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30 Agustus 2011

Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) – An Enchanting Haven in a Busy City

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With traffic congested roads, high rise buildings, and a vibrant night life, Bangkok is truly a modern cosmopolitan city. The capital city of Thailand, Bangkok is an exotic destination which will please you and surprise you in so many ways. For many years Bangkok was a small trading village at the bank of the Chao Phraya River. However, after becoming the capital city of the country in the year 1782 Bangkok has transformed itself to be the cultural, business, commercial and political centre of Thailand. Today Bangkok has become one of the financial and investment hubs of the South East Asian region. Although the city has progressed immensely from its humble roots it still retains the proud culture and heritage of the Thai people.

Temple of the Dawn is a majestic temple on the west bank of Chao Phraya River. This mesmerizing temple was built in the early 1800s, and is dedicated to the Indian God of dawn, Aruna. The 79 metres high Pagoda or Phra Prang at the centre is an enchanting feature of this highly venerated temple. This is ornately decorated by Chinese porcelain. The main image of the Buddha in the temple is said to have been moulded by King Rama II himself, and his ashes are buried in the base of this image. Wat Arun celebrates the Royal Tod Kathin festival, where the reigning King of Thailand participates in a procession of royal barges, and hands over new robes to monks who have observed a three month lent period. This is a place where you might get blown away by the culture and history of Thailand and completely forget the busy city surrounding the temple.

Street food in Bangkok is a unique speciality. Delicious fried rice, noodles, soup with prawns and many more mouth watering food can be found in most of the street food stalls. If you are fearless you might want to try deep fried bugs including scorpions, grasshoppers, crickets and water beetles. However, there are many restaurants across the city which serve international cuisine as well, so as to please the taste buds of visitors from around the world.

Riverside hotels offer a panoramic view of the Chao Phraya River in Bangko, where some of the best Bangkok resort accommodations will pamper you with the best of Thai hospitality. Anantara Bangkok Riverside is a luxurious haven from the hustle of the city where you can relax in a charming environment and enjoy world class service.