The Temple of Dawn sits on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, its 79-metre central pagoda decorated with ceramic tiles and fragments of multi-coloured porcelain. The most beautiful view is from the east bank at sunset. Take a small ferry from Tha Tien Pier near Wat Pho -- the crossing costs just a few baht. Climbing part way up the steep central prang is possible and offers good river views. Admission 100 baht.
Wat Arun
Porcelain-encrusted riverside temple, stunning at sunset
A story
The millions of ceramic fragments covering the central prang were not purchased — they were salvaged from Chinese trading ships that used porcelain as ballast on the voyage to Bangkok. Once the ships arrived, the ballast was dumped overboard. During the restoration under King Rama III in the 1830s, royal artisans collected the discarded pieces and embedded them into the temple's exterior, creating the glittering mosaic you see today.