun along the way.
Start with the ferry timetable and a morning free: cross to Thonburi, climb the steep steps before the heat settles, and let the view of the river from the terrace set the pace for the rest of your day in Bangkok.