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Wat Arun | The Temple of the dawn.

The Wat is easy to spot on the riverside because of its shape, and very recognizable to anyone who has seen the many pictures of this, The Temple of Dawn.

Located alongside the river, on the opposite bank to Wat Pho and The Grand Palace, this is another iconic figure of Bangkok and Thailand.

The temple itself is something of a mix of Indian culture with Arun being a Hindu God, meaning God of Dawn.

But at the river side there are six pavilions where Chinese culture is the main feature.

On the central Khmer style pagoda, the decorations come in the form of seashells and porcelain, again from China.

So, although it looks quite stunning from a distance, close in there is a mix of all sorts. The pagoda has a steep set of steps to the top.

In some respects The Temple of Dawn is best seen from the river, or on the opposite bank.

For those keen on getting that iconic image, the best time to photograph the temple is at sunset, not sunrise.

To reach the temple the best way is by river boat to the Wat Arun Pier and there are also cross river ferries running from the opposite bank near Wat Pho.

Pictures of Wat Arun located across the Chaophraya River from Wat Pra Kaew (on Thonburi side of the river). Wat Arun is also known as Wat Jaeng (Jaeng means bright light).

Wat Arun from the Tha Tien boat pier.	Yak Wat Jaeng, the giant guardian of Wat Arun.	Wat Arun.
Strange, I found this palmistry service within the compound of this temple.	Closer look at the Khmer-style tower at Wat Arun.	Tall tower at Wat Arun, not allowed to walk up.
View from inside.	Wat Arun.	Closer look at the detail of the tower.
A look at different towers inside Wat Arun.	Statue, very similar to Wat Pho.	Inside the compound.
Inside the compound.	Inside the compound.	Looking at Chaophraya River from Wat Arun.

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