Temples to Visit in Thailand: Wat Ratchanatdaram, TheTemple of the Royal Niece

The first temple we explored in Bangkok was Wat Ratchanatdaram. It means Temple of the Royal Niece. It was built for the princess granddaughter Somanass Waddhanawathy to the order of King Nangklao (Rama III) in 1846 (Wikipedia).

How to Go to Wat Ratchanatdaram

The temple can be found 500 meters away, approximately a 6-minute walk, from Panfa Leelard Pier of the Khlong Saen Seap Express Boat Service. It’s located at the intersection of Maha Chai and Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd, Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok. The easiest way to get to this temple is to go to the nearest Khlong Saen Seap Express Boat Pier/Terminal from your location and ride to the last Pier, Panfa Leelard, and commence walking from there.

Outside Wat Ratchanatdaram

Follow the Dress Code for Wat Visits

As we walked to the temple, I was thinking about how satisfied I am with my first Bangkok khlong adventure. It was convenient, fast and I must admit, gave me a teeny bit of excitement. After all, it’s not every day that I get to explore a new city through its rivers and canals. I wish we could also do that in Metro Manila to alleviate the traffic situation. Wishful thinking?

As we approached the gate, we noticed that, unfortunately, there were no vendors selling cover-ups… and we were wearing shorts! We’re aware of the rules common to most temples not to allow shorts or sleeveless however it was already a part of our plan to purchase cover-ups as a remembrance of our visit. Whilst we consider where to go next or where to find cover ups, we had some photos taken at the Royal Pavilion Mahajetsadabadin situated just right next to Wat Ratchanatdaram.

Off we went looking for vendors of skirts and trousers. I think we walked few hundred meters before we found not one, not two… but a whole street side-walk covered with skirt and fisherman trouser vendors! Jira and I got ourselves a skirt for THB 100 each. Then Jerome mentioned that since we’re already close to the Grand Palace, we should just go explore it first… so off we went. (I’ll have a separate blog post for the Grand Palace.)

How Much to Prepare for the Fees

After our Grand Palace tour, we tried to look for a cab to bring us back to Wat Ratchanatdaram. Be careful with getting a cab in the area and make sure to transact before getting in. Most of the cab drivers would not charge based on the meter but by a fixed (tourist) price. Since there’s three of us, we decided to go ahead with THB 100 although we’re sure the meter would’ve probably reached just around THB 60-70.

Again, we wrapped ourselves and entered the temple. No entrance fee on the main gate. Picture taking time! We took turns to take each other’s photos on the outer section of the temple grounds.

We went inside a prayer room with a golden seated Buddha. We had to take off our shoes before we could get in.

We then proceeded to the huge structure in the center of the compound. There’s also no entrance fee but there’s a donation box facing the front door. Our group was not ‘asked’ to donate but we observed that a woman intimated and somehow ‘forced’ another group of western tourists to donate.

The Structure of Wat Ratchanatdaram

The temple, also known as Loha Prasat meaning “iron castle”, has five towers of large iron spires. The iron spires signifies the 37 virtues required to reach enlightenment in Buddhism (Wikipedia). The spires used to be black, now it’s painted with gold and is more attractive.

We ascended a spiral staircase with several levels and each floor of the structure represents a particular type of meditation. At the top, we were able to appreciate the intricate design of the spires.

At the top, we found this. I was unsure of what I was looking at but it seemed important. Unfortunately, I might have missed a section in the tower that explained what it is. A symbol of enlightenment?

After our exploration and photo op, we proceeded to the restroom to freshen up. We then went to the store right next to the temple and enjoyed some fruity smoothies. If you’re travelling to Thailand, March to May are the hottest months. It would be a good idea to always bring your water to keep yourself hydrated. 

More photos before we went home...

On our way out, unknowingly, I was able to take a photo of a monk using a cellphone. They are not forbidden to enjoy technology but I still think it’s pretty cool.

Travel Date: July 10, 2017