Bangkok has more than 400 temples, and the good news for visitors is that the vast majority of them allow public entry. Whether you’re planning a full day of temple-hopping or slotting in a single stop between other sightseeing, you’ll find the city’s wats open and welcoming to tourists year-round.
The temples that allow entry fall into two clear groups: those that charge a modest entry fee, and those that are completely free to walk into. Both types offer genuine cultural and spiritual experiences; the entry fee temples tend to be the most famous landmarks in the city, while the free temples often deliver a quieter, more authentic atmosphere with far fewer crowds.
On the paid side, the big names are Wat Pho (the Reclining Buddha), Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn on the Chao Phraya River), Wat Phra Kaew (the Temple of the Emerald Buddha inside the Grand Palace complex), Wat Saket (the Golden Mount), Wat Traimit (home to a 5.5-ton solid gold Buddha), and Wat Benchamabophit (the Marble Temple). Entry fees for these range from 50 to 500 baht depending on the temple, and they are well worth it.
On the free side, Bangkok has dozens of beautiful temples with open gates and no ticket booth… including some that are genuinely spectacular and almost completely overlooked by tourist itineraries.
Dress respectfully at all of them: shoulders and knees must be covered. Many temples have sarongs available at the entrance if needed.
Explore by entry type:
- Paid temples — See our Bangkok Big List of Entry Fees for current admission prices at all the major tourist temples.
- Free temples — Our guide to 10 great free temples in Bangkok for foreign tours covers a full day of stunning wats without spending a baht on entry.
