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There are countless temples in Thailand and if you’re looking for one that’s off the tourist track, with an extremely unique design? You need to visit Wat Samphran, also known as the Dragon Temple which is only 40 minutes from Bangkok.
I had first come across this temple while scrolling on social media and the impressive design had me adding it to my “must see” list immediately.
This striking, 17-story, pink tower is more unique than any other Buddhist temple I have been too in the past. The giant dragon wrapping around the building, then resting his head at the very top is definitely something anyone visiting Bangkok should check out.
The temple is often referred to as the Bangkok Dragon Temple but it isn’t actually in the city.
And with minimal public transport to Wat Samphran, I wanted to put together this guide to make it super simple for you to visit Wat Samphran.
It’s worth every bit of your time because it’s stunning.
Where is Wat Samphran Dragon Temple
Wat Samphran temple is located in Thailand’s Nakhon Pathom province and is a 40-minute drive from Bangkok.
It’s an easy day trip from Bangkok and an excellent chance to explore a quieter and lesser-known area away from the city.
How to Get to Wat Samphran & How Much Will it Cost
During my travels in Thailand, I’m generally on a pretty tight budget. So when I first decided I wanted to check out the dragon temple near Bangkok I looked at public transport. This is a cheap option but it surprisingly wasn’t a convenient one.
On Rome2Rio was a bus from Bangkok to Central Salaya, taking 1 hour & 20 minutes. Then a taxi ride to Wat Samphran temple, which is approximately 20km away.
I decided to talk with local taxi drivers & discuss the price for a return trip, and they’d wait out the front while we explore the temple.
We agreed on 850THB, at the time this was $38AUD for a return trip.
I had asked for the taxi to use the meter & I know Bangkok taxi drivers are notorious for not wanting to use the meter but they also said for a taxi to leave the city a 150THB surcharge is added each way. So once you pay the fare plus the surcharge it would end up costing the same.
Although I haven’t been able to clarify by googling if this surcharge is correct, but what the driver advised the estimated total meter fare will be, was the same as what I’d read online. So I felt I was getting a pretty decent deal.
Not all taxi drivers in Bangkok will have the best English, plus there are heaps of temples in & around Bangkok. So I would recommend having a photo of Wat Samphran on you because if all else fails they will recognize the temple.
Also, I had looked at Grab and the app Grab was quoting between 367-568THB one way. So really even if hiring a driver ended up being slightly more expensive, it was worth it for the convenience of him waiting for us.
Entry Fee to The Temple?
There is no entry fee to visit Wat Samphran but a small donation is expected when entering the building.
Visiting Wat Samphran
Your first glimpse of Wat Samphran will be from the highway, the dragon’s head will be towering over the trees & other buildings in the area.
The taxi can park right out the front and when we arrived I was surprised how quiet it was, I only saw a couple of other tourists the whole time. This is definitely off the tourist track!
If you want to bring on good luck, or maybe the chance to receive treasures from your family. There is a pond outside the temple with several jars, use all your spare change and see if you can make a shot. I got one coin in and now I’m patiently waiting to see what treasures my family will bring me. 😆
Visitors can walk around the whole temple and even travel up through the dragon’s body to the head at the very top of the building.
Walking through the dragon is very underwhelming. It’s literally just an empty concrete tunnel. (There’s an elevator but this wasn’t working when I visited).
Then the views from the top are amazing, plus it was awesome to see the dragon’s head up close. Also, there are a series of statutes that represent the birth of Lord Buddha.
The surrounding grounds are also very interesting and much bigger than I expected. Follow the path to see the stunning bronze statue of Buddha and many other animal statues such as Dolphins, Turtles, Peacocks & an Elephant. These statues do feel kind of random and with no signs in English it’s hard to completely understand their meaning but they are all significant to Buddhism.
I feel like the last two years affected Wat Samphran, it had a bit of an abandoned theme park vibe and lot of the paint on the animal statutes was fading.
Why You Should Visit Wat Samphran Temple
The main dragon temple and the surrounding grounds are so beautiful. Plus it’ll be visually very different to any other Buddhist temple you’ve seen before.
Apart from the fact it was such a hot day, it was a peaceful walk around the grounds and there isn’t anyone trying to give you a tour or sell souvenirs.
You could easily spend a couple of hours here.
It was great to get out of the city for the day and explore something a bit more unusual.
For me when I first wanted to visit Wat Samphran the photos I’d seen spoke for themselves. The dragon just looked so amazing I had to see it with my own eyes.
And, I promise you it’s as impressive as the photos make out.
History of Wat Samphran Dragon Temple
Unfortunately, the temple does have a dark past & was closed for a while after the abbot (now ex-abbot) was found guilty of raping young girls. In 2004 he was sentenced to 150 years in prison, after a nine-year trial.
Even after this horrendous series of events I don’t believe in boycotting the temple. Along with the ex-abbot, nuns were also arrested for their involvement. These days the temple is a place of worship for local people & I was happy to visit in support of them.
The designer of the temple & the year of its construction is unknown. It’s a slight bazaar place and has a very mysterious feel.
Thanks for reading,
Happy Travels
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Elyse is the author & content creator behind A World To Live. After traveling to over 40 countries, she has a passion for discovering new places. Elyse is a money-conscious traveller who loves writing independent travel guides to help her readers get the most out of their travels.
It is sad to hear the temple has such a sad history, but it is good to know the temple is being used for better purposes today!
Yeah it’s awful, I didn’t want to write about this temple though without acknowledging it 🙁
Thanks for introducing me to the Dragon temple. It looks like a great place to visit &, as a temple lover, I’ml adding it to my list of things to see next time I visit Bangkok!
What even is the architecture on that temple – so intricate and beautiful! Thanks for this lovely post, definitely checking out the Dragon Temple whenever I plan my Thailand trip!
Such a unique place. I love posts like this because I find out about places to visit that would not have been on my travel radar previously. Thanks!
I have always wanted to visit a Buddhist Temple and the Dragon Temple looks amazing! Great tip to have a picture to show the taxi driver exactly where to go.
I would never expect such a colorful place to have a dark past.
me either Maria, it’s so sad
Cool temple! The dragon looks so awesome. The pictures look so magical! Also super affordable for tourist. Would definitely visit on my next trip to Bangkok.
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