Wat Phra Kaew

Also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Kaew is the colloquial name of the vast, fairy-tale compound that includes the former residence of the Thai monarch, the Grand Palace. The Temple gleams and glitters with so much colour and glory that its earthly foundations seem barely able to resist the celestial pull.

The complex is also the spiritual core of Thai Buddhism and the monarchy, symbolically united in what is the country’s most holy image, the Emerald Buddha. Attached to the temple complex is the former royal residence, once a sealed city of intricate ritual and social stratification. A strict dress code is enforced: closed-toed shoes, long pants or skirts, and shirts with sleeves. You can borrow proper attire from the main office.