Enter the world of the dragon
Wat Sam Phran rises, pink, 17-storeys tall, and wrapped in a huge, green dragon sculpture.
Just outside Bangkok, the Dragon Temple is surely one of Thailand's most unexpected Buddhist temples.
It is less than 40km to the west of central Bangkok, in the Nakhon Pathom province, and a good day trip, away from the totally frenetic heart of the city.
The temple has deeply religious significance for Thai Buddhists, even though (slightly oddly) the temple's precise origins aren't really clear. There is no written record stating exactly when it was built, though locals will tell you that it was 'in the mid-20th century'.
Some second-hand accounts place some parts of the site earlier than that.
But what we see today speaks for itself — particularly, of course, the 80-metre long green dragon that is coiled around the tower, which symbolises wisdom and protection.
The dragon wasn't part of the original tower construction, but applied later.
The Wat Sam Phran temple complex is an active Buddhist monastery and meditation centre — and its very height is part of the story of belief.
For, in some Buddhist thought, there are 17 stages of spiritual enlightenment — symbolised here by the 17-storeys of the tower.
The grounds around the tower have gardens in which to reflect, and statues of prominent monks.
Visitors are welcome to walk in the grounds, see the offerings and be with monks in prayer in this serene atmosphere.
The temple is open from 7am to 6pm daily with free entry (though it indicated that a $4, or 80 Thai baht, donation is appreciated).
But visitors should, of course, remember that this is a holy place, and they should dress modestly to walk in the temple grounds. Shoulders and knees should be covered (a light shawl or sarongs is acceptable, but there are none to borrow here, as there are in some other temples).
fact file
+ The best way to get there from Bangkok city is by taxi — I'd use the Grab app, which is south-east Asia's version of Uber. That gives a fixed-price ride with GPS tracking and cashless payments. It also offers safety alerts, which some solo travellers might feel more comfortable with. To use the app, type in 'Wat Sam Phran' as the destination. It will usually take between 45 and 60 minutes from the centre of Bangkok.
+ The more adventurous might consider hiring an eScooter — and on that, I'd expect it to take less than 45 minutes. But do note that riders should have an International Driving Permit (get it before any trip from RAC) and make sure their travel insurance covers them for using the scooter.
+ For the budget conscious, Bus No.84 from Bangkok takes about an hour and a quarter to get to Sam Phran town, for $1.20 (25 Thai baht). But you're still 4km from the temple, and may need to use the Grab app to book a motorcycle taxi.
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