The main prang of Wat Arun Photo above: Kriangsak Klabsee via Google
Wat Arun is open daily from 08:00 to 18:00, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand lists the entrance fee at 200 baht, as checked on October 4, 2026. The simplest way in from Wat Pho is the cross-river ferry from Tha Tien pier. The temple stands on the Thonburi bank of the Chao Phraya, and its main prang is lit every night from 18:00 to 06:00, which is when the gates are already closed.
Book tours and tickets
- Wat Pho and Wat Arun half-day walking tour: a guided daytime walk that covers both riverside temples in one trip.
- Canals tour with Wat Arun by longtail boat: a boat tour of the Thonburi canals and the river that includes the temple.
- Wat Arun dining cruise: an evening river cruise with dinner that passes the lit temple.
BangkokVacay earns a commission if you book through these links, at no extra cost to you.
What are the hours and ticket price?
| Item | What we found | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Opening hours | Open daily 08:00 to 18:00 | Tourism Authority of Thailand attraction page, October 4, 2026 |
| Entrance fee | 200 baht for foreign adults. The page leaves the child and Thai fee fields blank. | Tourism Authority of Thailand attraction page, October 4, 2026 |
| Phone | 0 2891 2185 | Tourism Authority of Thailand attraction page |
| Entrances | Three entry points: Mae Phueak Pier, Wat Arun Ferry Pier and Wang Doem Road | TAT Newsroom, January 2020 |
| Night lighting | Main prang lit nightly from sunset to sunrise (18:00 to 06:00) | TAT Newsroom, July 2024 |
One hours difference to know: the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat operator's attractions page lists Wat Arun as open 08:00 to 17:30. We follow the Tourism Authority of Thailand's 18:00 and suggest arriving well before 17:30 in case the operator's time reflects the last entry. We could not confirm a last-entry time.
How do you get to Wat Arun?
Ferry from Tha Tien. Our Wat Pho and Wat Arun listings both say a cross-river ferry runs between Tha Tien pier, beside Wat Pho, and the temple. Wikivoyage says ferries leave about every 10 minutes, but its pages quote the fare as 3, 4 and 5 baht, so we treat the fare as unconfirmed: it is a few baht, and you pay at the pier.
Chao Phraya Tourist Boat. The operator's timetable, read on October 4, 2026, lists a Wat Arun stop. Boats leave Phra Arthit, the stop for Khao San Road, every 30 minutes from 08:30 to 19:00 and reach Wat Arun 10 minutes later, at 08:40 for the first trip. From Sathorn the first boat leaves at 09:00 and reaches Wat Arun at 09:20. A single journey is 40 baht and the all-day River Pass is 150 baht; the operator says schedules may change without notice. See our canal and boat tour guide for other boats.
On foot or by road. The temple's Wang Doem Road entrance is on the land side. We did not verify a road route, so use a map app, and see taxi fares in Bangkok if you take a cab.
What is the dress code?
The Tourism Authority of Thailand's page does not state a dress code. The Chao Phraya Tourist Boat operator's attractions page says to dress politely, not in tank tops, and to wear pants or shorts and skirts past the knees. That is an operator's guidance, not a government rule, but it matches what Thai temples generally expect, so cover shoulders and knees. Our Grand Palace guide has more on temple etiquette in the old city.
What is there to see?
The Tourism Authority of Thailand's page says the temple was originally called Wat Chaeng and became a royal temple when the King of Krung Thon Buri moved the capital there from Ayutthaya. It went through a major renovation under King Rama II, and the large pagoda was begun under Rama III and finished under Rama IV. Its main prang is decorated with seashells and pieces of Chinese porcelain that glimmer in the sun, and TAT says the Fine Arts Department completed a three-year renovation of the pagoda's base in 2017.
Sources disagree on the height: TAT's current attraction page says 82 metres, a 2020 TAT release said 66.8 metres, and the tourist-boat operator says 81.85 metres, so we give no single figure. The operator's page also points out the pair of giant guardian statues at the entrance of the chapel, Sahatsadecha and Tosakan.
