Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Small Chinese-style rock gardens and hill islands interrupt the tiled courtyards provid-
ing shade, greenery and quirky decorations depicting daily life. Keep an eye out for the
distinctive rockery festooned with figures of the hermit Khao Mor - who is credited with
inventing yoga - in various healing positions. According to the tradition, a few good arm
stretches should cure idleness.
Massage Pavilions
A small pavilion west of Phra Ubosot has Unesco-awarded inscriptions detailing the ten-
ets of traditional Thai massage. These and other similar inscriptions led Wat Pho to be re-
garded as Thailand's first university. Today it maintains that tradition as the national
headquarters for the teaching and preservation of traditional Thai medicine, including
Thai massage. The famous traditional Thai medicine school has two
massage pavilions
OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP
(Thai massage per hr 420B; 8.30am-6.30pm)
located within the
temple area and additional rooms within the training facility (
Click here
)
outside the
temple.
Reclining Buddha, Stupas & Gardens
In the northwest corner of the site you'll find Wat Pho's main attraction, the enormous Re-
clining Buddha. The figure was originally commissioned by Rama III (King Phranangk-
lao; r 1824-51), and illustrates the passing of the Buddha into nirvana. It is made of
plaster around a brick core and finished in gold leaf, which gives it a serene luminescence
that keeps you looking, and looking again, from different angles.
