In partnership with
Vol. 20 - Feb 2025
Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok
Adventure curated by the brands you trust
REI Co-op and Intrepid Travel have teamed up to take you somewhere extraordinary.
Hike Nüümü Poyo, also known as the John Muir Trail, one of America's most iconic multi-day treks, while forming lasting bonds with like-minded adventurers.
Set up camp each night with iconic backdrops and get to know your fellow travelers over dinners prepared by your local trip leader, who handles all the logistics so you can focus on the adventure.
This trip is part of a curated collection of small-group adventures across 85+ destinations worldwide. And right now, REI Co-op members save 15% on this REI Exclusive trip.
For T&Cs and more info, click here.
🙋🏽♀️ Sawadee from a calmer Bangkok!
This week’s list is about one place. Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, inside the Grand Palace.
Most people arrive with a checklist. Take photos. Walk the grounds. Leave. It is often described as something you must see, but rarely as somewhere you can actually be.
That misses the point.
Wat Phra Kaew was built in 1782, the same year Bangkok became the capital. It was never meant to be a neighbourhood temple. It was designed as a ceremonial and spiritual centre, tied closely to the monarchy and the state. Everything about it is deliberate.
If you let the place set the pace, it becomes something else entirely.
Wishing you a calm read, Ploy & Jochem 🙏🏽
📍 Wat Phra Kaew at a Glance
Thailand’s most sacred Buddhist temple
Part of the Grand Palace complex
Built in 1782
Formal rules and dress code still strictly enforced
Best visited early, before the day takes over
🗺️ The Journey
Learning to stay and be still
Wat Phra Kaew is located on the Grand Palace grounds
Getting to Wat Phra Kaew early is part of the experience. The light is softer, and the grounds feel settled before large groups start moving through.
We walked through a series of gates and open courtyards that have been used the same way for generations. The details stand out without trying. Roofs, tiles, paint, gold. Everything feels deliberate and deeply Thai.
Inside the main hall, people take their shoes off and sit on the floor without being told. That alone says a lot. The Emerald Buddha sits high above the room. It’s smaller than many expect, but clearly important. This image has been protected and cared for over a long time, and you see that in how people behave. Heads lower. Movements become careful.
There’s no organised meditation and no talk about wellness. Still, many people sit quietly. Some close their eyes. Others just stay seated longer than planned. In a city that constantly pulls your attention elsewhere, this feels different.
Outside, murals run along the temple walls, telling old stories. We followed them at our own pace. It’s rare to be in a place that doesn’t push you forward.
Even spending a short time here can remind you of a slower way of being that many people miss in their busy daily lives.
Yaksha, a traditional guardian giant
Stay
Jochem and I found a small, character-filled hotel in Bangkok’s old city named Old Capital Bike Inn, within easy reach of Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace. It’s known for free bike rentals and evening bike tours on select nights, which are a good way to explore the surrounding neighbourhoods. We love it!
Rooms are all different, furnished with old pieces and subtle bike-themed details that feel personal rather than playful. The inn is close to major sights like the Golden Mount and Khao San Road, but stays quiet at night.
There’s good coffee on site, breakfast can be served in your room, and plenty of local places to eat within a short walk. A comfortable base for seeing Bangkok’s historic centre at a slower pace.
Old Capital Bike Inn
Evening Bike Tours
✨ How we’d spend a morning at Wat Phra Kaew
• 8:30 am : Enter at opening // Give the place the best conditions to show itself.
• 9:00 am : Sit inside the main hall // Stay seated longer than feels necessary. Let the room do its work.
• 09:45 am : Walk the mural corridors // Follow the walls slowly. Take breaks. Look closely and enjoy the craftsmanship.
• 10:45 am : Outer courtyards // tep back and notice the scale before the heat builds.
• 11:30 am : Leave the complex // Carry the feeling of calmness into the rest of the day.
See, Explore
🛕 See
The Emerald Buddha
Ramakien Murals
The Emerald Buddha inside the main ordination hall. The most sacred image in Thailand.
Ramakien Murals long painted panels running along the inner walls of the complex, telling Thailand’s national epic (remember the intro visuals for ‘White Lotus’ - this is the real art).
The main ordination hall (Ubosot) where royal ceremonies take place and visitors sit quietly on the floor.
💎 Hidden Gems
The shaded benches along the inner courtyards, sitting here gives you a view of the rhythm of the place, not just the architecture.
The Ramakien murals behind the main hall, the panels further around the complex are quieter, and the paint details are easier to study without people pushing past.
The outer wall walkway near Sanam Luang, Walk slowly along the outside of the Grand Palace wall after your visit.
TIP: Watch the early morning guard changes.
Not announced, not staged. Watching guards quietly rotate positions in the morning gives a sense of how much of this place still functions as a working ceremonial site.
🗣️ Say it like a local
ช่วยถ่ายรูปให้หน่อยได้ไหม (Chuay tai roop hai noi dai mai) — “Can you take a picture for me, please.”
A phrase you need when visiting places, and you want people to take your picture.
📰 Thailand Now
🧘 A shift in how wellness is defined
In Thailand, wellness travel is moving beyond spas and resorts. Visitors are increasingly looking for quiet, structured environments that help them disconnect, including temples and historic sites.🛕 Tighter rules, quieter behaviour
High-profile temples, including Wat Phra Kaew, continue to enforce strict dress and conduct rules. Visitors are adjusting by staying longer once inside, rather than moving in and out quickly, changing how these spaces are used.⏳ Morning-first travel patterns
In Bangkok, more visitors are shifting their sightseeing to early mornings, avoiding midday heat and congestion. Major sites like the Grand Palace are seeing clearer peaks before 10am, with lighter traffic later in the day.
📻 The Thai Playlist
Songs for discovering Thailand: from scenic drives to hidden escapes. New vibes added every week .
Click on any of the tracks below to get in the travel mood.
🙏 See you next week!
We hope you enjoyed this edition of The Thai List. If you did, please share the love 💕 by inviting your friends and family to join our little community.
Each week we uncover local secrets, hidden escapes, and the best food and drinks Thailand has to offer.
Don’t miss out on the journey.
Wishing you save travels,
The Thai List - Your weekly postcard from Thailand 🇹🇭
