Wat Bang Khae Yai

Wat Bang Khae Yai is a working riverside temple on the Mae Klong River in Amphawa district, a few kilometres from the better-known floating market. It dates to the early 19th century, during the reign of Rama II, and is traditionally linked to Chaophraya Wongsa Surasak (Saeng Wongcharoen) — a sister temple, Wat Bang Khae Noi, sits nearby with the same founding story. Entry is free.

The ordination hall (ubosot) is over two centuries old and houses the temple’s principal Buddha image, flanked by two chief-disciple statues, in front of a twelve-cornered chedi built in Ayutthaya style. Morning and evening chanting draws local devotees rather than tour groups, and the temple’s boat landing on the Mae Klong is still used for the Thai custom of releasing fish or eels for merit. Wooden monks’ quarters and a Tripitaka library building round out the compound, both worth a look if the doors are open — some carry old mural work depicting scenes from the period.

Insider Tip: Visit between 6 and 8 AM if you want to see the temple at its most active, when monks are chanting and the boat landing sees the day’s first merit-making visitors — by midday it’s quiet again.

Watch out: This is a working monastery, not a tourist site — there’s no ticket booth, gift shop, or set visiting hours, so keep noise down and don’t interrupt monks going about their routine.

The temple sits close enough to Amphawa Floating Market to combine both in one trip from Samut Songkhram, and travellers doing a wider temple crawl can add Wat Bang Kung, known for its bot enveloped in banyan roots, a short drive further along the river.