The Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew
The royal palace compound and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, all gold spires and mirrored mosaics behind a white wall in the old city.
It is the single most important monument in Thailand and the one place where the density of craft — glass mosaic, gilt, lacquer — is genuinely overwhelming. Two hours minimum, three if you like detail.
How to visit it well
- Cover shoulders and knees — no sarongs over leggings.
- Enter through the Sanam Chai gate, not the tourist-trap side.
- Go straight to Wat Phra Kaew first; the palace halls fill by 10am.
Tours that include The Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew
Bestseller
4.9 (145)
Thailand Highlights
Bangkok · Ayutthaya · Chiang Mai · Phuket
Bestseller
4.9 (90)
Northern Kingdoms
Bangkok · Sukhothai · Chiang Mai
Bestseller
4.9 (160)
Thailand with a Family
Bangkok · Kanchanaburi · Hua Hin
Private
4.9 (160)
Bangkok & the River Kwai
Bangkok · Kanchanaburi
Private
4.9 (80)
Best of Thailand
Bangkok · Ayutthaya · Sukhothai · Chiang Mai
Private
4.9 (110)
Luxury Thailand: Private Villas
Bangkok · Chiang Mai · Koh Samui
Private
4.9 (100)
Thailand Grand Tour
Bangkok · Kanchanaburi · Ayutthaya · Sukhothai
Bestseller
4.9 (135)
Grand Palace & Wat Pho Walking Tour
Bangkok
Nearby
Temple
Wat Pho & the Reclining Buddha
A working temple with a 46-metre gold-leaf reclining Buddha, a courtyard of 91 stupas and Thailand's original sc…
Temple
Wat Arun, Temple of Dawn
A porcelain-encrusted prang on the west bank of the Chao Phraya, best seen from the water as the light drops.…
