WAT PHRA KAEO
Temple of the Emerald Buddha
Located on the grounds of the Grand Palace, the Royal Chapel of the Emerald Buddha is one of Buddhism’s most magnificent monasteries and probably the most famous place in Thailand.
This is the personal chapel of His Majesty the King of Thailand, and the statue of the Emerald Buddha is considered the most sacred image in the kingdom. However, the lovely image is not emerald but is fashioned from a single piece of jasper and is 61 cm. high. The history of the Emerald Buddha is unusual. It was discovered in Chiang Mai in 1436 when a crack appeared in the large plaster over the Buddha image.
The complex is open from 8.30 a.m. to noon and from 1.00 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. An admission fee of Bht. 100 is charged which allows the visitor to visit the Vimanmek Mansion near Dusit Zoo.
WAT PO
Temple of the Reclining Buddha
The most extensive monastery in Bangkok, Wat Po was built on the site of an older monastery known as Wat Pothraram. Although best known for its enormous Reclining Buddha, it contains many other features which should not be missed.
Scattered over the huge grounds there are a large bot, four great chedis, the viharn of the Reclining Buddha, and other smaller viharns and chedis.
It is suggested that the tourists visit the centres of interest at Wat Po in the following order: First the bot and the surrounding areas; then the four great chedis followed by the Reclining Buddha.
In the courtyard are four large chedis standing opposite the lingam. These chedis represent the first four Kings of the Chakri Dynasty.
The viharn of the great Reclining Buddha is in the western courtyard. This image, representing the Buddha as he was attaining Nirvana, is 46 metres long and 15 metres high. The image is made of cement-covered brick and coated with gold leaf. The soles of the feet are inlaid with mother-of-pearl with 108 signs, marks and qualities by which a true Buddha is recognised.
Siam Paragon is an upscale shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand. It is one of the biggest shopping centers in Asia. Opened on December 9, 2005, it includes a wide range of stores and restaurants as well as a multiplex movie theater (consisted of 15 large size theaters with one of the them having the biggest screen and seating capacity in Asia) and the Siam Ocean World aquarium (the largest aquarium in South East Asia) and an exhibition hall and also an opera concert hall. It also has a large bowling alley and karaoke center. It is a joint venture by Siam Piwat, the company that owns the adjacent Siam Center/Siam Discovery shopping malls, and The Mall Group, which also owns The Emporium. Siam Paragon has attracted large crowds since it opened, but financial results aren’t reported by the privately held Siam Paragon Development.
FLOATING MARKET
One attraction that is almost certainly on any visitor’s agenda is the Floating Market at Damnern Saduak. The trip to the market starts very early in the morning from one of the many piers along the Chao Phraya river.
In a comfortable boat, you get to sail along one of the major canals of the city witnessing scenes of Thai life along the banks. Men and women wearing straw hats can be seen transporting their merchandise to the Floating Market in their longtail boats. The market is specially famous for its fruits, particularly large, succulent pomelos.
Early morning is the ideal time for visiting the Floating Market because around 9 a.m. the place is deluged by thousands of tourists and there seems to be a traffic jam even along the waterways.
VIMARNMEK MANSION
Situated behind the old national Assembly building, Vimarnmek Mansion is billed as the world’s largest golden teak building. As much a work of art as the treasures it holds, Vimarnmek (Cloud Mansion) was built by King Chulalongkorn as a rural residence for his family. The airy I00-room mansion is full of crystal, Faberge jewelry and other objects, brought from Europe.
Your ticket to the Grand Palace also entitles you to visit this mansion. Open daily from 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Credits to Tourism Authority of Thailand and Wikipedia
