Wat Phra Kaew
Go at 08:30 or don't bother, the Emerald Buddha's courtyards fill up fast and stay full until closing.
Plan your visit
- Hours
- Daily 08:30–15:30
Dress Modestly
Cover shoulders and knees at all temples. Carry a light scarf or sarong — some temples lend wraps, but not all. Shoes come off before entering any building with a Buddha image.
How to visit Wat Phra Kaew
Wat Phra Kaew is inside the Grand Palace grounds, so it's one ticket and one visit. Go on your own at opening, or take a guided tour of the palace and the river temples together.
Full details on the The Grand Palace page.
On your own
The ฿500 Grand Palace ticket (cash, at the Na Phra Lan Road gate) includes it. Go here first, at the 08:30 opening, for the 66 cm jade Emerald Buddha high on its golden altar and the Ramakien murals that run almost two kilometers around the cloister, then walk on to the palace halls. Covered shoulders and knees are checked at the gate.
With a guide
SponsoredGrand Palace, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun Guided Tour
It covers the same three temples our Bangkok itineraries put in one day, in the same order, with a guide explaining the murals and halls.
See this tour on GetYourGuide
Finding your way around Wat Phra Kaew
Layouts, fares and hours change. If something here has moved, use “Suggest a correction” at the bottom of the page.
One ticket with the Grand Palace
- Ticket · ฿500
- The Grand Palace ticket, which covers Wat Phra Kaew, the palace buildings open to visitors and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles. Sold at the gate from 08:30 to 15:30. Children under 120 cm go in free.
- Hours
- Daily, 08:30 to 16:30, with the last tickets at 15:30. Parts of the complex close for royal ceremonies.
- The Grand Palace
- Wat Phra Kaew stands in the northeast corner of the palace's outer court, so it's the same visit. The palace page has the dress code, the scams to ignore and how to get there.
Getting there and around
- You enter through the Grand Palace gate on Na Phra Lan Road. Tha Chang pier on the Chao Phraya Express boat is a short walk, and MRT Sanam Chai is about 15 minutes on foot.
- Go to the temple first and the palace halls after, while the courtyards are still quiet.
Details
Full opening hours
Why go, and how to do it well
The Emerald Buddha itself is small. That surprises people. It sits high above the altar, carved from a single block of jade and dressed in royal robes that the King changes three times a year with the seasons. You won't get close, and you won't linger long inside. The real reward is outside it, with gilded chedis, walls covered in mosaic, and mythological guardians standing over the courtyards. Give it slow time. Rushing this place is the one mistake I'd warn against.
It's an active temple and a symbol of the monarchy, so the mood is formal rather than relaxed. That suits it. Wat Phra Kaew isn't a separate visit from the Grand Palace. It stands in the northeast corner of the palace's outer court, and the one ฿500 ticket, sold at the Na Phra Lan Road gate from 08:30 to 15:30, covers both, along with the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles. The grounds stay open until 16:30, but by mid-morning the courtyards are shoulder to shoulder, so early is the only real strategy. I'd see the temple first and the palace halls after.
Written by Mac Kiley · Updated Oct 2026
Stay within reach of Wat Phra Kaew
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Around here, on foot
Well-rated places within a short walk of Wat Phra Kaew, nearest first. Minutes are at an easy pace in the heat.
- 2 minRoyal Hall of BoromphimanTemples & Culture · 130 m · 4.6★
- 2 minBangkok City Pillar ShrineTemples & Culture · 180 m · 4.8★
- 2 minNa Phra Lan Tunnel Gate 1Temples & Culture · 200 m · 4.7★
- 3 minBureau of the Royal HouseholdTemples & Culture · 220 m · 4.3★
- 3 minThe Grand PalaceTemples & Culture · 230 m · 4.6★
- 3 minChakri Maha Prasat Throne HallTemples & Culture · 230 m · 4.6★
Experience hints
Pair your visit. After Wat Phra Kaew, round out your day in Bangkok with contrasting stops nearby.
Na Phra Lan Rd, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200
Open in Google MapsMore temples & culture nearby
All within a 3-minute walk of Wat Phra Kaew.
Royal Hall of Boromphiman
Bangkok City Pillar Shrine
Na Phra Lan Tunnel Gate 1
Bureau of the Royal Household
Tips for Visiting Temples & Culture
Mind Your Feet
Never point your feet at a Buddha image or a monk — it's considered deeply disrespectful. When sitting inside a temple, tuck your feet behind you or to the side.
Ask Before Photographing
Exterior photos are almost always fine, but some interior halls prohibit photography. Look for signs, and never pose irreverently with Buddha images — it's a legal offense in Thailand.
Go Early Morning
Big-name temples are dramatically less crowded in the first hour after opening. You'll also avoid the worst of the midday heat and get softer light for photos.
Wat Phra Kaew: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wat Phra Kaew the same as the Grand Palace?
Not quite, but you visit them together. Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is the royal temple inside the Grand Palace grounds, in the northeast corner of the outer court. It has no separate entrance or ticket. The ฿500 Grand Palace ticket covers the temple, the palace buildings open to visitors and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles.
How much does it cost to visit Wat Phra Kaew?
฿500, the Grand Palace ticket, sold at the gate on Na Phra Lan Road from 08:30 to 15:30. The grounds close at 16:30, and children under 120 cm go in free.
Is Wat Phra Kaew worth visiting?
Yes. It's the most important temple in Thailand and the main reason to buy the Grand Palace ticket. The Emerald Buddha is small and sits high above the altar, so the gilded chedis, the mosaics and the Ramakien murals that run almost two kilometers around the cloister are what stay with you. Go at 08:30, before the tour groups.
Why is Wat Phra Kaew important?
It houses the Emerald Buddha, Thailand's most sacred Buddha image, and it's the royal temple of the Chakri kings, built from 1783 as Bangkok was founded. The King changes the image's gold robes three times a year, at the start of the hot, rainy and cool seasons.
Where is the Emerald Buddha now?
In the ordination hall of Wat Phra Kaew, inside the Grand Palace in Bangkok, where it has been since 1785. It was found in Chiang Rai in 1434, kept in Lampang and then at Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai, and spent 1552 to 1779 in Laos before the future Rama I took it from Vientiane.
What is the dress code for Wat Phra Kaew?
The Grand Palace rules apply. Shoulders and knees covered, so no shorts, short skirts, sleeveless tops or ripped jeans. The palace no longer lends cover-ups, so wear them.
What are the opening hours of Wat Phra Kaew?
Wat Phra Kaew is typically open 08:30–15:30 — see the full day-by-day schedule in the location info on this page. Hours can change on Thai public holidays, so check ahead for holiday visits.
When is the best time to visit Wat Phra Kaew?
The best months to visit Bangkok are November – February, with the most reliable weather. Crowds peak in December & January — going early in the day usually means fewer people. Months to think twice about: April – May (peak heat).
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