Wat Hong Thong (Wat Klang Na)

Hook

Wat Hong Thong sits on stilts over the Gulf of Thailand at the mouth of the Bang Pakong River, earning it the local nickname “the temple in the middle of the sea.” A wooden walkway leads out through mangroves to a three-storey golden chedi, the Phra That Kongkha Maha Chedi, said to hold the relics of an Arhat. It’s free to visit, open daily from around 06:00 to 20:00.

Experience

Unlike a typical inland temple compound, Wat Hong Thong’s main structures — the chedi and adjoining prayer hall — are built on concrete pillars driven into the tidal flats, not on solid ground. You reach them by walking a raised timber pier that stretches out from the shoreline through a band of mangrove trees, with water visible below through the gaps in the boards at high tide. The gilded chedi itself is decorated with murals depicting Buddhist stories and scenes from Thai royal history across its three levels, and Buddha images are housed inside.

The setting is the whole point of a visit here — this isn’t a temple with elaborate architecture as its main draw, but one where the location does the work. Standing at the far end of the walkway with open water and mangroves on both sides, with the Bang Pakong estuary opening toward the Gulf beyond, is a different experience from any land-bound temple in the province.

Atmosphere & Timing

Tides change the character of a visit noticeably. At high tide, the water comes right up under the walkway and the chedi genuinely appears to float; at low tide, exposed mudflats and mangrove roots surround the structure instead, which is less dramatic but shows the tidal ecosystem the temple sits in more clearly. Weekday mornings are quiet; weekends and Buddhist holy days (wan phra) bring more Thai visitors making merit at the chedi.

Insider Tip: Check a tide table before you go if you want the “floating on the sea” photo — arriving within a couple of hours of high tide makes the biggest visual difference.

Watch out: The wooden walkway has no full railing in places and can be slippery when wet from spray or rain. Watch your footing, especially with children, and keep an eye on the tide if you wander onto any exposed sandbank near the temple.

Practical

Wat Hong Thong is in Song Khlong subdistrict, Bang Pakong district — about a 20-minute drive from Bang Pakong town and roughly an hour from central Chachoengsao. There’s no public transport directly to the temple, so a car, motorbike, or taxi from Bang Pakong is the practical option. Combine the trip with Koh Nok or Wat Khao Din, both also in Bang Pakong district.