Visiting Bangkok in December, over Christmas, peak season… there are only two words that can describe sight seeing in the Capital: organised chaos.
No matter what time of year you go, no matter how busy it may be, you really cannot afford to miss out on visiting some of the beautiful temples around the city. You don’t necessarily need to go to them all (there are hundreds!) but you need to see at least one or two.
We chose to visit the most famous landmarks: The Grand Palace and Wat Pho, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.
At the Grand Palace you’ll find the grounds are immaculately landscaped, the artwork on the walls tell stories and the architecture is truly magnificent. Every nook and cranny has some intricate detail that makes you appreciate the fine craftsmanship of the Thai people. Here you’ll also find Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
Wat Pho is a ten minute walk from the Grand Palace – basing this on a hot day amidst throngs of tourists. The Reclining Buddha is an impressive 46 metres long and 15 metres tall. The Buddha fits pretty snug in its building so there was a queue system walking through the Temple. Even with a large number of people passing in and out we were still able to stop and appreciate every element of its design – such as the mother of pearl decorated feet.
Even if, like us, you entered amongst crowds with hundreds of people (must point out I’ve never seen an entrance queue move so fast) there is more than enough space to find a quiet spot for reflection.
Here are some of my favourite photos from our visits:
