Set aside plenty of time to visit the Royal Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, it's not just that this is one of the city's major tourist attractions and therefore full of visitors but that there is just so much detail to take in. Your senses will be crowded with the vivid flood of colour from the fantastically decorated buildings and statues, the sound of bells along the rooflines, and the smell of incense.

The Emerald Buddha—a figure of great reverence in Thailand—dressed in one of his gold costumes (they are changed dependent on the season) is housed in a wonderfully decorated Chapel Royal. Outside is the almost iconic shape of the golden chedi, in which ashes of the Buddha are housed, fierce looking demon figures can be found guarding other buildings, and you can follow the whole story of the Ramakian depicted in paintings on the arcade surrounding the temple complex. The latter is also a good place to shade yourself from the sun, the crowds, and the quite overwhelming impression that the temple can make on you.

The Palace, by contrast to the classical Thai architecture of Wat Phra Kaew, is almost a Western looking Pavilion (it was designed by a British architect) topped with Thai spires. It is currently being renovated so any photo opportunities are rather scuppered by scaffolding.

There is a very strict dress code for the Wat and Palace complex. You should wear long trousers or skirts that are below the knee and shirts with sleeves (a shawl/wrap over a sleeveless top will not do). If you don't adhere to the dress code you can borrow suitable wear from an office near the entrance.

This is one of the places where you are likely to encounter the "Grand Palace isn't open, I'll take you to another temple" scam. Be polite and say you'd like to find out for yourself. The Palace/Temple complex is open everyday 8:30am - 3:30pm.

The Grand Palace is a majestic view to behold. At night, it sparkles like the stars, while during the day, it glows like sun. Beside it is the Wat Phra Kaeo that houses the most highly venerated Buddha. People flock to the Grand Palace every day. Some are in a guided tour, while others go on their own. Tourists shouldn’t miss going to the Grand Palace, which is one of the icons of Bangkok. It would take half a day to tour the compound. When our friends took us to the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo, I was dumbfounded. We had to make sure we didn't disrespect the place or the believers who were praying. It was the foundation day of the Chakri Dynasty, so we were warned not to step at the red carpet reserved for the king.

A Wat is very simply a Buddhist temple, where historically, it was the center of learning. No one writes specifically about Wat Phra Kaeo , as it usually gets mentioned via the Grand Palace visit. However, as temples go, this is the most important in all of Thailand and the most revered, as it houses the Emerald Buddha image (Phra Kaeo)since 1782. The image was carved from a single block of jade.

.There are no monks living here, as this Wat serves as a royal chapel.

It is strictly forbidden to take pictures while in the chapel, but one can see his image on any number of websites where people have captured a photo by zooming in from the outside.

The story surrounding this image is interesting; in the mid 15th century, the Emerald Buddha was found, covered in plaster, in Chiang Rai, a city north of Bangkok. From there it was moved to Lampang by a king ? and toward the last quarter of the 15th century, yet another Chiang Mai king called it his own. Around 1550, through political machinations of marriage and power, the Buddha was moved to Laos, were it remained for a dozen years or so. When the capital of Laos was changed to Ventiane, the Emerald Buddha followed suit and had a rest there for over 200 years. Finally captured as a city by King Rama I, the image was brought back to Thonburi, a name that at the time designated Bangkok. And it arrived at the Temple specifically built for it in 1784.

The temple itself is small by comparison to the other mammoth and magnificent buildings of the Grand Palace. At the entrance are gargatuan mythical lions called singhas , and the huge door panels are inlaid with mother of pearl. When I went into the chapel at first, I couldn't find the Buddha. Our guide pointed it out to me, as it sits on a very high pedestal which measures 11 meters. It is surrounded by umbrellas, much the same as the ones we had seen in Bali, during ceremonies. Our guide then showed us, in photos, the three seasonal costumes worn by the Buddha, which are summer, winter and rainy. His majesty, the King, presides over each costume change.

The walls are covered with paintings which are too fantastic to be able to describe. Two large Buddha images stand in front of the altar; they are dedications of a grandson to his father and grandfather, Kings Rama I and II. A series of paintings depicting special events in the life of Lord Buddha are set above the window frames; the ones behind the altar denote Buddhist Cosmology.

Please ensure that you are dressed respectfully when you visit; this means no bare arms or legs. In the event that you lapse, they will rent you clothing with a Bs. 100 deposit which you can get back upon returning.

This is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the royal chapel of His Majesty the King of Thailand. This sacred image of Buddha was made from a single piece of jasper and is 61 centimeters high. It was discovered in Chiang Mai in 1436 when covered in stucco a crack appeared and Buddha shined through. With some 100 buildings and 200 years of history, the architecture is truly a work of art. Murals adorn walls depicting Buddha’s lives. What amazed me was not the size of the Emerald Buddha, but how high up it was placed almost on a pyramid of smaller very decorative golden Buddhas and other carvings. No pictures are allowed, but postcards of the Emerald Buddha are available. There is so much detail is would be impossible to take a picture of the Emerald Buddha and all of the items leading up to it. Shoes must be taken off, and you are immediately directed to sit down. It is quite awe inspiring with so much to take in. Don’t forget to look at the ceiling, walls, fixtures and offerings left. There is so much here, from museums to the various architectural buildings to the halls and galleries, it defies description. The Wat Phra Kaeo Museum exhibits costumes of the Emerald Buddha. Hours are 8:00-5:00 for $5.00

Built in 1782, Wat Phra Kaeo is regarded as one of the world's greatest religious sights: a dazzling collection of guilded spires, sparkling pavilions, & towering mythological gods. This is the only one of Thailand's 29,000 Buddhist temples in which no monks reside, though we did see them on site. This was a place to delight the senses: glittering buildings, rustling chimes, whiffs of incense... Wat Phra Kaeo is home to the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred object in the country & a national symbol of freedom & prosperity. In a private ceremony at the beginning of each of their three seasons, the King personally dresses the Buddha in an appropriate set of robes: gilded robe patterned with blue for rainy season, enamel-coated gold robe for cool season, & diamond-studded robe for hot season. I wonder how the Emerald Buddha would feel about the Manneken Pis in Brussels, Belgium having over 1,000 outfits!?!