So, you're good at maps, where are we?
[laughs]
-I don't know. -No?
We can't find ourselves on the map here.
[music]
Hello again from Bangkok, Thailand.
Today, we are on a mission.
I'll show you how you can easily visit the three most famous temples here
on the same day.
In the previous video, you saw Wat Phra Kaew,
the temple of the Emerald Buddha.
It's a holy image here,
a very respected and venerated image in Thailand.
That is located inside the Grand Palace complex.
Now, we're ready to see more.
Everybody is in front of the fan here. It's got a mist.
I'm Renata. I'm a journalist.
And here on this channel, I share all my tips,
so that you can enjoy your trips.
Filmed before the pandemic
From the Grand Palace, it's a 10-minute walk here outside,
basically, surrounding the Grand Palace itself,
and you arrive at the next temple, Wat Pho.
No need for taxis, no need for tuk-tuks.
But before, we're gonna stop over there to drink something.
So here outside, if you don't come properly dressed,
or if you want a hat or something,
this is where you get it.
Here they sell plenty of these pants.
I saw lots of men wearing them.
[music]
Just a really short walk away, and here we are.
Wat Pho, the temple of the reclining Buddha.
From here, we can already see his feet.
฿200 for the ticket.
Two, please. Do you accept credit card?
-Only cash. -Only cash?
-Thank you. - Khob khun ka [thank you in Thai]
The ticket comes with a free drinking water.
Cool.
-We just got another bottle of water.
-It comes with the ticket. -Oh, geez.
-Yeah. -Why did we buy water?
-We'll need more. Trust me.
[music]
Here, we carry our own shoes.
-Okay.
[music]
This is so impressive
The size of this Buddha here is totally impressive.
You see online how big it is.
But only when you're really here
and you see yourself right next to him,
you actually realize.
Here from the very end, you have the best angle,
from his feet to his head,
from head to toe.
These images here on his feet also have a meaning.
108 figures that represent the 108 moments of illumination
Buddha had along his life.
Here they have 108 pots where you can throw 108 coins
in hopes of health, peace,
and all the good things in life.
But who comes here with 108 coins, right?
No one.
So, they sell them right here for ฿20.
[music]
The reclining Buddha statue represents the last days of Buddha here on earth.
This is the largest reclined Buddha in the world.
Where are we?
-Here. Aren't we?
-I think it might be this because it's the biggest structure.
-No, it can't be. -Oh, or the four?
-But what's the name of the big Buddha building?
-It's Reclining Buddha. That's the name.
It doesn't say there.
We can't find ourselves on the map here because it doesn't say Reclining Buddha.
Let's just walk. [laughs]
Why is that? Funny?
-It is that funny.
[music]
-I just realized that this is actually really big, too.
This is actually the oldest and the largest temple complex in Bangkok.
It is so interesting how it only has a fraction of the tourists,
compared to the Grand Palace.
-It is equally beautiful, right?
-Yeah.
-Okay. Where are we?
-Oh, I think this is what I was looking for, actually.
It's these images...
because do you see? They all have different positions,
they all mean something.
Here you see so many different statues of Buddha
all in different positions,
standing, sitting down, reclining,
and they all have different meanings,
even what he's doing with his hand
If he has his right hand up, both hands...
It's very interesting.
Everybody wearing the same pants,
well, there's a reason.
[music]
I'm serious. Isn't it interesting?
Where are all the tourists, right?
-It's so quiet here. -Shh.
-Yeah, shh.
How nice! Restoration going on here.
Ah, massage!
This is where Thai massage was born.
Wat Pho is the birthplace of the traditional Thai massage.
It's right here. They have a medical school.
You can come for a massage here, but I checked the prices.
It's actually more expensive than outside.
Outside you find a one hour massage for ฿250, ฿260.
If you want the real deal, it's here.
[music]
There are more than a thousand Buddha images here
in various temples inside the temple complex.
Here at this temple, they ask everyone to sit down,
you can take pictures, no problem, as long as you're sitting.
I like it.
[music]
I told you free water is always useful, right?
Look at you, how sweaty you are.
Oh, my God.
-It's... -From bottle...
[laughs]
-What? You forgot what you're gonna say!
The heat is affecting you. [laughs]
-Not really. -It is really hot.
It is like 40°C degrees, 100F degrees here.
Okay, so we're looking for a place called Tha Tien.
Now, it is really easy to go to our next temple as well.
As soon as you leave Wat Pho,
you're going to look for the ferry.
It's right ahead.
It's like a two-minute walk.
Oh, she's selling crocodile here.
[music]
Two, please.
Khob khun ka. [thank you in Thai]
-Thank you
-Hello.
Do you see that temple? That's where we're going.
Wat Arun, Temple of Dawn.
Now, you get a little breeze here.
That's good.
[music]
Khob khun ka [thank you in Thai]
Quick and easy.
You arrive in less than a minute.
They also have the demons here as guards.
Khob khun ka [thank you in Thai]
Same dress code here, come prepared.
Khob khun ka [thank you in Thai]
Look at this.
There was a sign in the entrance saying that here inside the main temple,
they have more relics of Buddha.
They just didn't detail what exactly.
[music]
Look at this. Authentic porcelain from China.
They used to break inside the ships at the time, way back when, centuries ago,
and then the king didn't want to throw them away,
determined that they all should be used here for decor.
[music]
The steps here are very steep.
Do you hear the bells with the wind?
To scare away the evil spirits.
From up there, you have an amazing view of the city, of the river.
I went there once, it's beautiful.
But I don't think you can go anymore.
Closed for tourists.
[music]
This temple is much smaller than the others.
So, it is much easier to see everything fast.
And this is one of the reasons I suggest you leave this to the end,
because in the end of the day, you're already tired.
And here, you can cover everything much faster.
Another reason is because this is one of the last ones to close.
At the Grand Palace, you can only buy tickets
until 3:30 in the afternoon.
Here, you can buy tickets until 5:40.
Ready for a fourth temple?
[laughs]
-I don't think so. -Let's do 20.
More than three at the same day, it is too much.
You won't be able to see everything in detail.
Wat Arun is known as the Temple of the Dawn
because it is so beautiful at dawn,
but you must see it from this side, the opposite side.
And it's beautiful during sunset, too.
[music]
For some reason, I've never pictured a monk being all mic-ed up
for a TV interview.
That's Thailand, huh?
You're just, you know,
it's just the weather getting to you, isn't it?
You have something here.
Oh, my God, and now you tell me.
After I was talking to the camera for years,
now he tells me that I was dirty!
Nice husband!