🔄 Updated 5 Jun 2026
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon is an old temple dating back to the early Ayutthaya period. What people remember it for is the great bell-shaped chedi, believed to have been built during the reign of King Naresuan the Great to celebrate his victory in the elephant-back duel. The chedi stands roughly 60 metres tall, making it the tallest in Ayutthaya — you can spot it from a distance while you're still driving in, and visitors can climb the stairs to the top for a look around. Unlike many of the temples inside the historical park that are just ruins to wander through, this is still an active temple with resident monks and people coming to make merit, so the atmosphere is livelier.
Opening hours and entry fee
- Opening hours — 08:00–17:00 daily
- Entry fee — 20 THB for foreign visitors · free for Thais (very cheap compared with temples in Bangkok)
- Dress code — this is still an active temple with resident monks, so dress modestly: no shorts or skirts above the knee, as you'll need to take your shoes off to pay respects at certain spots
- Parking — there's a large car park in front of the temple, so no need to worry about parking even if you come by private car
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Climbing the great chedi for the view
The highlight of the temple is walking up the outer stairs of the chedi to the upper terrace. From there you get a view over the whole temple — the rows of saffron-robed Buddha images lined around the chedi's base, the gardens, and the open fields all around. It's the most popular photo angle here. In the centre at the top there's an opening where you can look down into a well where people toss coins and make wishes.
An honest note about the stairs
The stairs up the chedi are fairly tall and steep, the steps are narrow, and there's a handrail on only one side, so it gets awkward when two people have to pass each other in the crowds. If you're afraid of heights or have bad knees, weigh it up first. If you go in the hot season, aim for early morning or late afternoon — midday sun is brutal and the stairs have no shade.
The saffron-robed reclining Buddha
Another spot people come specifically for is the reclining Buddha — a large white figure set in an open-air shrine on one side of the temple. Visitors like to offer a saffron robe and drape it over the Buddha to make a wish; you buy the cloth from the temple's service point, then help unfurl and lay it along the figure. It's an image that tells you instantly you're at Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon. Besides the reclining Buddha, the base of the chedi is also ringed by long rows of seated Buddha images in saffron robes — another classic photo spot.
- The reclining Buddha — a large white figure; people like to offer a saffron robe and drape it over to make a wish
- The rows of saffron-robed Buddhas around the chedi — seated Buddha images lined up around the base, a hugely popular photo spot
- The ordination hall — home to the Phra Buddha Chai Mongkhon in the meditation posture; stop in to pay respects and make a wish for victory and success
- The monument to King Naresuan the Great — within the temple grounds, where people come to pay respects
Getting to Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon sits outside Ayutthaya's island town, to the southeast. It isn't inside the historical park in the middle of town like Wat Mahathat or Wat Phra Si Sanphet, so if you're only cycling or walking around the island you won't reach it — you'll need a vehicle to get there.
- Private car from Bangkok — drive up the Asia Highway (Route 32), about 1.5 hours from Bangkok. There's plenty of parking, and it's the easiest option if you're travelling as a group
- Van / coach + renting in town — take a van or train to Ayutthaya, then rent a motorbike or hire a songthaew/tuk-tuk in town to bring you over, since this temple is outside the island
- Tuk-tuk / hired car on a temple loop — the popular choice among visitors is to hire a tuk-tuk or a car for a half-day or full-day temple loop. Prices are negotiable, and Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon is usually already on the route
- Day trip tour from Bangkok — several operators run round-trip Ayutthaya day tours that include Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon as a main stop, ideal if you'd rather not drive yourself
Pair it up to make the trip worth it
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon is on the same side as Wat Phanan Choeng (home of the giant Luang Pho To Buddha), just a few minutes' drive apart. Most people pair these two temples in one loop and visit them back to back before heading into the old town.
Best time to go and photo spots
This is an open-air temple and the midday sun is harsh. The most comfortable times are early morning (it opens at 08:00, when crowds are still thin) or late afternoon before closing, when the light is softer and photos come out better. The most popular photo angle is standing below the chedi to capture the long stairway leading up, and the view from the top of the chedi looking down over the rows of saffron-robed Buddhas.
Base of the chedi, by the saffron-robed Buddhas
Stand to photograph the long rows of seated Buddhas in saffron robes around the base — the signature image of this temple, and it shoots well both morning and evening.
The terrace atop the chedi
Climb the stairs for a high-angle view over the whole temple and the surrounding fields. The trade-off for this shot is the steep climb up.
In front of the reclining Buddha
Shoot alongside the large white reclining Buddha in its saffron robe. Catch the moment people are unfurling the robe over it for a shot with real atmosphere.
The garden in front of the temple
The grounds have a nicely landscaped garden, good for sitting in the shade for a rest and framing the chedi as a backdrop.
A small tip
Long weekends and Buddhist holy days get very busy, especially from mid-morning into the afternoon, when the chedi stairs form queues going up and down. If you want a clear shot of the chedi with no crowds, get there right at the 08:00 opening — that's your best bet.
What else is worth visiting nearby
- Wat Phanan Choeng — close by, just a few minutes' drive, with the giant Luang Pho To Buddha that people come to pay respects to; pair it with Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon in one loop
- Wat Mahathat (the Buddha head in tree roots) — over in the old town, with a Buddha head entwined in the roots of a bodhi tree, an iconic Ayutthaya photo spot
- Markets and boat-noodle shops in town — refuel with Ayutthaya's famous boat noodles and roti sai mai before carrying on to the next temple
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