Wat Saket Golden Mount Bangkok: Fee, Hours, Climb Guide
Plan your Golden Mount visit: how to reach Wat Saket from MRT Sam Yot, what the 300-step climb is like, the ฿100 foreigner fee, and how to fit it into a temple day.
On this page
Last updated November 2026: the Wat saket golden mount stop is a Bangkok temple whose artificial hill, Phu Khao Thong, carries a gilded chedi. Foreign visitors are reported to pay ฿100 to climb about 300 steps, and we think it suits most first-timers on a temple day. Sources disagree on opening hours, so confirm them before you go.
Featured image: No(0)GoodNamesLeft, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Wat Saket Golden Mount at a glance
Phu Khao Thong sits inside Wat Saket Ratchawora Mahawihan on Boriphat Road in Pom Prap Sattru Phai district. Foreign visitors are reported to pay ฿100 for the climb, while Thais enter free. Expect about 300 steps. One visitor reached the top in roughly 10 minutes. Our verdict: do the full climb if you cope well with heat, and make a quick stop at the base if you Don't.
- Fee: ฿100 for foreigners, free for Thais, reported for the climb only
- Hours: 7:00 to 19:00 in one source, 7:30 to 19:00 in another
- Climb: about 300 steps, with no lift confirmed
- Nearest MRT station: Sam Yot, a 10 to 20 minute walk
Is the Golden Mount worth the climb?
Climbing is by steps only. We found no confirmed lift or alternative route, so treat step-free access as not confirmed. Shade matters too, because the lower half is covered while the upper half is exposed to the sun. Here is how we'd call it by traveler type.
| Traveler | Our call | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Families with young children | Quick stop or short climb | 300 steps, exposed upper half, no confirmed lift |
| Heat-sensitive or limited mobility | Skip the summit, or go at opening | Steps only, and little shade near the top |
| Photographers | Full visit | Panoramic Bangkok skyline from the summit, clearer on sunny days |
| First-timers on a 1 to 2 day temple run | Full visit | Fits easily around other temples, see the pairing table below |
How to get to Wat Saket
Take Bangkok's MRT to Sam Yot station. Walk estimates range from 10 to 20 minutes, so budget 20 on a hot day. A taxi, motorbike taxi or tuk-tuk is the alternative. One route description says to leave through Exit 1 and follow Maha Chai Road. Cross a small bridge, turn left and look for a blue sign pointing to the entrance. Exit numbers and signs can change, so confirm on the ground. Raan Jay Fai and Thipsamai are reported about 100 meters beyond that bridge. Check that both still operate, and when they open, before planning a meal.
Tickets, opening hours and what you pay for
Foreigners are reported to pay ฿100 for the climb, and Thais enter free. Reports say you need a ticket only for the climb, not for the rest of the compound. Opening hours differ by source: 7:00 to 19:00 in one, 7:30 to 19:00 in another. We'd plan to be back down by 18:00 in case sales stop before closing. Last ticket time is not confirmed. Verify the fee and hours with the Tourism Authority of Thailand or at the ticket booth on arrival.
The climb: what to expect step by step
Dense trees shade the lower half, where you pass small Buddha and animal statues and a koi pond. About a third of the way up, a café offers a rest stop. Beyond it, the upper half is fully exposed, and one visitor described scorching sun and humidity. Wind helps a little. Giant gongs line this stretch, and visitors make a wish, then strike one three times with the provided stick. Bells run along the walls, and the custom is to ring them all. A prayer room near the top is reported to be air-conditioned. At the summit, the gilded chedi stands beside Buddha images, with a panoramic skyline of Bangkok around it. You can also write a wish on a copper leaf and hang it near the chedi. Views are clearer on sunny days, while cloud in rainy season dulled them for one visitor.
