I learned about Thailand’s so-called “Dragon Temple” a long time ago, certainly when I lived in Bangkok between 2017-2019. Unfortunately, for reasons I can’t remember now, I never made the journey to see it.
Indeed, as was the case for so many “one that got away” destinations, I vowed to visit the temple (whose official name is Wat Samphran) just as soon as Thailand reopened. That ended up coming, for me, in January of 2022, when I was on my way from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi.
That’s the good news. The bad news? Well, although the Thailand dragon temple isn’t terrible, I’m not sure it’s worth the trouble of getting there (and getting there is a pain).
How to Get to Wat Samphran
Before I give anymore opinions about the dragon temple, I should probably provide some facts. Namely, how to get from Bangkok to Wat Samphran. The short answer to this question is that it’s best if you have a car. If you do, then Wat Samphran (which is located in Nakhon Pathom, the province immediately to the west of Bangkok) is only between 30-45 minutes from central Bangkok.
If you don’t have a car, then you have two options. The easiest is to get a Grab to Wat Samphran, and hope you can get one back. Alternatively—and consider this option 1.5—you can have your Bangkok hotel arrange round-trip taxi transfer. The second option is to ride the BTS or MRT to Bang Wa and then to board Bus 84. Which, to be fair, takes you back to Option #1: The bus drops you pretty far from the temple, necessitating a Grab or taxi ride.
5 Reasons Thailand’s Dragon Temple Disappointed Me
It’s only impressive when seen from a drone
Prior to visiting the dragon temple for myself, what I found most compelling were photos and videos that showed it in the context of the urbanization around it (and the mountains in the distance). Unfortunately, if you don’t have a drone—and I don’t—it’s impossible get this perspective.
(And almost impossible to size up without one)
Trust me, I tried. Unfortunately, none of the buildings around the Wat Samphran dragon temple are accessible to the public, which means that the only place you can get a somewhat zoomed-out view of the temple is on the street just to the east of it. And this, to be frank, is woefully inadequate.
The interior is a missed opportunity
I didn’t take any pictures inside Wat Samphran, and there’s a reason for that: The tunnel that leads up to the top of the tower (which, to be fair, is within the serpentine belly of the dragon) is mostly just whitewashed. This is an incredible missed opportunity, particularly if you already enter the temple disappointed as I did.
The view from the top is of nothing
Seeing the Bangkok dragon temple in the context of its surroundings is amazing. The context and the surroundings themselves? Meh. I mean look, I like Nakhon Pathom as much as the next traveler. But the reality is that this part of the province is indistinguishable from most other quasi-urban places in central Thailand.
It’s not convenient at all
As I explained above, Wat Samphran is not at all convenient to reach. This is slightly less of an issue if you have your own vehicle, though I’m going to assume most of you reading this don’t. There are frankly so many better ways to spend your time in Bangkok.
Is Wat Samphran Worth Visiting?
Don’t mistake my critical tone in this post. Although I can’t say that Wat Samphran is one of the best temples in Bangkok, it’s by no means a terrible place. It’s a unique structure, especially from the outside, but also inside, if you ignore what a missed opportunity its serpentine interior is—it could be so much more (and so much more interesting) than what you find when you go inside.
At the same time, Wat Samphran is a pain to reach, particularly if you don’t have your own car. This is a less than zero chance that you could get a Grab to the temple, only to find yourself stranded for a period of time when you want to leave. If you’ve made the journey without a drone—which is to say, you end up feeling disappointed, since you were unable to see the temple in context—you may leave with the impression that the journey wasn’t worth it.
Other FAQ About Visiting Thailand’s Dragon Temple
How do I get to Dragon Temple Thailand?
The easiest way to get to Thailand’s Dragon Temple is private car, be it your own (or a friend’s), by calling a Grab or by arranging a round-trip taxi with your hotel in Bangkok. You can also take a bus part of the way (from Bang Wa Station), though you’ll need a private vehicle to make it the entire way to the temple.
Is Wat Samphran worth it?
I’ll be honest: Unless you have a drone, and can therefore see Wat Samphran from above and in the context of the area where it is, I’m not sure how impressive it will seem to you. As a result, I doubt the effort that will be required to see it will be worth it, though I will obviously be happy if you don’t end up feeling that way.
How much does it cost to go to Wat Samphran?
Wat Samphran is technically free to enter, although patrons are encouraged to leave a donation, as they are at all Thai temples. The cost will be for transport—probably around 500 THB round-trip for a Grab for central Bangkok, at a minimum—and the time it takes to get there and back, i.e. around half a day when all is said and done.
The Bottom Line
Curious about visiting the Thailand dragon temple? Well, there’s a few things you should know. The first is that while it isn’t far from Bangkok, as the crow flies, getting there without your own set of wheels is a pain. The second? If you don’t have a drone, it’s difficult if not impossible to see the temple (whose name is Wat Samphran) in the context of its surroundings, which sort of lessens the impact of what an otherwise special structure it is. Thankfully, there are plenty of other unique Thailand attractions worth adding to your bucket list. And, if you hire me to plan your Thailand trip, I’ll integrate them perfectly into your itinerary.
