Exploring Wat Saket: the Scenic Golden Mount Temple in Bangkok
Wat Saket is an iconic landmark within the city of Bangkok
I was on a weekend excursion to the Yaowarat area of Bangkok, and I impulsively decided to visit Wat Saket, or Wat Phu Khao Tong as it is known amongst the Thai locals.
I’ve actually never been to Wat Saket before despite it being one of the most famous temples in Bangkok due to its iconic Golden Mount and mountain-like design that provides a scenic view overlooking Bangkok.
And what better way to explore a majestic Golden Mount temple, than to bring you along with me, so join me as I explore and discover all the details of Bangkok’s famous “must see attraction”, Wat Saket.
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History of Wat Saket
Sorry for the loooong picture, the golden mount is so tall, I need to take a vertical image
Wat Saket’s full name is actually Wat Saket Ratchawora Mahawihan but nobody has time to say the full name so us locals just call it Wat Saket. Despite that the original name for the temple was actually Wat Sakae and the origins of the temple dates back to the Ayutthaya period.
The temple was later renovated and renamed when King Rama I came into power and the capital of Thailand moved from Ayutthaya to Bangkok.
The iconic “Phu Khao Thong” is an artificial 80 meter tall Chedi (the Golden Mount) that sits atop of the temple.
The supporting structure actually collapsed multiple times until the rule of King Rama IV where the mountain was reinforced with concrete.
Today, Wat Saket is classified as a second-class royal temple, meaning the temple complex houses an important pagoda that was built but members of the royal family.
It is more commonly known outside of Thailand as “The Golden Mount Temple”.
Ticket Prices for Wat Saket
If you didn’t get the memo from the 3 signs, foreigners have to pay a 100 THB entrance fee…
Yes, you’ll have to purchase a ticket if you wish to climb the 300 steps up the mountain to reach the Golden Mount.
And yes, foreigners will have to pay more than locals. The ticket prices for Wat Saket are:
Foreigners - 100 THB
Local Thais - Free
However, if you are only exploring surrounding points of interests of Wat Saket (there are quite a few interesting things to see), then you won’t need to pay for a ticket.
You’ll only need a ticket if you are hiking up the mountain.
If you are looking for an all in one package with extra goodies, I recommend this Wat Saket TukTuk Tour, not only will they tour bring you to Wat Saket but to various other important landmarks in Bangkok, plus you’ll get to dine at the legendary Pad Thai Thipsamai, the oldest Pad Thai shop in Bangkok.
Thai Temple Etiquette You Need to Know!
Before you even step food into a Thai temple, you’ll need to respect a few simple rules and etiquettes. This not only applies to the Wat Saket Golden Mount temple but to every temple in Thailand:
Take your shoes off. This depends on the place, indoors definitely, but outdoors like at Wat Saket it’s fine to wear shoes.
Dress modestly. For women, ensure that your shoulders and legs are covered by wearing either long pants or a long skirt. This also applies to men, no tank tops.
Keep noise levels down. Temples are not just tourist attractions, they are actual places of worship where locals and monks practice their faith.
Keep these rules in mind and you’ll be a professional Thai temple enthusiast in no time.
Walking up the Golden Mount Temple
This is the best part of the hike, because it is covered in shade :)
Alright enough with the boring stuff, let’s start exploring Wat Saket!
As I mentioned earlier, there are a total of 300 steps which is actually not a lot, I managed to the top in about 10 minutes.
The bottom half of Wat Saket is quite nice with dense trees and shrubbery making it feel like you are walking through a mountainous jungle hiking trail.
I wonder what those statues on the right are doing…?
On the right hand sand are a bunch of little display pieces of various Buddha and animal statues.
There’s even a small pond full of Koi fish which was really cool to see, although the pond does seem a little bit too cramped for the Koi.
I really like this photo, such a cool scene
I am sure there is some sort of story or background lore for this pond as it seems like the statues are laid out in a very specific way.
I’m not a tour guide so I don’t know, there wasn’t any signs or writings that described the scene, so when you visit see if you can figure out what is going on at the pond.
A lot of people pet the nose :)
About 1/3 of the way to the top you’ll reach the Golden Mount Cafe, a little place to rest and relax before you head up the second half of your journey to the Golden Mount Chedi.
And you’re going to need that refresher, because the top half of the hike is no joke.
Pro Tip: This is a good point for me to highly recommend that you bring a hat, an umbrella, a fan, wet wipes, or ANYTHING to help you combat the scorching Thai heat. Bring plenty of water as well.
Make a wish and ring the bells, ring all of them
The second half of the trek up Wat Saket’s Golden Mount is absolute hell.
Not because it is tiring but because you are fully exposed to the elements and scorching Thai heat.
There is a lot of wind, fortunately. But that means absolutely nothing when the sun combined with the humidity causes your skin to become wet and sticky real fast.
If you sweat easily like me, well then you’ll be in for a good time.
A lot of deers are pressuring you to hit that gong
The second half isn’t just a straight path there are points of interests along the way, you’ll find various spots with giant gongs for example.
The process is, you wish for good luck, health, wealth, etc… Then you hit the gong 3 times with the provided stick.
In addition to gongs, there are also spots where you'll find an army of bells along the walls of Wat Saket. The same process applies, make your wish and ring these bells. Ring all of them.
I lingered here for a while just because the air is cool compared to the outside
The last spot before you go to the roof to view the actual Golden Mount is a prayer room where you can make merits and pray to a Buddha image.
Thank God Buddha, these rooms are cooled with air conditioners and you’ll even find a vending machine off to the side where you can purchase a can of Coke Zero.