- Walk from MRT Sam Yot: 10 to 20 minutes depending on source
- Climb: about 10 minutes reported for one visitor, longer with café and gong stops
- Summit: as long as you like, with bells, gongs and the skyline
- Grounds: shrines and displays at ground level, free to view per visitor reports
- Our editorial estimate: about 90 minutes door to door from the station
Best time to visit and what to bring
Go early or late, because the upper steps are exposed. Arrive soon after opening, at 7:00 or 7:30 depending on the source. Rainy season brings cloud that can mute the views. Pack a hat, an umbrella or fan, wet wipes and plenty of water. Shoes with grip help on 300 steps. Wat Saket holds a temple fair every November, around Loy Krathong. A candlelight procession climbs to the chedi, which is wrapped in a long red robe. Dates change yearly, so check the current year's schedule before you plan around it.
Plan for 7:00 or 7:30 with about 90 minutes door to door from the station, before the heat builds.
What else to see in the compound
Most of these sights sit at ground level, so they suit anyone skipping the climb. They come mainly from visitor reports, so check signs on site.
- Luang Por To: a large gilded metal statue near the bottom, believed to bring good karma
- Buddha's Footprint: a relic in a small enclosed Sala, with little context posted
- Vultures of Saket: a grim display behind that Sala, tied to the cholera years
- Bamiyan cavern museum: a dim cavern about the Bamiyan Buddha, details to verify on site
- Summit bells and gongs: wish rituals on the climb itself
History of Wat Saket and Phu Khao Thong
Wat Saket dates to the Ayutthaya period. King Rama I renovated it and gave it the present name, said to mean "to wash the hair". According to tradition, he bathed here on returning from war. King Rama III began a huge chedi, but it collapsed because Bangkok's soft soil could not carry the weight. The mud-and-brick mound grew over like a natural hill. Under King Rama IV, work began on a smaller chedi, finished early in the reign of King Rama V and covered in gold. Concrete walls were added in the 1940s to stop erosion. Reports say a Buddha relic from Sri Lanka rests inside. Wat Saket also sat outside the old city walls. During the 1820 cholera outbreak, which killed more than 30,000 people in Bangkok, it became a main receiving ground for the dead. The vulture display recalls that period.
Temple etiquette at Wat Saket
Cover your shoulders and legs, and skip tank tops. Shoes stay on outdoors here, but come off indoors. Keep your voice low, since monks and locals worship here. Our deeper temple etiquette guide covers dress and behavior across Bangkok.
Pairing Wat Saket with other temples
We'd put Wat Saket first, before the heat builds, then move to a second temple. Our Bangkok temples overview helps you choose a route. Visitor details for Wat Pho Bangkok: Hours, Fees and How to Visit are on the Wat Pho official site. For the palace, see the Grand Palace guide. Opening details sit on the palace's official site. Evening light suits Wat Arun Bangkok: Visit Guide, Ferry, Climb & Timing. Check a map for transfer times, since we found no verified distances.
Both are 90 minute to half-day stops, so one Golden Mount morning pairs easily with a second temple.
| Pairing | Best slot after Wat Saket | Route logic |
|---|---|---|
| Wat Pho | Later the same day | Both are 90 minute to half-day stops, so avoid a third temple |
| Grand Palace | Separate half-day | Strict dress rules, so keep the palace on a fresh morning |
| Wat Arun | Late afternoon | Pair it with an easy final stop after the Golden Mount climb |
| Old City wandering | Between temples | Use it as a rest block in the hottest hours |
Common mistakes to avoid
Most first-visit problems come from timing and clothing. Fix those two and the climb is easy.
- Arriving near 19:00, when hours or ticket sales may end
- Wearing sleeveless tops or short shorts
- Treating the summit as shaded, when the upper half is exposed
- Assuming a ticket covers the whole compound, when it is for the climb
- Skipping water, then facing 300 steps in full sun
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wat Saket hard to climb?
About 300 steps is manageable for most people, with shade in the lower half. Heat is the real challenge, since the upper half is exposed.
How long does it take to climb Wat Saket?
One visitor reached the top in roughly 10 minutes. Allow longer for the café stop, gongs and bells, and the summit view.
Useful notes for your Thailand trip
Optional updates to our guides.
You might also like
Continue reading
More guides you'll find useful
_Wat_Saket_(NgnL)-07757.jpg){kind=link}