You will be picked from most central Bangkok hotels for your Bangkok City Temple Tour departs at 0800h (08:00am) and 1200h (12:00noon).
On the day of your tour, plan to meet your guide in the lobby of your hotel at least 15 minutes prior to your scheduled pick-up time. Please present your confirmation voucher to the guide before starting the tour.
An air-conditioned mini-van will take you to visit Bangkok’s famous temples. Your first stop, Wat Trimitr (Temple of the Golden Buddha), houses the world’s largest solid-gold Buddha. Cast approximately nine centuries ago, this remarkable statue stands 10 feet (3 m) high and weighs 5 ½ tons.
Many years back, at a time when the city was threatened by invaders, the golden Buddha was disguised with a layer of stucco and plaster. The precious statue was only rediscovered after the plaster was accidentally chipped during a move, revealing the shining gold beneath. Pieces of the plaster cover are displayed next to the figure.
Next stop on your tour is Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha), Bangkok’s oldest and largest temple, highly revered for its enormous Buddha statue – 46 meters long and 15 meters high. As the name suggests, the gold-plated Buddha is lying down. The figure is beautifully inlaid with mother-of-pearl in the eyes and on the massive soles of the feet.
In addition to the reclining Buddha,Wat Pho is home to more than 1,000 other Buddha images, more than any other temple in Thailand. The temple has long been a center of education for traditional Thai medicine and is acknowledged to be the birthplace of Thai massage.
Your last stop is the truly spectacular Wat Benchamabophit (Marble Temple), named for the glistening white Carrara marble (from Italy) used in its construction. The most modern and one of the most elegant of Bangkok's royal temples, Wat Benchamabophit is known for its use of European design features such as stained-glass windows.
Other highlights include the large collection of bronze Buddha images that line the spacious inner courtyard, and the magnificent decoration of the interior with its crossbeams of lacquer and gold. There is also a large Bodhi tree, bought from Bodhgaya (where the Buddha found Enlightenment) as a gift for King Chulalongkorn.
At the end of your tour you will be dropped back at your Bangkok hotel.