THE GRAND PALACE
The Grand Palace is a huge complex established in 1782 by the orders of King Rama I that consists of the royal and throne halls of the monarchy and a number of government offices. It also houses structures dedicated to Buddhism like Wat Phra Kaew, Phra Siratana Chedi, and Phra Mondop. Located in the capital of Thailand and being a national landmark, The Grand Palace is considered one of the busiest tourist destinations in the country.
The first time I heard of Thai Monarchy was from the movie The King and I. I was fascinated by the different kind of culture Thailand has or should I say Siam. Considering that they are not colonized by Western Countries. Thailand has a unique culture that makes foreigners like me curious.
After our journey from Angkor Wat in Cambodia, we then went to Thailand’s city center, Bangkok. We arrived at night, leaving us almost a day to explore the city. Yes, it was really short. Having limited time, we aimed to visit The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the next day. Before arriving at the palace, we were caught in a known scam where our tuk-tuk driver brought us into a small temple instead of Wat Phra Kaew. He was also planning to bring us to a “tourist location” that we later knew that it was also a part of the scam. We firmly said no and fortunately we were able to escape that situation.
DISCOVERING THE GRAND PALACE, WAT PHRA KAEW, PHRA MONDOP & PHRA SIRATANA CHEDI
It was already noon when we arrived at The Grand Palace. Huge crowds and the heat of the sun welcomed us. Despite the challenges we encountered, I was amazed by the beauty and culture within the complex. We entered a museum that showcases the history of the royalty and of Siam. It made me more curious and wanted to do research on Thailand once we got back home. We also explored the Buddhist structures in the Wat Phra Kaew like the Phra Siratana Chedi, Phra Mondop, Phra Asadha Maha Chedi, and Phra Ubosot. I was awed by the architecture of these structures and Buddhism itself. It is very different from what we were accustomed to here in the Philippines.
We left in the afternoon just before the closing at 3:00 P.M. to prepare for our flight. I was excited to explore Bangkok more, but we didn’t have the time. Hopefully, we can visit Bangkok again in the future to try its delicious food, meet the locals, and discover more about its culture.
WANT TO KNOW MORE DESTINATIONS IN THAILAND? CHECK MY ADVENTURES TO CAMBODIA AND THAILAND!
TRAVEL GUIDE & TIPS
LOCATION:
- Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Thailand
HOW TO GET THERE:
a. SKY TRAIN (BTS):
- Drop at BTS Saphan Taksin Station Exit 2.
- Walk to the Chao Phraya River. Under the bridge, there is the Sathorn Pier.
- Take the boat (Chao Phraya Express Boat, orange flag) to Tha Chang Pier then walk. The royal palace is on the right.
b. MRT:
- Drop at MRT Sanam Chai Station Exit 1
- Take the bus no. 3, 9, 44, 47, 53 or 82
c. BY BUS:
- Take buses that go straight to The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew. (Bus No. 1, 3, 9, 15, 25, 30, 32, 33, 43, 44, 47, 53, 59, 64, 80, 82, 91, 203, 503, 508, 512)
d. CAR RENTAL:
e. TRAVEL TOURS (include round-trip transfers, lunch, and tour guides):
RATES :
- Admission Fee (For Foreigners): ฿500.00
- Admission Fee (For Thais): FREE
ACCOMMODATIONS:
- ACCOMMODATIONS IN BANGKOK
- Asia Hotel Bangkok (SHA Plus+)
- The Athenee Hotel
- Radisson Suites Bangkok Sukhumvit (SHA Plus+)
- The Berkeley Hotel Pratunam (SHA Plus+)
- The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon
POWER PACK:
CHECK OUT THESE DISCOUNTED/PROMO RATES FROM KLOOK:
- Chao Phraya Princess Cruise in Bangkok
- Floating Markets Day Tour: Damnoen Saduak, Maeklong, and Amphawa
- Ancient City Bangkok and Erawan Museum Ticket
- Ayutthaya Day Tour: Bang Pa-In Summer Palace, Temples, Night Market
- Thai Bus Food Tour Experience In Bangkok
CONNECT:
NOTES:
- OPERATING HOURS: 08:30 A.M. – 3:30 P.M. Daily
- FACILITIES: Information Points, Toilets and Baby-Changing Facilities, Translation Machine
- DRESS CODE: Men must wear long pants, women must cover their legs just above the knee, avoid revealing clothes, and do not wear shirts and accessories with prints of religious themes or symbols of death.
- You can borrow a sarong there if your attire is still not acceptable or you can buy a sarong or shirt across the street. Just beware that these will be overpriced.
- Come early in the morning as Bangkok’s weather can be very hot at noon and the crowd can be overwhelming.
- Beware of scams surrounding the Grand Palace like the Tuktuk drivers that will bring you to what they say as “tourist locations” where you will end up paying a lot or someone will give you something for “free” but after you touch it they will ask angrily for money.
- If you will go by car, parking areas are located in Wat Mahathat, Tha Maharaj soi Thapphen, beside City Pillar Shrine, Rajadamnern Road Car Park, Soi Wat Pho, and Wat Rakang Parking Building.
©CHASEJASE
