Wat Pho is just a 15 minute walk away from the palace, this was the most interesting wat we visited in Bangkok. As is the case with most wats, this is not just a single building, but more of a complex of different buildings with the temple at the center. The reclining Buddha is truly a sight to behold. As you walk around, the sights and sounds of Thais shaking fortune sticks, praying, and dropping coins in a series of buckets surrounds you. When we visited, the tourists were definitely in the minority. This is a place of worship that is definitely in use every day, and not just a tourist trap.

We both got a half hour massage ($4 each) from the famous masseurs at Wat Pho. We didn’t quite know what to expect, and it’s certainly different from any massage we’d ever experienced. After paying, you go into this huge non-AC room (with fans blowing, so the temperature is not too bad). Everywhere you look, there are mattresses, Thais (and a few tourists) and masseurs, in one big common room. Everyone is clothed. Traditional Thai massage is more like assisted Tai-Chi. They bend your body in every which way (some lightly painful). They massage your hands. Your ears.  It’s seriously full body, and a must-do while you’re in Thailand. And there’s no better place than Wat Pho.