Home to a 5.5-ton solid gold Buddha statue, one of the world's largest golden sculptures and a stunning example of intricate craftsmanship.
This 3-meter-tall solid gold Buddha is massive and radiant — the statue was hidden under plaster for centuries and only discovered in the 1950s when it was being moved.
A museum in the temple complex explains the statue's history and restoration; English placards throughout.
The 5.5-tonne solid gold Buddha inside was disguised under a thick plaster coating for centuries — likely to protect it from Burmese looters — and was only discovered in the 1950s when the statue was accidentally dropped during a move, cracking the plaster to reveal gold underneath.
Beyond the golden Buddha itself, the temple complex includes a museum explaining the statue's rediscovery and a separate exhibit on Chinatown's history and the Chinese immigrant community that settled the surrounding district.
MRT Wat Mangkon station puts you a short walk away — easily combined with a wider Chinatown visit, since it sits right at the edge of the Yaowarat district.
Shoulders and knees covered as at any temple; the visit is brief enough that a light cover-up carried for the occasion is easily manageable even on a hot day.