Thailand has roughly 40,000 Buddhist temples, and no one sees more than a handful of them in a single trip. This guide picks the nine we would build a route around, in the order you are likely to meet them: Bangkok, then the central plains, then the north, then the coast. Every entry links to our detailed page for that temple or city, so use this as the map and those pages for the planning.
All fees below are approximate foreign-visitor prices as of 2026. Thai nationals usually pay less or nothing, and prices change, so confirm at the gate.
Temple Dress Code and Etiquette
The rules are the same almost everywhere, and the Grand Palace enforces them hardest:
- Cover shoulders and knees. No vest tops, short shorts, mini skirts or see-through fabrics. Loose trousers and a T-shirt work everywhere.
- Shoes off before entering any hall with a Buddha image. Carry a small bag for them.
- Never point your feet at a Buddha image, sit with your feet tucked behind you, and do not climb on statues for photos.
- Women should not touch monks, or hand them anything directly.
- Sarongs can be borrowed or rented at Wat Arun, Doi Suthep and Ayutthaya’s main sites. Vendors near the Grand Palace sell trousers for THB 100-200.
For the wider rulebook, see our Thailand customs and etiquette guide.
Quick Comparison
| Temple | City | Entry (2026) | Time needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wat Phra Kaew | Bangkok | approx. THB 500 (with Grand Palace) | 2-3 hrs |
| Wat Pho | Bangkok | THB 300 | 1.5 hrs |
| Wat Arun | Bangkok | THB 100 | 1 hr |
| Wat Maha That | Ayutthaya | THB 50 | 45 min |
| Wat Mahathat and the Sukhothai park | Sukhothai | approx. THB 100 per zone | Half to full day |
| Wat Phra That Doi Suthep | Chiang Mai | THB 30 | 1.5 hrs |
| Wat Chedi Luang | Chiang Mai | free | 1 hr |
| Wat Rong Khun | Chiang Rai | approx. THB 100 | 1-1.5 hrs |
| Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai) | Pattaya | free | 45 min |
Bangkok: Three Temples, One Morning
The three great riverside temples sit within a 15-minute ferry ride of each other. Our Bangkok temples guide covers the wider list, and a guided Bangkok temples tour is the easiest way to link them.
Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)
The most sacred temple in Thailand sits inside the Grand Palace compound and houses a small jade Buddha, dressed in seasonal robes changed by the king. Entry for foreigners is approximately THB 500 as of 2026, covering the whole Grand Palace complex. It opens 8:30 to 15:30, and the dress code is strictest here. Go at opening: by 10:00 the tour groups arrive and the white and gold surfaces become punishing in the midday sun. Full details are on our Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew page. Tickets are also sold on the official Royal Grand Palace site .
Wat Pho
Bangkok’s oldest large temple holds the 46-metre gilded Reclining Buddha, with soles inlaid in mother-of-pearl. Entry is THB 300 as of 2026, opening hours 8:00 to 18:30, and the on-site school also runs traditional massage for approximately THB 420 an hour. See Wat Pho: tickets, hours and what to see.
Wat Arun
The porcelain-covered prang across the river is the cheapest of the three at THB 100, and the best at sunset from the opposite bank. You can climb the steep steps partway up for river views. Read Wat Arun: how to climb it and get there. Combine all three with a guided Bangkok tour if you want the history explained.
Ayutthaya: Wat Maha That
An hour or two north of Bangkok, the ruined capital of Ayutthaya is a UNESCO site, and Wat Maha That is its best-known ruin: the sandstone Buddha head wrapped in banyan roots. Entry is THB 50 (a combined ticket for six sites is around THB 220), open 8:00 to 18:00. Kneel so your head is lower than the Buddha’s when photographing it. Our Ayutthaya temples guide covers Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Ratchaburana and Wat Chaiwatthanaram, and the Ayutthaya day trip page covers logistics from Bangkok. Ayutthaya tours combine several sites in a day. UNESCO describes the park on its World Heritage listing.
Sukhothai: The Birthplace of Thai Temple Architecture
Sukhothai, the 13th-century capital, is the most peaceful of the great ruins. The best-known temple is Wat Mahathat in the central zone, with its lotus-bud chedi and seated Buddhas framed by ponds. Zone entry is approximately THB 100 as of 2026, with a bicycle at THB 30-50 a day the best way around. See our Sukhothai Historical Park guide and things to do in Sukhothai. Book Sukhothai tours if you want a guide, and see the UNESCO listing for the site’s significance.
Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep and Wat Chedi Luang
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
The golden chedi on the mountain above Chiang Mai is the most important temple in northern Thailand, reached by 309 steps or a short funicular. Entry is THB 30 as of 2026, open 6:00 to 20:00, and a songthaew from the old city costs approximately THB 50 each way. Full details in our Doi Suthep guide.
Wat Chedi Luang
Inside the old city, this 14th-century temple has a huge half-ruined brick chedi, once the tallest structure in the Lanna kingdom. Visiting is free, and monks hold daily “monk chats” for English-speaking visitors. It sits 300 metres from Wat Phra Singh and Wat Phan Tao, so see all three on foot. Our Chiang Mai temples guide has hours and the walking route, and a Chiang Mai temple walking tour is a good way to learn what you are seeing.
Chiang Rai: Wat Rong Khun (The White Temple)
Wat Rong Khun is a contemporary art project rather than an ancient wat: a white temple covered in mirror mosaic, reached by a bridge over a sea of reaching hands. Entry is approximately THB 100 as of 2026, and shoulders and knees must be covered (sarongs are available at the gate). Photography is not allowed inside the main hall. It is a long day from Chiang Mai, so see our White Temple day trip guide, or book Chiang Rai tours that also include the Blue Temple.
Pattaya: The Big Buddha
Pattaya’s temple highlight is the roughly 18-metre golden Buddha at Wat Phra Yai on Pattaya Hill, usually called the Big Buddha. Admission to the hill is free, the steps are lined with nagas, and the view over the bay at sunset is the draw. Dress code applies, and we suggest morning or late afternoon to avoid heat. Read more in our Pattaya guide and things to do in Pattaya, or browse Pattaya tours.
How to Plan Your Temple Route
- First-timers (5 days): Bangkok’s three temples, then Ayutthaya as a day trip.
- Northern loop: Chiang Mai (Chedi Luang, Doi Suthep), then Chiang Rai for the White Temple, then Sukhothai.
- Temple fatigue is real. Pick one or two per day, start by 8:00, and finish before the 12:00-15:00 heat.
Browse guided Thailand tours for temple combinations in each region. See also our official visitor overview at the Tourism Authority of Thailand.