Grand Pacific Explorer

  • From $42,394
  • |
  • 93 Days
  • |
  • 45 Guided Tours
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  • 12 Countries

Bangkok (Laem Chabang), Thailand

Amid the bustle of cosmopolitan Bangkok, numerous temples pay tribute to the Buddha and his role in Thailand’s spiritual life. The most prominent is Wat Arun, its soaring spire represents Mount Meru, mythology’s home of the Hindu gods. At the 17th-century Wat Pho, Thailand’s oldest and largest temple, a gold-leafed Buddha lies in repose. While the most venerated Buddha in the nation resides on the Grand Palace grounds in Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The 26-inch-tall figure carved from semiprecious jade draws pilgrims from all over the world.