Wikivoyage, a secondary source, describes steep stairs on the prang. Check on arrival whether climbing is open and how far up visitors may go, since we could not confirm current rules.
Where is the best sunset view of Wat Arun?
The temple closes at 18:00 and the lighting begins at 18:00, so the lit view is from outside the grounds. Wikivoyage names a riverside promenade on the Rattanakosin bank, opposite the temple, as a place to photograph it at sunrise or sunset. The view from the Tha Tien side shows the prang across the water. Check the sunset time for your date before you go; we do not quote one.
On the water, the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat timetable shows boats reaching Wat Arun as late as 19:10 from Phra Arthit and 20:05 from Sathorn, which lets you pass the lit prang after dark. An evening cruise is the other option; our dinner cruise guide compares the styles. In 2024 the Japan-based YAKEI Convention and Visitors Bureau certified Wat Arun a World Night View Heritage site, as the TAT reported.
Will the Royal Barge Procession affect your visit?
The Royal Barge Procession for the Royal Kathin Ceremony at Wat Arun Ratchawararam is scheduled for November 6, 2026, according to TAT, with rehearsals running from August 17 to October 28. Expect crowds on the river and its banks that day, and check the details on our Royal Barge Procession event page. We found no announcement of a temple closure.
What is near Wat Arun?
- Wat Pho, across the river by the Tha Tien ferry. See our Wat Pho visiting guide, and our Thai massage guide for its massage school.
- The Grand Palace, also on the opposite bank; see things to do near the Grand Palace.
- Wat Kalayanamit, another temple on the Thonburi side of the river.
- Museum Siam and the rest of Old Town Bangkok.
- Pak Khlong Talat, the flower market, and the wider list in Bangkok's temples.
What can you skip?
- A tour just to get there. The ferry and the 200 baht ticket are all you need to enter; a tour adds a guide and transport, not access.
- Arriving after 18:00 expecting to go in. The temple is closed by then. See it lit from the river or the opposite bank.
To fit it into a trip, see our two-day Bangkok itinerary and, for a night in the old town, the Khao San Road guide.
For the river festival, see our Loy Krathong 2026 guide.
Sources: Tourism Authority of Thailand, Wat Arun page, TAT Newsroom, January 2020, TAT Newsroom, July 2024, TAT Newsroom, Royal Barge Procession 2026, Chao Phraya Tourist Boat timetable, Chao Phraya Tourist Boat attractions page, Wikivoyage, Rattanakosin, Wikivoyage, Thonburi. Checked October 4, 2026.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand's attraction page lists Wat Arun as open daily from 08:00 to 18:00, as checked on October 4, 2026. A boat operator's page lists 08:00 to 17:30, so arrive early. We found no last-entry time.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand's page lists 200 baht for foreign adults as of October 4, 2026. The page leaves the child fee blank, so ask at the ticket point.
Take the cross-river ferry from Tha Tien pier, beside Wat Pho. Wikivoyage says ferries leave about every 10 minutes but gives the fare as 3, 4 and 5 baht on different pages, so confirm it at the pier.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand's page gives no dress code. The Chao Phraya Tourist Boat operator says to dress politely, with no tank tops and pants, shorts or skirts past the knees. Covering shoulders and knees is the safe approach.
Yes. TAT says the main prang is lit nightly from sunset to sunrise, 18:00 to 06:00. The temple itself closes at 18:00, so you see the lighting from the river or the opposite bank.
Yes. The Chao Phraya Tourist Boat leaves Phra Arthit pier, the stop for Khao San Road, and reaches Wat Arun 10 minutes later according to its timetable. A single journey is 40 baht and the all-day River Pass is 150 baht, with schedules subject to change.
Sources disagree. TAT's current attraction page says 82 metres, a 2020 TAT release said 66.8 metres, and the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat operator says 81.85 metres, so we do not give a single figure.
