2 Best Sights in Bangkok, Thailand

This riverside Buddhist monastery is inspiring at sunrise, but it's even more marvelous toward dusk, when the setting sun throws amber tones over the entire area. In front of the monastery facing the river is a square courtyard containing an impressive 270-foot-tall prang (Khmer-style tower) surrounded by four smaller ones. All five prangs are covered in mosaics assembled from broken Chinese porcelain originally used as ballast on ships coming from China. Away from the river, among the monastic residences, is a respected meditation center open to the public and overseen by English-speaking instructor Hartanto Gunawan.

Completed in 1956 to accompany the opening of the Erawan Hotel (now the Grand Hyatt Erawan), this shrine is one of the more active and highly revered ones, with many people stopping by on their way home to pray to a gleaming image of Brahma, the Hindu creator god. Thai dancers in traditional dress and a small orchestra perform for a fee to increase the likelihood that your wish will be granted. Even with a traffic jam right outside the gates, the mix of rhinestone-costumed dancers and fervent worshippers is an intoxicating sight. Entry is free, but many leave a small donation. There are also fantastic views of the shrine from the Rajaprasong Skywalk up above, from where many visitors take pictures.