The Top of the Golden Mount Temple
I love the contrast between the red roofs of the temple complexes and the grey/white modern buildings
We did it guys, we finally reached the top of Wat Saket, the views from up here is absolutely gorgeous, especially if you visit during a bright sunny day. Unfortunately I went during Thailand’s rainy season so the skies where a bit cloudy, still beautiful nonetheless.
Finally we are at the top of Wat Saket!
The top of Wat Saket you find the famous chedi, the Golden Mount. Here you can pray to Buddha images and wish for a better future full of health and wealth.
There is no obligation to pray, a lot of people come up here just to admire the scenic Bangkok skyline.
Wish for good luck!
There is even a chance to write a special note on a “gold” (copper) leaf, which you can then hang at various points around the Golden Mount chedi.
You write anything, most people wrote wishes for good health, wealth, and ever lasting love.
Some people just drew funny pictures.
Wat Saket’s Buddha’s Footprint
Honestly, this was pretty random to see, there was no context whatsoever, just a sign that says “Buddha’s footprint”
Once you descend the Golden Mount Temple, you’ll find plenty of other points of interests to explore throughout the Wat Saket compound.
A peculiar point of interest is the Buddha’s Footprint which is located in a little enclosed “sala” or hut.
There’s really not much inside other than the relic of a giant footprint, you can pray here as well, and I saw some people throw in some small change in there as well as a sign of good luck.
I’m not sure if this is suppose to represent THE Buddha’s footprint or if it is from another deity. I think it might be from Luang Por To which I will explain further below.
The Vultures of Wat Saket
This was also random and gnarly
Behind the sala housing the Buddha’s Footprint is a display showcasing the grim image of the Vultures of Saket.
A withering disease ridden corpse lay atop an altar while numerous hungry vultures gathered around awaiting their feast.
While this display certainly looks out of place, the Vultures of Saket describes a brief period of dark history associated with Wat Saket.
It was a bit difficult to read this due to the weathering, but wikipedia also works
During the reign of King Rama II in 1820, there was an outbreak of cholera that spread throughout Bangkok killing more than 30,000 people.
There was a tradition of not cremating the dead within the city walls, as Wat Saket was outside the walls of the capital, it became a main location where the dead are transported.
Due to the immense number of corpses, the temple could not keep up with cremating all of the bodies, so some bodies were left out in the open where it would attract vultures to come and devour them.
An interesting piece of history from a place you might not have expected, that’s for sure.
Wat Saket’s Luang Por To Shrine
Luang Por To is believed to provide good karma
Remember the Buddha’s Footprint? I think it’s this guy’s footprint.
Luang Por To is located right at the very bottom of Wat Saket as you walk down from the Golden Mount.
Luang Por To is a large metal casted statue that is gilded with gold, it is thought that Luang Por To prevents bad karma and provides health and happiness to whoever prays to him.
If you want some good karma, here is the place to be.
Wat Saket’s Bamiyan Museum
Bamiyan Museum was a really cool thing to see
This was something that I didn’t expect to see, I saw “Bamiyan Museum” written on a sign and I thought that it was just a normal looking museum with relics on display.
I didn’t think that Bamiyan Museum is a cavern. The atmosphere was a bit creepy to be honest. If any of you watched the horror movie The Medium, you’ll know what I’m getting at.
The cavern is dedicated to showcasing the giant Bamiyan Buddha.
Wat Saket closes at 7:00PM, Imagine being here after sundown…
Wat Saket Loy Krathong Festival
The Loy Krathong festival will take place during the late afternoon and night
You might’ve heard about Loy Krathong, a festival about washing away your sins and bad karma. Wat Saket hosts a huge temple festival every year during November.
Temple fairs in Thailand are a big deal, a famous one is the Phra Pathom Chedi Festival in Nakhon Pathom, a temple festival that takes place in the tallest golden stupa in the world.
During these festivals, street food vendors and clothing stalls will set up shop around the temple grounds serving delicious foods and fashionable clothing, in addition, some live music, small scale amusement park rides like ferris wheels, and carnival games can also make an appearance.
All of this activity going on while the temple itself is decorated in an array of bright neon lights and colored fabrics
While the Wat Saket Loy Krathong festival isn’t as big in scope as the one at Phra Pathom Chedi, it’s still something to look forward to.
Details About Wat Saket
Location: 344 Thanon Chakkraphatdi Phong, Ban Bat, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100
Opening Hours: 7:00AM - 7:00PM | Mon - Sun
Wat Saket Entrance Fees: Foreigners - 100 THB | Thais - Free
How to get to Wat Saket?
Take Bangkok’s MRT (Metropolitan Rapid Transit) to Sam Yot station.
Leave the station through Exit/Entrance 1 and head straight along Maha Chai Road. You’ll come across a little bridge on your right, take that and turn left.
You’ll see a blue sign pointing towards the entrance to Wat Saket on your right.
The walk from Sam Yot station to Wat Saket is roughly 20 minutes, you could take a taxi, motorbike taxi, or tuktuk.
Fun Fact: If you continue forward past the bridge, in about 100 meters you’ll reach Raan Jay Fai, Bangkok’s one Michelin Star street food, as well as Thipsamai, Bangkok’s most famous Pad Thai restaurant.
Wat Saket Tours
The Wat Saket TukTuk Tour brings you to the Golden Mount Temple as well as other landmarks such as the Victory Monument, you’ll also get the chance to dine at Thipsamai, a legendary restaurant that serves the best Pad Thai in Bangkok.
You can find more great discounted tours and activities in Bangkok at this link here.
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