Why should you go there and how do you do it right?

The colossal Buddha greets visitors at the entrance and certainly deserves the attention. Phra Buddha Dhammakaya Thep Mongkhon stands 69 meters tall, is crafted from golden bronze, and was completed in 2021. It can be seen from the streets and rooftops in this part of Thonburi. But what truly lingers in visitors' memories is the interior of the 80-meter-tall Maharatchamongkhon Pagoda next to it. On the fifth and top floor, an emerald-green glass stupa rises beneath a painted ceiling, and a path leads outside to the Buddha. Photographs cannot begin to capture the beauty of this place. The lower floors house a museum of artifacts, well worth a visit of about twenty minutes if you're not in a hurry.

What I like best is that this is still an active temple, founded in 1610, where worshippers go about their daily lives – not just a paid stop on a tourist route. The grounds are clean and peaceful, less crowded than the large temples along the river, and the light on the statue in the late afternoon is beautiful. There are cafes around the temple if you'd like to grab a coffee afterward.

Entry to the grounds, the Buddha, and the pagoda is free. According to Google, the grounds are open from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM, but most guidebooks list the pagoda as being open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. It's best to plan your visit within these times. Protect your shoulders and knees, remove your shoes inside the pagoda, and be aware of the slippery floors after rain.

The easiest way to get there is by taking the MRT Blue Line to Bang Phai station, from where it's a 10-15 minute walk. The BTS Wutthakat station (Silom Line) is about a 17-minute walk away, and a Grab ride from central Bangkok costs between 100 and 200 baht. Show the driver a map, as the name doesn't always lead to the destination. Public ferries don't stop nearby, so getting there by boat involves a longtail boat tour on the canal.