Wat Bang Chak is located opposite Koh Kret on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, which encircles the island. The 27-meter-high Buddha is visible from afar, but it's not the temple's only attraction. Beneath the statue are corridors lined with Buddha and statuette figures, accessible through three symbolic doors. One door represents the open mouth of a dragon, opposite it, that of a tiger, and the door behind the giant Buddha symbolizes Phra Rua, the god of solar and lunar eclipses. Paintings from other temples adorn the surrounding area, and at the rear, there's a beautiful garden with sculptures depicting scenes from the life of Buddha and his various incarnations. I highly recommend visiting Wat Bang Chak—either before or during your stay on Koh Kret. Simply take the ferry across the river to the temple, visit the temple, and then return to Koh Kret.

To get to Wat Bang Chak, after arriving in Pak Kret by bus 6, 32, 104, 166 or 505 or by the Green Line Chao Phraya Express boats (weekdays only from 6:15 to 8:15 and from 16:05 to 18:05), take the ferry under the bridge and hire a motorbike taxi on the other side to get to the temple.

Wat Bang Chak is a temple, and when visiting a temple in Thailand there are some rules to follow: appropriate clothing (knees and shoulders should be covered), take off your shoes when entering the building, be quiet, do not hug or kiss, do not point your feet at the Buddha statue, do not smoke.

How to get there

How do you get to Wat Bang Chak? To get to Wat Bang Chak, take bus 6, 32, 104, 166 or 505 from Pak Kret, or take the Green Line Chao Phraya Express boats (weekdays only from 6:15 to 8:15 and from 16:05 to 18:05) across the river by taking the ferry under the bridge and then hire a motorbike taxi on the other side to get to the temple.