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

The turtles are the reason most people remember this place. Just inside the entrance, in the garden, is a pond inhabited by hundreds of turtles of all sizes and colors. A bag of food costs 20 baht. Thai families come here to feed the animals—a good deed. Children throw the food, and the whole atmosphere is as warm and welcoming as you won't find while queuing at the Grand Palace. The garden is planted with unusual trees labeled in Thai and English, and the grounds are impeccably maintained, right down to the neatly trimmed bushes along the entrance walls.

Behind the garden rises the large, whitewashed chedi containing sacred relics. Visitors can climb it and enjoy the view over the city. Wat Arun temple is an active institution on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, near the Thon Buri end of the Chao Phraya Sky Park. Even when it's busy, it remains peaceful. Two buildings are currently undergoing renovations, so parts of the temple may be partially closed off.