Wat Ratchaburana
1424 temple with a tall Khmer-style prang you can climb, hiding a painted crypt where a famous gold treasure hoard was excavated.
- Category
- Temples (Wat)
- Entrance fee
- Around 50 THB for foreigners (as of 2026, confirm locally); in the 220 THB combo ticket
- Hours
- Approx. 08:00-18:00 daily (as of 2026, confirm locally)
- Best time
- Morning; the crypt gets hot and airless by midday
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy; steep narrow stairs down into the crypt
About Wat Ratchaburana
Right across the road from Wat Mahathat and consistently less crowded, which makes it one of the better-value stops in the park core. The tall Khmer-style prang dominates, and unlike most ruins here you can actually go inside and descend into the relic crypt to see faded old murals painted on the walls.
The crypt is where a famous hoard of gold was dug up. The treasure itself now lives in the Chao Sam Phraya Museum, so if you want to see what came out of here, plan that museum stop too. Inside the ground itself you get the atmosphere rather than the gold.
The stairs down are steep and narrow, and the crypt turns hot and stuffy by midday. Do this in the morning while the air still moves, and skip the descent if steep steps are not for you.
Highlights
- Tall, climbable Khmer-style central prang
- Descent into a relic crypt with faded original murals
- Site of a famous excavated gold treasure hoard
- Quieter than neighbouring Wat Mahathat
- Steps across the road from Wat Mahathat
Tips
- Go in the morning before the crypt gets hot and airless
- Watch the steep, narrow stairs on the way down
- See the excavated gold at the Chao Sam Phraya Museum to complete the story
- Combine with Wat Mahathat since they face each other
How to get there
Across the road from Wat Mahathat in the park core; walk between the two, or ~5 min tuk-tuk from town